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Measure your garden, then get out some graph paper to make a plan. Here is some advice on vegetable garden layouts which you may find useful, before you start drawing up your plans.
Row Direction
Vegetable garden rows are best layed out to run north & south. This direction allows for the best sun exposure for each of the plants and good air circulation from the wind.
Line up...
tall ones in the back, please.
Plant your tallest vegetables at the north end of the garden to avoid "shading out" the other plants. Tall plants include: asparagus (when it goes to seed), brussel sprouts, corn, climbing peas & beans, & sorghum.
Medium plants are next, and should be placed in the middle of the garden. Plants of medium height include: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, okra, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini.
At the southern end of the garden, plant low growing crops, like beets, carrots, celery, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuces, mustard greens, onions, parsnips, radishes, spinach, and turnips. |
Plant Spacing
When you buy a seedling vegetable plant, or sow seeds in the ground, they seem so small and insignificant. It is hard to imagine that they will grow large, and thus, one of the biggest mistakes of first-time gardeners - OVERCROWDING!
The following is a listing of common vegetable plants, and the space that they require to grow to their full potential.
- aspargus - 12" per plant, 24-30" between rows
- beans (climbing) - 2-4" between plants, give them something to climb
- bush beans - 6" per plant, 18" between rows
- beets - 4" per plant, 12" between rows
- broccoli - 24" per plant, 30-36" between rows
- cabbages - 24-30" per plant, 30-36" between rows
- carrots - 2-4" per plant, 12" between rows
- celery - 12-18" per plant, 18-24" between rows
- cauliflower - 18" per plant, 24-30" between rows
- corn - 12" per plant, 24" between rows
- cucumbers - 3-4 plants per mound, 6' diameter circle (or train them to climb)
- cucumbers (bush) - 12-18" per plant, 24-30" between rows
- eggplant - 12-18" per plant, 24-30" between rows
- garlic - 6" per plant, 12" between rows
- kale - 18-24" per plant, 24-48" between rows
- kohlrabi - 6-8" per plant, 12-18" between rows
- leeks - 4-6" per plant, 12" between rows
- lettuces - 6-12" per plant, 12-18" between rows
- okra - 12-18" per plant, 18-24" between rows
- onions (green or bunching) - 2" per plant, 6-8" between rows
- onions - 6" per plant, 12" between rows
- peas - 2-4" per plant, train them to climb
- peppers - 12-18" per plant, 24" between rows (peppers like to be crowded)
- potatoes - 12-18" per plant, 24-30" between rows
- pumpkins/squash - 3-4 plants per mound, and did you want to grow anything else?
(pumpkins and gourds take up alot of space)
- radishes - 2-4" per plant, 12" between rows
- spinach - 8-12" per plant, 18" between rows
- swiss chard - 18-24" per plant, 24-36" between rows
- tomatoes - 24-26" per plant, 36-48" between rows (especially the smaller grape & cherry tomato varieties)
- turnips - 4-6" per plant, 12" between rows
- zucchini - 36" per plant, 46-48" between rows (need bees to polinate)
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Companion Plantings
- aspargus - plant with parsley, & tomatoes
- beans - likes everyone, but onions
- beets - bean, cabbage, onion, sage
- cabbage family - bush beans, beets, celery, onoins, potatoes, strong-scented herbs, & tomatoes
- carrots - beans, lettuces, onions, peas, radishes, & tomatoes
- celery - bush beans, cabbages, onions, spinach, & tomatoes
- corn - beans, cucumber, melons, peas, squash
- cucumbers - beans, corn, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes
- eggplant - beans & spinach
- garlic - tomatoes
- kohlrabi - beets, cucumbers, & onions
- leeks - carrots, celery & onions
- lettuces - beans, carrots, cucumbers, onions, radishes, strawberries
- okra - eggplant & peppers
- onions - beets, cabbages, carrots, celery, cucumbers, lettuces, peppers, squash, strawberries, & tomatoes
- peas - beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, radishes, & turnips
- peppers - onions
- potatoes - plant with the cabbage family
- pumpkins/squashes - corn, onions, & radishes
- radishes - beans, carrots, cucumbers, lettuces, melons, peas, & squash
- spinach - celery, eggplant, cauliflower
- tomatoes - cabbages, carrots, celery, & onions
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