Cucumbers will work, as will most beans. I'd bet your tomatoes would yield as well.

I pulled my garlic two days ago, and this morning planted a row of Swiss Chard, row of golden beets, and 20 foot row of large leaf Italian basil, because my daughter subsists (when we let her) on pesto.

What about water for the communal plot?

Hi, Bonnie, congratulations on your find! We have 100% understanding with you and your small lot size as we are in similar circumstances.

We had to go to the HOA people here tho, and be the Instigators of the Plot - errr - the Idea Planters - for the Community Garden - just a couple of weeks ago got the OK so it is now a work in progress.

Enjoy, enjoy, plant gladly and fearlessly and let's share results here after harvesting!

I went buy the place this afternoon, and it is what I would call a diamond in the rough. It's a first year plot, and in need of some serious weed irradication and soil ammending. DH thinks that I don't have the time to devote to it, but if I think it's worth the effort, I will make it work somehow.

David, the plot has access to the town irrigation ditch. Maybe that is what the $15 fee is for, to pay for the water use?

Enjoy yourself, Bonnie. :) I think it sounds terrific!

This is the first year I've planted cukes so late (June 29) - but they were plant starts, so maybe I'm cheating just a little there . . .

If I can get summer squash seed (or starts) in by July 4th they will make some nice little squash before frost. Later than that, it gets progressively more risky.

Snow peas, planted the last week of July will make pods for stir-fry by the end of September. If you enjoy the tendrils, you can harvest those as well. (I think that they are best with a flower attached. ;o)

Those snow peas are kind of the start of the fall crops. I just about replant ALL of the greens but real good success is a little "dicey" in my garden because it just seems to go from hot and dry to frigid so quickly.

You deserve more space Bonnie. Apparently, you are getting in on the inception of this garden. I hope you meet some interested and interesting gardeners and have lots of fun!

Steve

Congrats on your new space, Bonnie! I'm excited for you! Maybe some lasagna beds right on top of your new space might be time saving?
Have fun and keep us updated!

This is wonderful! I hope you and your new garden have a wonderful time together.

David, the plot has access to the town irrigation ditch. Maybe that is what the $15 fee is for, to pay for the water use?

It might be to cover the tap fee and possible cost of leasing. Very nice that the town is doing that, treasure it. Your hard work may make it attractive for others and get a good ball rolling.

Dan

So I paid my fee, picked out my plot, spent yesterday afternoon filling an entire garbage can with weeds, and turned over the dirt on the 200 sq. ft. plot with a shovel. The dirt was pretty wet, and if it wasn't so late in the season, I would have let it dry out some first. The dirt was loose though, which means they must have tilled or plowed the entire lot when they first started the garden. Today when I went over to work on things, there was a sprinkler running and water between most of the rows. The guy in charge had told me he was going out of town for a few days and was putting the sprinkler on a timer. So I went home and came back an hour and a half later ... the sprinkler was STILL running, and there was a LOT of standing water. I shut the spicket off, dumped a few bags of compost over the drier end of my plot and started making rows. There's room for five rows, and I got four started, but I could only go about 3/4 of the way down before the soil was way too wet to be working. One of the other people that lease a plot stopped by, and I explained about the water situation. I told her I would come back tomorrow, and if things had dried out, I would turn the spicket back on, but I can't see that happening for at least 2 or 3 days.

Anyway, here is what I got planted today:

Bush beans - Black Valentine, Cherokee Wax, Roma II, Triomphe De Farcy

Broccoli - Di Ciccio

Cauliflower - Brocoverde

Carrots - Nigel, Nutri-Red, Tendersweet

Radishes - Easter Egg

Squash - Green Patty Pan

Zucchini - Bush

and some marigolds

After I had planted the row of beans, I noticed that the plot next to mine, had onions on the row closest to my plot. If I had realized that sooner, I would have planted the beans further in. They are probably 3' away, so not sure how much affect that will have on the beans. When I am able to finish the rows, I will put in my extra tomato plants, some basil, and maybe a few more beans. Oh, and I might leave some space for some of the lettuce that is sprouting in the kitchen window.

Bonnie

I plant beans and onions side by side all the time, often inches away.

This year, as a trial, I planted a row of garlic, 6" apart, all along a 32 foot trellis last fall, and in June, planted a row of pole beans on the other side, every 4". The beans came up fine, and started to twine. I pulled the garlic, and the beans took off.

Only problem is the impossibility of drying out the soil for the garlic harvest, but it didn't seem to matter re garlic quality, it's the best crop I've ever had.

As a part of my program for Gardening On Other People's Property, I was a community gardener for a few years, Bonnie.

I really enjoyed having other people with similar interests, right over the fence. Sometimes, there were conflicts but usually folks got along well enuf and enjoyed each others company.

Steve

I've always interpreted the "don't plant near" as don't plant right next to. I wouldn't worry about onions 3' away.

David, you're such a rebel :-)
I've always kinda wondered what would actually happen if you planted them together but it was easy enough not to, so I took the safer route. Guess it can't be all that bad.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener

My new garden is finished! Late this afternoon, I went over there with a few more bags of mushroom compost, my leftover tomato plants, some basil sprouts, and a bag of seeds. I finished making the rows, and this is what I planted today:

Tomato plants - Brown Berry, Galina's Yellow Cherry, Indian Stripe, and Isis Candy (I already have one of each of these in my home garden, so I may be swimming in cherry tomatoes in a few weeks!)

Basil - Genovese, and Mrs. Burns's Lemon

More bush beans - Royal Burgundy, Contender, and Baby Fordhook Lima

Cucumbers - National Pickling

Watermelons (okay, I know the chances are extremely slim of getting any of these, but the DTM's were 70 - 75, and I already had the seeds, so I figured I'd take a chance) - Golden Midget and Sugar Baby.

I left enough space to put some lettuces in once it starts to cool down a bit, but other than that, I'm done.

Thanks for the encouragement on the bean/onion issue. If the beans don't do well, I won't know whether to blame it on the late start, it being a first year garden, or the onion factor.

As late in the season as it is, I'll be thankful for anything I'm able to harvest this year. I'm already starting to think about all of the things I'll be able to grow next year, when I have more time to plan.

Bonnie

I started a watermelon (sugar baby) indoors but it didn't survive (it wasn't doing much indoors and died after I put it out). I planted seeds quite a while ago and nothing happened. I put out MORE seeds and just when I thought they were no good (they were last year's seeds), last week a whole bunch of them sprouted.

I planted in plenty of time but they just didn't want to sprout "in time". We'll see if either of us get any watermelons this year!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener

Well, according to the article below, it looks like I got a really good deal on my plot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Community Gardens in Boulder

According to an article that references one in Colorado Springs - $80/season for a 20x40 plot.

I think you got a great deal.

Thought I would post an update on my community garden experience. I didn't get very good germination, due to some irrigation issues right after everything was sown. There's only a handful of bean plants growing, half a dozen cucumber plants that are still pretty tiny, a couple of Sugar Baby watermelon plants that don't have any chance of producing before the first frost, and a couple of zucchini plants. The only things really thriving are a couple of cherry tomato plants and a few basil plants.

Even though I won't get much of a harvest this year, I am so glad that I decided to do this. On my way down to the garden this morning, I ran into the guy that manages it, and he practically begged me to help myself to some bush beans. Then, when I was down there picking beans, another tennant (?) came over and gave me three of the biggest zucchinis I have ever seen! Just more proof that most gardeners are generous, kind-hearted people.

Then, to top off an excellent morning, when I got home I found my first ripe full sized tomato, a Paul Robeson, which I ate on an English muffin, with a few leaves of basil, and a slice of mozzarella.

Life is good!

Bonnie

It's been an interesting year for gardening. I'm glad you've enjoyed the project and now you can get off to a flying start next year!

I'm glad you're having fun with your new space, Bonnie!! This year your dreams for the space will keep your mind occupied!

I read my post and it sounds so silly.....I meant "This year your dreams for the space will keep your mind occupied during the winter when you can't garden"! As if you didn't have enough to keep your mind occupied with three kids and all you've got going on!