Tuesday, March 22, 2011

How Does Your Garden Grow? 3/22/11


I love planning a little garden.  After reading the Square Foot Gardening book last year, I've planned our vegetable garden in a "square foot" layout.  I think it looks pretty.  Pretty may not be the objective, but it works for me.  :)

This year, we are working on a permanent herb garden.  I'm going to plan it in among the garden spaces.  We're going to use the cedar planks leftover from last year.  I hope this lasts for a long time.  

Here's the planned layout:

I'm not sure if you can read the screen print, but here's a list of what's being planted:
(16 squares) three different kinds of carrots (carnival, cosmic purple, danvers)
(2) zucchini
(2) yellow squash
tendergreen bush green beans
kentucky wonder pole green beans
bell peppers (1 - yellow, 1 - red)
(2) jalapeno peppers
(10) tomatoes (not sure what kind yet.  I'm buying plants this year vs. sowing myself, like last year)
(3) butternut squash
(3) sugar baby watermelon
pickling cucumbers
seedless cucumbers
(2) climbing nasturtiums

We already planted the lettuce/greens a few weeks ago. Here's what they look like now:
 (mesclum gourmet lettuce mix)

(Swiss chard - bright lights)

All around the outside, we're going to plant marigolds in different shades of yellow and orange.  You'll notice the mint containers toward the bottom of the plan.  I have some older plant pots to contain the mint.  I'm hoping to get some pineapple mint, chocolate mint, spearmint and peppermint plants.  

The cucumbers and pole beans will be trained to climb the pvc pipe trellis from last year.  I only need to add fresh twine.  

Eventually, I'd like to add mulched bark or gravel to the pathways to keep the weeds down and to make the garden a permanent fixture.  This is where I'm having a dilemma.  Should I place gravel or mulch.  What do you think?

Would you use gravel or mulch to fill in the walkways, and why?


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11 comments:

Susie said...

Wow! Great plan!!!

Beth said...

Wow - that is a major commitment to home-grown fresh food!

Mommarock said...

Yum! Just so you know.. perhaps you did it on purpose.. if you plant the jalapenos next to the green peppers.. they too will be HOT!

Mandy said...

Once again I wish I was your neighbor! Not just because I would like to snag some of these veggies but also b/c I just like you. I really, really like you and wish we could hang out, garden, bake and talk! Oh well, I guess we'll just have to settle for reading each other's blogs in the mean time! ;-) Hope all is well.

Mandy

Candi said...

@mommarock - no! I didn't realize that!!! So I'm guessing I'll need to move those around? You know I'm still learning, this is only our 3rd year for a garden. Any help y'all have to offer is much appreciated!

Candi said...

@Mandy - I enjoy your blogs too! Cyber buddy :) I feel like I need to have a Darth Vader voice when saying "cyber"...LOL!

Donnie said...

That looks so organized.

Barbara Rosenzweig said...

If this were a perennial garden,I'd recommend a ground cover like periwinkle (vinca minor). A mulch like ground leaf mold would probably do well. Would not recommend using gravel.
I love gardening and am your new follower!

Linda said...

Sounds great! We used to have a huge garden when the kids were small, but now they have their own gardens and I went back to vegetable gardening pre-Victorian style...I mix everything in together. It works well for us...and the vegetable do so well with the flowers. I also don't get bare spots in the winter...but then I don't have planted near what you do! We have 2 tomato plants, sugar snap peas, artichokes, lettuce, radishes, 3 different peppers and cucumbers. I also would not recommend gravel unless you have a definite border...I never put anything in the pathways...is your garden raised?That could make a difference. Happy gardening!!

Denise said...

We added mulch to our walkways last year (and the year before that!) and we just can't keep the weeds down. We're investing in crushed granite this year AND adding stone to our beds as the wood has already started rotting!

Meryl said...

Good luck with the garden...it sounds wonderful. I moved from the country to the city, and while I like what the city has to offer, I miss my garden.

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