how do you figure out where to plant?

15 years ago

I am getting a 4x12 bed ready. It happens to be basically laid out North to South lengthwise.

I am dithering over where to put what, like do I put a trellis right at the north end or leave some space there so the trellis can shade some stuff (lettuce?).

Stuff I'd like to plant:

lettuce

pak choi

small hot pepper (thai if I can get it)

small cherry tomato

green beans

asian or fairytale eggplant

herbs

also peas & okra but maybe not in this bed if there's no space (I figure I can stick them into the foundation plantings).

How do you figure out where to put each plant?

Comments (5)

engineeredgarden
15 years ago
You can actually have 2 trellises, with no problems at all. I have a 25 foot bed, that is pointed nw/se and have 4 trellises attached to it. If I were you (because of your location), I would install a 4 foot trellis on the south end, and an 8 foot trellis on the north. Reserve the north trellis for a vining vegetable that has the most dense foliage (cantaloupe, winter squash, small pumpkins, pole beans), and less dense varieties for the south trellis (small watermelons, cucumbers, snow peas). Other than that, position the remaining varieties from south to north, shortest to tallest.

EG
ajpa
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks!
Another stupid q -- I know there are rabbits in our area, and voles too, and my neighbor has a rabbit fence up around their veggie patch. I'll probably need to put one up. Can that double as the trellis, is there some reason that's a not a good idea?
engineeredgarden
15 years ago
Hmmm....question...will this fence be attached to the bed, or away from it a few feet? You can never have enough trellis, and it can also provide some needed shade for some plants. Please give a little more detail of your ideas for this fence, so i'll have a better understanding.

EG

Here is a link that might be useful: EG's Garden Blog
anniesgranny
15 years ago
If you use it for both rabbit fence and trellis, the rabbits will eat everything that grows on the outer side of the fencing...so no, don't use it for both.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden
ribbit32004
15 years ago
How do you figure out where to plant? Start off with a few Hail Mary's and jump in. No just kidding. Figuring out where to put things is half the fun. I'm off to the store now to find some way of fencing in my blasted garden. Something got in there AGAIN last night and dug everything up. I still don't know if it's the dogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums or whatever. I can't shake the fact that whatever I put up the wildlife will just climb over or go through, if it's not the dogs, that is. I'm at my wit's end.