Squeezing the most out of your food garden is much like that and much of the success you will enjoy from your new or established garden will come from your execution of the plan
If you want to go on a vacation, a trip, what is the first thing you do?
Determine where you want to go, right? Squeezing the most out of your food garden is much like that and much of the success you will enjoy from your new or established garden will come from your execution of the plan. Knowing what you want to grow is a great place to start and that should include your favourite food plants that you can grow. There are some practical limits to this. We love sweet corn but growing it in our urban gardens makes no sense when it is a space hog and there’s so much of it available locally in late summer.
Other vegetables that are space hogs, but can be fun to grow, are pumpkins and winter squash. Plants that make efficient use of space: that produce lots of food for the area that they take up in your garden, include tomatoes (stake them high), peppers, all bean plants, peas, leaf lettuce, mesclun mix, all root crops, and herbs. The productive use of space is an important consideration when drafting a list of the food plants that you wish to grow this season.
Order your seeds early, as we have learned in recent years, some are in short supply and obtaining your favourites is a matter of firstcome, firstserved.
Browse the retail seed racks in February and March, even though you may not sow some seeds until May or
early June. Best to have them on hand when you need them.
If you plant in rows, run them north/south to maximize sun exposure and do not forget to use a fence or wall for support of climbing vines, like runner beans and nasturtiums and for the radiant heat that bounces off the vertical structure. This will provide an earlier start and harvest for many heat-seeking food plants.
Create a drawing of the plot you plan on planting. A simple pencil drawing works but you can use a computer and even obtain access to digital drawing tools if you wish. The idea is to have a plan of what you will sow and plant where. Keep in mind sun exposure, above all. Keep the tallest plants at the back so they don’t shadow the shorter plants.
