Planning Out Your Garden: Things To Consider NOW
Gardening Season Is Almost Here- Garden Plans Need To Be Finalized
Using Containers, Buckets & Tri-Pods For Space Allotment Concerns
Like many other gardeners, whether urban suburban or just smaller property size, I have an issue with what I want to grow versus what I actually have room to grow. If I could I would have ten varieties of tomatoes, a larger assortment of peppers, more herbs than the local health food store sells and rows upon rows of corn, cabbage and other vegetables. Heck, I'd even be adding fruit and nut trees to the collection just for good measure.
Oh, and let's not forget about the wide array of lettuce, spinach and flowers.
Nut, alas, I only have 1/3 of an acre of land to work with. Which is a HUGE hindrance for me. So this coming season I am planning on becoming the neighborhood container lady. We've all heard of the proverbial cat lady comments; and I want to coin the Container Lady label.
Plants I will be growing in containers and buckets:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- ? (not yet determined)
Plants I'm planning in using a tri-pod like vine growing tool are:
- Cucumbers
- Luffa
- Pole green beans
- Summer (yellow) squash
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
Plants in raised container beds will be:
- Lettuce, Spinach & other various greens
- Cabbage
- Onions and garlic
- Potatoes
Companion Gardening & Plants
Knowing what plants grow well and which ones you should not plant near others is crucial to a good harvest, lowering potential pest concerns and having a better outcome. Everyone knows to plant basil near, or in between tomato plants, but did you know you shouldn't plant sunflowers near garlic and onions?
Doing your research ahead of time then plotting out where which plant will go is something every gardener needs to know.
Resources About Companion Planting:
From Window Box
Seeds: Picking What To Grow & What Varieties
While I am new to full-fledged gardening, I have not been able to successfully attempt saving my seeds from previous gardens and harvests. This year I will be working on that goal and skill.
I have been only purchasing heirloom seeds all along; so I am confident I will be able to do this once the season is coming to an end in 2018.
Hybrid Seeds
- Don't breed true
- Not guaranteed to reproduce season to season
- May need to be hand pollinated
- Possible smaller yields
Thanks GDawne! Up north we are still around 3 months from thinking about planting. This next year is our second year having a garden. Container gardening works well here because of frozen ground issues. Oh… can you send a invite for your group please?
I won't get my seedlings going for another 6 weeks but I am a be prepared type of person.
Planning is one of the best parts of gardening!! It gets the excitement level up, you get to plan some projects, and instantly start to envision the yield at the end of the season. The hardest part is waiting out the winter once you have th e plan together!!! =)
Small space gardening is best done in containers. I am like you, we have a small space but we put out a lot of produce by using the container gardening method. It becomes an addiction as the summer goes on, more plants, more containers, and more projects!!!
Love your posts!! Keep them coming!!
It certainly does make you become VERY creative. I actually will like the buckets and containers because I can move them as needed to better/sunnier areas if needed.
Ya its such a great advantage!!
Another great article. Very informative.
@tincanjunction
thank you! I always find it so much easier to have things ready and more or less, get my ducks in a row.
Have you ever tried that trick of growing tomatoes upside down from a hanging bucket and then planting strawberries (or other stuff) in the top of the bucket? We tried it once years ago but the squirrels ate the harvest....the Husband mentioned wanting to try it again this year. Hmm
No I haven't! I have seen those things on TV years ago and I've seen some pics and posts online, maybe I should see about that! It would free up some more buckets and containers for other plants! GREAT idea.
You always write such great posts. The plants are pretty well what we'll be planting here in 6 months. I suppose people arent that different wherever we live.
Nice gardening @goldendawne, I bet I'll be seeing it when it's bigger and older and better in time to come, save your seeds yo, you're doing a nice job so far.
👍
I think watermelon and green peas are another option. But not sure if weather and other condition works around for those. They are kind of low maintenance during summer time :)
Rydhi
xox
Low maintenance are always nice additions to a garden especially when you have so many other plants to care for.
Wow! You re really an avid gardener! Some really nice tips there, and I like the way you have set up your garden!
I need to plan my garden too. Unfortunately, I just have a very small one (about 500 sq feet). I have a few trees in there like pomegranate, mango, guava and lemon. I also put in some plants like beans, tomatoes, chillies, etc.
Any more ideas around what I can put in there, that does not take up much space?
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Maybe I'll do another post about what plants or small trees can grow and survive in a bucket or container. Great idea!
Yup, that would be great! I'll wait for it! :)
Cheers!
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Thank you for all your info! I've heard that high density planting helps produce more on small properties, too. I just moved into a townhouse, trading an apartment patio for some yard space, but will start out using containers too, since I would need HOA approval to dig (underground utilities and all that), but they have not given my neighbor a hard time about that.
Being in Arizona, I have to keep track of what are "hot weather plants" and what are "cool weather plants", but pretty much everything is dead in June & July (110 degrees kills everything), and we replant in August.
I do keep an indoor closet sized greenhouse near a window, to grow microgreens in. So much variety to choose from!
Yeah I had the HOA issue a few years ago and am THRILLED not to have to deal with those anymore.
ALthough where I was at before (with the HOA issues) I had an even SMALLER piece of land. We lived in a condo and the HOA almost had a heart attack when I planted two tomato plants and three cucumber plants.
Microgreens are something I will be attempting too indoors. I have a 3x3x6 grow tent in the utility/laundry room
great way to maximize your 1/3 acre...becoming a container lady probably gives you another 1/3 acre.
That's such a GREAT way of thinking about it!