Garden Scheme question

[whomper]

I am planting a garden for a family that we are freinds with and they asked me to plant a few things that I havent planted before. I laid the soil last night and I am planting tomorrow. I just wanted to be sure I have the right scheme in height order because they get sun from the left of their garden and the spot has a fence near it. When you offer your opinion please note the sun is coming from the left so from left to right I am going smallest to tallest. I am putting cucumbers first because I want them at the end so they can easily vine them on chicken wire. I was going to put string beans last for the same reason. Here is the plant number Key . Please show me the order that you think would be best. Also let me know how wide red leaf lettuce plants grow

 

1- Cucumbers

2- Read Leaf Lettuce (never grew it before)

3- Peppers

4- Eggplant

5- Beefsteak Tomatoes

6- 100 sweet tomatoes (similar to Cherries)

7- String Beans (never grew them before)

 

 

I was thinking this would be my best lay out but since I havent grown string beans before I am concerned the high tomatoe plants may block the sun

 

 

:sun: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

[Chief Dick]

I think you'll be ok. My garden is in a weird spot related to sun pattern, so it never gets full sun all day. And I can grow beans just fine.

[Footballjoe]

Sunlight is important but so is "companion planting". Check out this site.

 

http://gstuff.co.nz/shop/garden/index.php?main_page=page_4

 

Happy planting.

[detlef]

I'm sorry but didn't completely follow your breakdown of how you yard was laid out. Hopefully, since you obviously do know, you can just take the following general thoughts and implement them into your scene.

 

Of all the things you mentioned, peppers absolutely need the sun. They're always the hardest thing for us to get fully ripe and I have always had the most luck when I just put them out to roast. Then next on your list, are the tomatoes. I've had luck with both cukes and beans in spaces that didn't get a ton of sun (though certainly at least a few hours). The lettuce, especially in the middle of summer needs to be shaded. It's likely not as hot up in your neck of the woods as it is down here but we can only manage to grow lettuce started this late in the year in areas that see virtually no afternoon sun. So, if you want to grow it, I would grow it right up against something reasonably bushy and on the side that it will be shaded from the severe afternoon sun.

 

To allow the lettuce to fully mature, you'll need to give it a good 8-10" of space between heads. Thing is, you can sew seeds much tighter than that, and thin baby heads into salads until you've achieved the desired spacing. Also, one trick I learned from an old farmer is to plant a mix of lettuces all in one place. Some varieties are short and fat, others tall and thin, so they don't compete for the same airspace.

[whomper]

I'm sorry but didn't completely follow your breakdown of how you yard was laid out. Hopefully, since you obviously do know, you can just take the following general thoughts and implement them into your scene.

 

Of all the things you mentioned, peppers absolutely need the sun. They're always the hardest thing for us to get fully ripe and I have always had the most luck when I just put them out to roast. Then next on your list, are the tomatoes. I've had luck with both cukes and beans in spaces that didn't get a ton of sun (though certainly at least a few hours). The lettuce, especially in the middle of summer needs to be shaded. It's likely not as hot up in your neck of the woods as it is down here but we can only manage to grow lettuce started this late in the year in areas that see virtually no afternoon sun. So, if you want to grow it, I would grow it right up against something reasonably bushy and on the side that it will be shaded from the severe afternoon sun.

To allow the lettuce to fully mature, you'll need to give it a good 8-10" of space between heads. Thing is, you can sew seeds much tighter than that, and thin baby heads into salads until you've achieved the desired spacing. Also, one trick I learned from an old farmer is to plant a mix of lettuces all in one place. Some varieties are short and fat, others tall and thin, so they don't compete for the same airspace.

 

 

Hey Detlef. I I never planted lettuce before. The people that I put the garden in for requested it. I told them I would plant it but didnt have much experience with it. I took your advice and planted it next to the eggplant. Problem is , right now the eggplant is just a small starter plant and cant protect the lettuce from the sun. The guy texted me that the lettuce leaves were looking a little wilty in the sun. Should I advise him to put some sort of umbrella over the lettuce to avoid the direct sun it is getting until the eggplant is big enough to shade it ? Did we plant the lettuce too late in the year ? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks

[detlef]

Hey Detlef. I I never planted lettuce before. The people that I put the garden in for requested it. I told them I would plant it but didnt have much experience with it. I took your advice and planted it next to the eggplant. Problem is , right now the eggplant is just a small starter plant and cant protect the lettuce from the sun. The guy texted me that the lettuce leaves were looking a little wilty in the sun. Should I advise him to put some sort of umbrella over the lettuce to avoid the direct sun it is getting until the eggplant is big enough to shade it ? Did we plant the lettuce too late in the year ? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks

There's a pretty decent chance that you missed the bus on getting lettuce in. Again, not sure about your climate. We still have lettuce and greens in the ground but all of it is pretty well shaded by reasonably mature tomatoes. Either that or it's planted in a spot that doesn't get any afternoon sun.

 

You can buy shade cloth and that's what a lot of people use to extend the season. Basically, you'd need to put in some sticks to make a tent and somehow stretch it across. That might help. Never used it myself, mind you.