How to get started

[Sarah]

Hi all. I am in the process of revitalizing my backyard garden which has never really been utilized properly for several years. The space is in full sun and is approximately 35 feet by 60 feet. We live in the Hudson Valley of New York. We would like to grow strawberries, tomatoes, pole beans, snow peas, carrots, radishes, kale, parsnips, sunflowers, broccoli, cauliflower, and some melons and pumpkins. Is that too many species for the size of the space? Can anyone suggest how I might approach the planning/measuring aspect of things? Do I start with one plant and measure how much space each plant needs, then plan the rest of the garden around that?

 

[Sarah]

Also, will I be more successful if I plant already-started plants, or can I get away with planting seeds and expect them to produce within a few months? For example I'm interested in trying some rainbow carrots but can only get seeds.

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum Sarah, great to have you here!

It depends on how much of each vegetable/fruit you want to grow, but it sounds like you will have plenty of room. Melons and pumpkin can take up quite a lot of space so you'll want to factor that into your calculations first I would have thought. You also want to keep the south facing side for the sunflowers if possible.

When planning out your rows then be sure to leave enough space around each one for easy access. Are you thinking about having raised beds? It's a nice way to compartmentalise a kitchen garden, and can make it look quite attractive too

 

[Sarah]

Hi Becky, thanks for the reply. I am taking over my mother in law's garden and there are already four stone "pathways" dividing the plot into five sections. So I'm not sure if raised beds are necessary, unless they improve growth or yield. I was told to try the 4x4 method and plant in squares, so I've been trying to figure out which plants grow best together. I was also wondering if there are any non-vegetable flowers or plants that are helpful to plant alongside certain things.

 

[Sarah]

Oh and also, should I bother spending the money on pre-started plants? I'm not sure how long things take to mature from seeds, since we are getting off to a rather late start this season I don't want to have to wait until fall for my first crop...

And another dumb question...does 1 seed = 1 full plant? Or do you have to sow a bunch in case they don't all take? (Can you tell I haven't gardened in years?)

 

[Chuck]

Oh and also, should I bother spending the money on pre-started plants? I'm not sure how long things take to mature from seeds, since we are getting off to a rather late start this season I don't want to have to wait until fall for my first crop...

And another dumb question...does 1 seed = 1 full plant? Or do you have to sow a bunch in case they don't all take? (Can you tell I haven't gardened in years?)

I usually plant 3 seeds in a container for something like tomatos or peppers and then snip of the weakest as they grow. For something like carrots, leaf spinach etc I mix the seeds in a bowl with sand. Then I put the sand into a spice bottle that has the shaker holes in it. This way when you sprinkle out the sand you get a more even distribution of the seeds which will lead to less thinning later on and also be able to see where you have planted.

 

[Chuck]

Hi all. I am in the process of revitalizing my backyard garden which has never really been utilized properly for several years. The space is in full sun and is approximately 35 feet by 60 feet. We live in the Hudson Valley of New York. We would like to grow strawberries, tomatoes, pole beans, snow peas, carrots, radishes, kale, parsnips, sunflowers, broccoli, cauliflower, and some melons and pumpkins. Is that too many species for the size of the space? Can anyone suggest how I might approach the planning/measuring aspect of things? Do I start with one plant and measure how much space each plant needs, then plan the rest of the garden around that?

I am not at all familiar with your climate but if I were suddenly transported to the Hudson Valley and had a nice garden like that my first step would be to make friends with a local nursury and learn the when what and how to of it all locally.

 

[Lostvalleyguy]

Things like beans, peas, radishes, and carrots will generally grow well from seed. I like to buy tomatoes and other plants already started. I usually get the small 4 or 6 pack of plants rather than the single ones in the 4" pots as they are more expensive and don't seem to do any better for me. Melons, tomatoes and pumpkins like it a little warmer so you won't get a lot of growth early from seed unless you have a greenhouse or an indoor place to sprout them. As a result, buying the pre-started plants will save some time. I didn't see cucumbers on your list, but they do well in full sun. If you can find them, there is still enough time to buy bare root strawberries and get a crop this year - they are much cheaper than buying individual plants and they do well.

 

[Chuck]

Things like beans, peas, radishes, and carrots will generally grow well from seed. I like to buy tomatoes and other plants already started. I usually get the small 4 or 6 pack of plants rather than the single ones in the 4" pots as they are more expensive and don't seem to do any better for me. Melons, tomatoes and pumpkins like it a little warmer so you won't get a lot of growth early from seed unless you have a greenhouse or an indoor place to sprout them. As a result, buying the pre-started plants will save some time. I didn't see cucumbers on your list, but they do well in full sun. If you can find them, there is still enough time to buy bare root strawberries and get a crop this year - they are much cheaper than buying individual plants and they do well.

I couldn't have said it better

 

[Becky]

Excellent advice from @Chuck and @Lostvalleyguy

My step-dad grew courgettes (zucchini) and marrows for the first time in his vegetable patch last year - he was advised to grow 3 plants from seed, and pick whichever did best and discard the other two. Well with both the courgettes and marrows all three seedlings did well, so he planted them all... and was completely inundated with produce!! And because the plants were so huge, often some of the vegetables were hidden away beneath leaves and he didn't get to them until they were huge. Some of the courgettes were the size of marrows!

Also with regards to planting runner beans, @zigs has some great advice on how to structure your supports:

https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/visit-to-hampshire.1433/#post-15152

 

[Eve]

I have a question about where to start a garden. Half of my backyard receives full sun in the morning, while the other half gets it in the afternoon. Which part would be best for vegetables? Eve