Need help organizing herbs and veggies for raised garden

[Terrycrz]

Hello friends,

I am new to the forum and this is actually my second post. We are from Miami, Florida (zone 10) I think. Hubby and I are in the process of getting our raised garden ready for planting. So far we just potted some tomatoes yesterday as well as buying an urban cherry tomato garden that comes with basil, rosemary, oregano and thyme. We also potted a key lime tree and planted a Hayden Mango tree in the yard. These will join our already going Avocado tree and lime tree. We also have a section elsewhere that has squash going as well as pinapple and a guanabana tree. We will be adding watermelon and canteloupe to this area.

On to the area we need help with, the raised garden....
We purchased seedling packets at Lowes and some started plants at Home Depot and these are the veggies and herbs we'd like to plant in the garden.
Started plants: Basil, parsely, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, bell peppers and onions.
Seed packets: Chives, radishes, romaine lettuce, zuchinni, carrot planting strip.

The raised gardens are about 6 x 3 ft (this one gets the most sun, about 6 full sun hours a day). The other is 4.5 x 3 ft (gets about 4 hours of full sun).
I've looked online but there is just too much or not enough info on the specific needs we have for our zone 10 garden. I thought I'd post some pics of what we are working with and hope that the green thumbs on here could help us with the layout of the veggies .I know some go good together just don't know which ones, Also some grow taller than others and some have different water needs. We've never done this before so we are lost. I don't want my started plants to wilt and need to plant them like yesterday... LOL.

So if you had these items, what would you do?

Please help. Thanks a million

[backyardgardener]

Honestly, this little tool I have on my vegetable page provides great information for planting a vegetable garden.

How to grow Vegetables, Vegetable Gardening

Watch the video to see how it works.

Backyard

[Newt]

Hi Terrycrz,

That's some really great info from Backyard Gardener.

The raised gardens are about 6 x 3 ft (this one gets the most sun, about 6 full sun hours a day). The other is 4.5 x 3 ft (gets about 4 hours of full sun).

Your onions should have at least 12 hours of direct sun. Most leafy greens will do ok in the shadier bed, but your tomatoes, peppers and zucchini will need as much sun as you can give them.

It sounds to me that you are trying to fit too much into too small a space. You could grow the radishes between the lettuce or peppers as they harvest in about 28 days and will be finished by the time these veggies get some size on them, unless you reseed.

You don't say which tomatoes you are growing, but most need about a 2' square area, so you will only be able to fit 2 or 3 into the 6' x 3' bed. At this site you can look up many different veggies and get an idea of how much space each will need.
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/hom...scene0391.html

You might want to grow the rosemary as a shrub in the garden in another place as it can get large and stay outdoors year round in your climate.

Your zucchini and melons will become large vines and one of each will take up more room then you have in each bed. You might want to build a fold away trellis to grow your vining veggies and fruit on.
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/vegetabletrellis

Often your local extension service is the best place to start. Here's some sites specific to Florida that should also be helpful.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH019

Here you can find your local county extension office site and look for local info.
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/map/index.html

I suspect you are in Miami-Dade. When you get there look on the left side of the page for info on gardening. If you click on 'Home Gardens and Landscapes' you will see a link for 'Florida Gardening Calendar' in the middle of the page near the top. It lists what to do by month for your region.
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/map/index.html

...help us with the layout of the veggies. I know some go good together just don't know which ones...

Here's a site on what goes good with what - it's called companion planting.
http://www.moonsweb.com/companions.shtml

Newt

[Terrycrz]

Honestly, this little tool I have on my vegetable page provides great information for planting a vegetable garden.

How to grow Vegetables, Vegetable Gardening

Watch the video to see how it works.

Backyard

Thanks Backyard!

I will watch it now. Thanks for replying and I appreciate your help.

Hi Terrycrz,

That's some really great info from Backyard Gardener.

Your onions should have at least 12 hours of direct sun. Most leafy greens will do ok in the shadier bed, but your tomatoes, peppers and zucchini will need as much sun as you can give them.

It sounds to me that you are trying to fit too much into too small a space. You could grow the radishes between the lettuce or peppers as they harvest in about 28 days and will be finished by the time these veggies get some size on them, unless you reseed.

You don't say which tomatoes you are growing, but most need about a 2' square area, so you will only be able to fit 2 or 3 into the 6' x 3' bed. At this site you can look up many different veggies and get an idea of how much space each will need.
Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides

You might want to grow the rosemary as a shrub in the garden in another place as it can get large and stay outdoors year round in your climate.

Your zucchini and melons will become large vines and one of each will take up more room then you have in each bed. You might want to build a fold away trellis to grow your vining veggies and fruit on.
Build a Garden Trellis for Vegetables, Vines and Flowers | DoItYourself.com

Often your local extension service is the best place to start. Here's some sites specific to Florida that should also be helpful.
CIR375/VH019: Organic Vegetable Gardening

Here you can find your local county extension office site and look for local info.
Local Offices - UF/IFAS Extension: Solutions for Your Life

I suspect you are in Miami-Dade. When you get there look on the left side of the page for info on gardening. If you click on 'Home Gardens and Landscapes' you will see a link for 'Florida Gardening Calendar' in the middle of the page near the top. It lists what to do by month for your region.
Local Offices - UF/IFAS Extension: Solutions for Your Life

Here's a site on what goes good with what - it's called companion planting.
-=Moonsweb.com=- Companion Planting

Newt

Hi Newt!

Thanks for the wonderful advice! I should have been more specific though when it came to my description. When I mentioned I had potted tomatoes I should have specified that they'd be staying in the pots.The tomatoes are Talladega and Better Boy The urban cherry tomato garden was also purchased in a pot with all four herbs so that one will be left as is. The key lime tree is also in a pot and staying there as I want to keep it on the smaller side. Also, the melons and squash are going together on the side of the yard as hubby has created boxed planters running along the North facing fence and they have plenty of space there to spread their vines and get crazy. Ithink I will put the zuchinni over there too. Thanks for the suggestion. My father in law already started some squash and it's going nuts. The Avocado, guanabana and lime tree are already planted on that North side of the house and are doing well.

So in reality the only items I have left to put in the raised garden are the peppers, hot peppers, lettuce, chives, basil, parsely and cilantro, radishes, onions & carrots. I also have corn seed but dont have anywhere else to put them. I guess I will have to improvise.

Thanks for all the links, I have a lot of researching to do. I guess I will have to get to this tomorrow Saturday. Wish me luck you guys. I will post some pictures soon. In the meantime, here's what we've done so far this week...Thanks again.

[Terrycrz]

In the meantime, I have to find out what this is growing with my old jalapeno and spicy peppers. This planter was hanging on the fence and I didn't care for the peppers as much as I should have. They will now be going in the raised garden along with the new jalapeno plant. Are these weeds or something else? Thanks guys!!!

[Newt]

Terry, you are so very welcome! It looks like you've done quite a bit already. I meant to ask if you need info on growing citrus. If you do, I have some that might be helpful.

So in reality the only items I have left to put in the raised garden are the peppers, hot peppers, lettuce, chives, basil, parsely and cilantro, radishes, onions & carrots. I also have corn seed but dont have anywhere else to put them. I guess I will have to improvise.

Gosh, I forgot to give you info on the herbs!
http://www.savvygardener.com/Features/herbs.html
http://www.richters.com/newdisplay.c...=5440704.22962

Cilantro is a biennial. You can harvest the seeds the second year and you'll have coriander.
http://www.gardenersnet.com/herbs/cilantro.htm

Chives are perennial and will self seed after flowering, so you might want to remove spent flower heads promptly or you may find them everywhere.

Parsley is a biennial and will go to seed the second year. It is the larval food of the Black Swallowtail butterfly. I often grow extra for the caterpillars. That way there's plenty for them and me. I've even used parsley to edge a flower bed. I love to have a garden full of these beautiful creatures.

Not sure what your weed is, but iI would remove it before those flowers go to seed.

Newt

[Terrycrz]

Cilantro is a biennial. You can harvest the seeds the second year and you'll have coriander.
The Gardener's Network - Herb : How to Grow Cilantro or Coriander, also called Chinese Parsley

Chives are perennial and will self seed after flowering, so you might want to remove spent flower heads promptly or you may find them everywhere.

Parsley is a biennial and will go to seed the second year. It is the larval food of the Black Swallowtail butterfly. I often grow extra for the caterpillars. That way there's plenty for them and me. I've even used parsley to edge a flower bed. I love to have a garden full of these beautiful creatures.

Not sure what your weed is, but iI would remove it before those flowers go to seed.

Newt

Thanks so much Newt!

That's another thing I needed to consider when planting was the duration of life. I am only familiar with the word annuals, LOL. I have no idea what biennial or perennial mean but I'm guessing they are seasonal??? Anyhow, I guess thats why in my herb pot of cilantro, parsley and basil, only the parsley and basil have returned this year. The cilantro completely died in that pot. I will replant the surviving basil and parsely with the new cilantro plant I purchased. So what's the best soil I an use for that garden. Hubby doesn't want to spend any more on the miracle grow bags like we did for the potted veggies. They sell cheap garden soil that they bag here at the nurseries as well as potting soils for $1.00 each. I'm guessing these are okay? Only thing I would need to do is add fertilizer or plant food (don't know the difference) right? Except I read somewhere that fertilizer is not good for seeds because it burns them. Well tomorrow is definitely the day that we will do the raised garden because hubby spent all day doing built in boxes for the pumpkins, zuchinnis, canteloupes and watermelon. YAY!!! I'm so excited and full of anticipation. Who knew gardening was so much fun?

Thanks again for all your help!!

[Newt]

Terry, you are always welcome!

That's another thing I needed to consider when planting was the duration of life. I am only familiar with the word annuals, LOL. I have no idea what biennial or perennial mean but I'm guessing they are seasonal???

An annual needs to be planted annually. It grows from seed, flowers, produces seed and dies in one year.

A biennial grows from seed and only produces leaves the first year. The second year it goes to seed and dies.

A perennial grows from seed the first year and usually doesn't flower until the second year. It does not die but often has a period of dormancy and flowers year after year.

Anyhow, I guess thats why in my herb pot of cilantro, parsley and basil, only the parsley and basil have returned this year.

I'm surprised your basil is still around. You must have been pinching off alot of it and it never went to flower. Good for you!

So what's the best soil I an use for that garden. Hubby doesn't want to spend any more on the miracle grow bags like we did for the potted veggies. They sell cheap garden soil that they bag here at the nurseries as well as potting soils for $1.00 each. I'm guessing these are okay?

If you are planting directly in the garden, just add compost or humus or soil conditioner. Whatever you can find at the garden center in that order of preference. Add about a 4" layer and mix it into the soil. I'm so tired right now that I just don't have the energy to go back and read everything we talked about, so here's a compost calculator in case I didn't give it to you before so you'll know how much you need. If I remember seeing the photos of your beds, I'd say you need about 5 or 6 bags.
Compost Calculator | Cedar Grove

...they bag here at the nurseries as well as potting soils for $1.00 each.

Don't use the potting soil in the garden. It's not soil but peat moss with some perlite or bark chips added. If you buy the cheap stuff for you flower pots (which is what I do), pick up a bag of perlite. It's ground rock but it's dusty so DO NOT BREATHE IN THE DUST when you add it to the cheap potting soil. It will help keep the potting soil from compacting and aid in drainage. Just mix in 2 cups for enough potting soil for those large pots I saw tomatoes in.

Only thing I would need to do is add fertilizer or plant food (don't know the difference) right?

Basically fertilizer and plant food are the same. There are synthetic plant foods aka synthetic fertilizers and organic plant foods aka organic fertilizers. Synthetics are made from petroleum and contain residual salts that can build up in the soil or in the pot. That is the crusty stuff you will often see on flower pots near the rim. They are like steroids for your plants and they feed the plant and not the soil. They can cause a flush of lush growth that insect pests like. They also don't contain micro-nutrients like organic fertilizers do.

If you can, pick up some fish emulsion mixed with sea weed at the garden center for your fertilizer. It smells bad so don't go inhaling deeply to see if I'm right about that. The organics feed your plants gently by feeding the soil that feeds and supports the plants. Great stuff. Just about every garden center carries them now.

There are also slow release fertilizers. Most potting soils, like the Miracle Gro. contain them and they are synthetic. They aren't good for starting seeds. I use Osmocote, but ONLY in the pots I put annuals in. I want them to grow quickly and lush since I'll only have them for one season. They come in large and small jars. If you buy any just get the small one. A little goes a long way. Here's what a slow release fertilizer looks like.
http://www.spicewoodspines.com/essentials/osmocote.jpg

Small jar
http://www.cooperseeds.com/images/osmocote.jpg

Large jar
http://www.daytonnursery.com/product...d%20indoor.jpg

Except I read somewhere that fertilizer is not good for seeds because it burns them.

Correct. Best to use a soilless mix like an inexpensive potting soil that does not contain the slow release fertilizer or a seed starting mix. Those can be hard to find. You can start using fertilizers when you have 2 sets of true leaves.

Have fun today!
Newt

[Thomas W]

Honestly, this little tool I have on my vegetable page provides great information for planting a vegetable garden.

How to grow Vegetables, Vegetable Gardening

Watch the video to see how it works.

Nice video. Can it be used for Europe/Scandinavia too? (56 North)