Is this a good plan for a first timer?

desmerelda317

Hi ladies.  I don't think I've ever posted on this board despite being on the knot/nest/bump for years.  I've just never been a big gardener, but I really want to plant a veggie garden.  I've done some planning and want to begin small since I'm a first timer.  Does this sound like a good plan for a garden virgin?  I have the supplies to build a 4x4 raised bed garden and want to grow tomatoes, peppers, onions, lettuce, zucchini, as well as basil, sage, rosemary and oregano.  I have planned out the planting times according to the info on the seed packets and will be getting the onions in the ground this week.  I guess my question is do you think these are good plants to start with as a beginner?  I don't want to do something super high-maintenance since I have a toddler and another one on the way.  Thanks for any input or advice

Dr.Loretta

that sounds like a lot to put into a 4x4 bed. I'd scale back to 2 or 3 veggies and 2 or 3 herbs.

sally_ruth7

Agree with PP.  Too much for a 4X4 bed- your zucchini will take up a LOT of room later in the season.  For me, lettuce, peppers, onions, rosemary, and oregano are pretty easy to grow.  You could also put your rosemary and other herbs in small pots if you wanted to make more space in your raised bed for veggies.

joyfulbride424

I also agree with PP - and double agree on putting herbs in small pots! I'm a newbie herb grower and I have some really cute herbs just hangin' out on my kitchen window, and they are really easy to maintain. It sounds like a lot for your initial plan, but you sound ambitious

kastle

I ditto pp about that being too much to fit in a 4x4 & putting the herbs in pots.  Also realize that you will probably want more than one plant of tomatoes & peppers so that a harvest will give you enough for a salad or whatever.  I have no idea where you are located, but lettuce is a cool season crop which will bolt in the heat of summer.  Thus, if you're putting out your onions now, you may be able to direct sow your lettuce now too.  The lettuce will be on it's decline shortly after your peppers, tomatoes & zucs are put in the ground.

Magdala9

Lettuce is hard to grow from seeds.  It also sounds like a lot of plants for that size beds.  Plants need space between them so they do't get crowded.    You will need to net the seedlings to keep the animals away (and maybe the toddler too). 

kastle

Magdala9:

Lettuce is hard to grow from seeds. 

::shrugs:: I've never had issues growing lettuce or any other green from seed.  

nitaw

kastle:

Magdala9:

Lettuce is hard to grow from seeds. 

::shrugs:: I've never had issues growing lettuce or any other green from seed.  

Same here. I typically plant Romaine lettuce because it's more compact due to its upright growth habit. Plus, I love to eat it. It's my favorite.

Ditto the others on the scale of your garden. I have two 3x3 beds and carefully select what I grow based on the veggies we eat. With tomatoes, I find that I need to plant at least 3 of them for a good yield. My H loves tomato and mozzarella salad in the summer, so I plant in accordance. My daughter loves Okra, and again, I need two plants just to feed her. Already, that takes 4 of my 18 sfg squares.

Go_Dawgs

Hi!  I'm also a newbie to gardening.  We plan to do a square foot garden in four 4x4 raised beds.  I was surprised by how little could be planted in each bed.  I wanted to plant three different eggplant varieties, but realized that I just don't have the space for this.

I planned out the garden last night using these very helpful sites:

 http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/plant-spacing/ 

 http://www.diyplanner.com/files/SqFtGarden.pdf

I used the spacing info on the seed packets to figure out how many plants need to go in each section.