New urban garden

We moved into a new house last summer, and I'm working on getting a garden set-up this year. Our yard is pretty small, as we live in an urban area, and I am keeping most of the lawn available for our dog to run around in. I'm going to dedicate the side yard (decent sun) to a garden, but am not sure how I want to set it up yet. I'm totally open to suggestions, but one thing that is working against me is that we are going to paint our house this year, and probably will add a bathroom to the basement in the next 2 years or so, which will require us to dig up the house side of this plot, so I don't want to put planters on that side until that work is all complete - but will instead plant directly into the ground in the meantime.
Any suggestions on how to make this space the most usable?

Trellis on the fence. You can use a welded wire mesh such as 6" x 6" that is commonly used in concrete, or any other large mesh.
Attach it with a 2" gap between wood and mesh, or else attach it directly to the fence posts.
If there is a gap: poke the young stems up into the space. Less tying needed.
If there is not much gap: hold the young stems close to the mesh and tie them. A good tie material is used nylon stockings: they stretch as the plant grows.

Grow on the trellis:
The obvious stuff like vining peas and beans, but also the vining squash, pumpkin, melon, cucumbers and tomatoes. The larger fruits (melons, squash, pumpkin) will need a support for the fruit. Nylon stockings, again. Make a sort of hammock or sling.

These can all be planted in the first 6" of space next to the fence.
6" out from there (that is, 12" from the fence) plant a row of fast harvest things: Lettuce, radish, turnip... The trellised things will sprawl a certain amount, no matter how diligent you are about tying them up, but that first row next to them will be just fine for a quick crop, say a month to 6 weeks to harvest.
6" out from there (18" from the fence) can go a row of longer to harvest things, perhaps carrots, onions, leeks... still small, but needs a couple of months or more to harvest.

In the area next to the house I would try a double row of larger things like broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, eggplant and other 'shrubby' vegetables. Maybe need a stake, but they are not really trellis crops. More small, quick things can go in here.

Here is how I would do this:
1) The minute the weather permits get the crop in of cool season things: Most cole crops, leaf (lettuce, spinach) and many root crops (beets, carrots, radish...) next to the house. Space them out, leaving room for other things in between.
2) When the weather has moderated plant the warm season crops along the trellis side of the walkway, a second crop of quick-to-harvest things, and the warm season crops in between the cole crops on the house side.

You can start to build up the soil with compost, manure or whatever is available. When you later build boxes the soil under will be all the richer, and it will be like having deeper boxes without having to build them taller.

Here is a possible crop rotation/timing concept.

Think about crops with these thoughts:
How big does it really get?
How long til harvest?

The notes on seed packets might still be thinking about row planting. You do not have to leave that much space between rows. Just look at the spacing between plants in the row.

If you can start the seeds in the house this will save a lot of bed space for growing plants.
Root crops should be direct seeded, but any crop that you eat the stems, leaves or fruit can be started inside.

thank you so much - this is great!

I'd love to plant asparagus, but not sure I have enough space in this area; do you think that is something I have enough space for, or given my limited space I should just pass?

Oh, Thank you so much! This is really what i am searching for ^^

This message was edited Feb 2, 2015 2:35 AM

Asparagus is a perennial.
If you are going to be disturbing the area to do the renovation I would hold off on asparagus until your permanent beds are built.

was hoping to put it in one of the beds on the fence side of the side-yard - is that not enough space/should I wait until I have a permanent solution on the house side?

Depends on how much asparagus you want. The bed next to the fence is not too narrow, but you cannot get much else in an area where you are growing asparagus.

Start listening to mike mcgrath on podcast. You bet your garden NPR show. PS which way is south?

Plant something thirsty near the window wells to help keep rain water out of your basement.