What size gardern for a begginer??

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anabear Toledo, OH Apr 21, 2011

I started a small garden last year with a few rows of tomato plants and some cucumber squash and zucchini. I didn't really have any success, I planted late and by time everything started growing it got cold. I have some tomatoes and that was about it. I do want a larger garden this year I was thinking maybe a 16x13 or something. I want corn, onions, beans, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, some corn, potatoes, watermelon and some pumpkins for the fall. We have a family of 5. We would like to try to eat out the garden as much as possible, but not sure how big I should make it to accommodate that without being too big or to small. Any ideas suggestions, I am not making raised beds just right in the ground with some added bags of garden soil to help.

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Garden_Sass Central, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 21, 2011

It will take time to build you new garden's soil which in turn will feed your plants. Add organic matter in the form of compost, leaves or green cover crops tilled in to decompose. Bags of "garden soil" are not as good as compost. It may take 3-5 seasons to really build good tilt and nutrients. Don't get discouraged, we all go through this process in the beginning.
If your county has a Master Gardener program they can provide information on what and when to plant plus soil building techniques.
Ohio State University has publications on growing vegetables which may help you:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/lines/vegie.html
Best Wishes,
Buster

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Garden_Sass Central, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 21, 2011

Oh...what size...start small (10x10 or 10x20) until you can judge the time and effort it takes you to manage a garden. Look into crop rotation, early crops replaced by later crops or inter-planted to utilize space. Rotation also lessens likelihood of disease pathogens building up in the soil - ex. tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant (same family) planted in the same spot season after season.
Buster

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dreaves Hutto, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 22, 2011

Anabear, corn takes a fair amount space. If it's crowded it will yield only one ear per stalk. To eat it more than one or two times you have to have a good size area.

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Ret_Sgt_Yates Sparta , TN(Zone 7a) Apr 23, 2011

I have a family of 4 my first one was a 30 X 30 and found i had to work it often . but we all did our part and did not space the rows very far apart then the garden was some what crowed and hard to manage .... we kept a log of what did good and not .

we now put out a 50 X 50 and space the rows out so a tiller will fit between the rows and a hoe gets the rest with little effort every one still does their part to help in the garden and things are much better and less work , while the veggies are more abundant.

Sarge

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