A true but ambitious beginner

I am on day 5 of a week long fast (a real fast, water only), and I am sold by all the information on the rawfoodexplained.com website.

So I want to start my own garden. I have plenty of sun, probably crummy/sandy soil (Santa Monica, CA), no real temperature extremes (although it didn't feel like that for the past week) and . . . I am not sure how much yard space my wife will allow for my latest compulsive hobby. I have had gardens in the past, in a different part of the country, but I am by no means the kind of "power organic gardener" that I want to become.

Here is a list of what I plan to be eating into the foreseeable future (in no particular order): Oranges, Apples, Bananas, Peaches, Pears, Grapes, Raisins, Cantaloupes; Watermelons; Honeydews; Cucumbers; Pumpkins; Various Squashes; Eggplants; Carrots; Various Lettuces; Tomatoes; Potatoes; Celery; Cauliflower; and Broccoli.

In the spirit of Life Science, I would like to grow as much of this as possible myself. I probably have around 600-800 square feet of usable garden space (lots are small and land is expensive in SM), but of course there is no way my wife is going to let me tear up the whole back yard for a garden (at least right of the bat).

We have a fenced off area (around 40x10, but there are (unused) ceramic kilns in there) that has a lemon tree and could probably accommodate one or two more trees. Other than that I think I am going to be limited to a 25-35 x 10 sized plot (this plot is currently sprinklered and sodded). Generally there will be neither shading nor excessive heat problems, although we do get an enormous amount of sun in the LA Basin.

I guess if I were to prioritize my desires it would be: Tomatoes; the Lettuces; and then many of the viners in the order Cantaloupe; Watermelon; Cucumbers: Squashes; then Celery; and the rest would be less important. For the trees I really want a peach tree and after that it would be about a toss up between the pears and the apples. The cucumbers can vine up the fence I assume, but they would, in that case be shaded by the trees to the west of them.

Can anyone help me with a reality check/basic plan as to how to lay this out. I am willing to compromise but I really have no idea how to manage the beginnings of the thought process here.

TIA.

well i would say to plant everything in containers, and maybe stack them on wire tables so you can fit more in. If your roof is flat maybe you can put some lighter containers up there. perhaps some super dwarf fruit trees that will fit in containers. i think you might have to pass on the watermelons and cantelope though.

You might consider doing espalier with your fruit trees. It takes awhile to do, but you get more fruit and healthier trees on an espalier. It's perfect for a smaller area. fYou could trellis, cukes, squash, and melons if their the smaller varieties. Plant the lettuce types at the foot of those trellis and let them (the trellis with growing veggies) shade them. Broccoli and cauliflower do better when planted in the fall. They are sweeter with a little of frost, also carrots can be grown in the fall and winter. Grow the potatoes on the ground in a separate area. See my article on this:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/435/
I would also suggest googling for square foot gardening and consider using wide row raised beds. You can succession sow to increase your production and harvest. :) Good luck, sounds like a great project.

i have a 35' x 70' machinery shed, and if you only have a 35x10 area to garden, 1/7 th the size, more like a long family room?? i can't imagine

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Len, welcome to my world. On the other hand . . . I could sell the property (bought in '98) and retire on the proceeds.

there you go, sell and retire in missouri.lol

You might want to take a day-trip up I5, out 14 to Palmdale then south a few miles - huge farmers market(s) - bet there is someone there that could share advice, seeds, plants, and ideas.

Lived in Canyon Country before it became Santa Clarita City.

Here's the tentative plan:

I am using the space behind the fence already ceded to me by Mrs. It is in total 27x20. However the gardenable space is much less. Essentially one kiln occupies a 10 x 12 area, the lemon tree cuts off another and adjacent 3x7 spot. The other kiln takes out a 3 x 3 island (and blocks sun to some extent, but sun is not the problem in Santa Monica). I am going to leave an 18" to 2' corridor down the middle for access including a weed and mulch bucket etc.

In the shadier west part of the garden (there is a concrete wall sealing off the alley and the occasional homeless), to the North of the large kiln and lemon tree, I am going to rotate lettuces, celery and spinach with peas and beans. Near the fence, in the sunniest area, I am going to grow cold weather tomatos, in 4 batches, sequenced in 2 week periods (3 plants per period), and follow that (in late April or May) with cucumbers that can vine up the fence, again sequenced in (perhaps two crops in the long Region 10 growing season). Moving west from there I am reserving space for warm weather tomatos (4 plantings, 2 week sequences starting in April). To the west of that I plan eggplant and sqaush (favorite food of my wife -- trying to get her involved in the joy!).

That brings me to an area to the south of the small kiln where I may put in a few sweet pepper plants (another bone to the wife). In the less sunny south side of the small kiln, I will grow several crops of carrots. To the south of that, in a spot that is very unsunny now, but may be better by summer (as a midwesterner (Iowa), I am really struck by how much the sun moves N to S in LA), I am going to start with more lettuce, and evaluate whether it is appropriate for midsummer tomatos.

No potatos, no peaches, but perhaps I will re-evaluate later in the year.

I have a question about melons however. I have a very sunny but not too wide swath of soil just off our deck. I know melons need lots of sun and lots of nutrients and lots of water. Is it better to locate the plants on the (almost) shaded end of the swath and train the vines forward into the sun or vice versa?

All in all it worked out nice, although I gained a lot by sacrificing something I really wanted -- that peach tree!

I have another question: I am going to till and mix the soil and compost tomorrow (Saturday). The forcast calls for rain on Sunday. I am planning to wait a couple of weeks to plant. Should I mulch immediately? And if so, should I wait until after Sunday's rain?

Sounds like you're going to have your work cut out for you. You should be able to coax the melons in that spot. And by all means mulch after you've tilled and amended the soil. It will help hold down the germination of weed seeds. You might check the artists discussion groups. If you want to sell those kilns, there are a lot of gals looking for good used ones. :)

You could trellis the melons. When they start to put on fruit, you hold the fruit up with nylon-stocking slings. I haven't tried it, but lots of others have and say that it works.

Karen

if you are going with fruit trees, best to get self fertile ones, other wise you are going to have to plant two.

another thought, you have to consider how long the fruit can last on the tree. Oranges and grapefruit (depending on the type) can stay for a long long time) while other fruit, ripens then falls off the tree. well unless you have a deep freezer.

how about berry plants? southern blueberries maybe? I read some berry plants can give multiple fruits within a season.

small place.... well you can plant a garden or small bushes pretty close to a tree.


what i did to my place, I planted trees from 4 to 15 feet away from the fence (depending on the limb size).

Also, the relative size of a tree does not really count, because of pruning.. you have to prune them so they will grow in a way for you to be able to pick the fruit.

Well here I am 3 months, and 35 pounds less, later.

Here is a link to my facebook album of my garden: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=34812&l=92f6d&id=646630912.

Then I will post the photos here one at a time, also.

Pottery kilns and entire garden space from the entering angle. Spinach, lettuce and peas are behind the big kiln in the left foreground. Carrots, tomatoes, peppers, peas, beans and cucumbers behind the small round kiln in the middle. Lettuces, broccoli, red cabbage, early and late tomatoes in the right foreground.

Big (older) tomato plants, small (newer) tomato plants, merrigolds (pest control), leaf lettuce and broccoli. Also, note the grass clipping mulching.

Squash, spinach, lettuces and peas on the left. Carrots, peppers and more tomatoes on the right. Concrete block path down the center. Lemon tree just out of frame to the left.

Massive peas, tomatoes, peppers and carrots.

Beans and cucumbers on the other side of the massive peas.

Heads of Nevada lettuce. Notice the orange peels and other stuff/self-composting soil.

Red and leaf lettuce (top down view). More self composting detris visible here.

Cantaloupe. Some store bought seeds, some seeds from store bought melons. There are two trellises similarly thick with plants, but I only include one photo.

Unused pottery kilns cutting into my gardening space.

Maybe this deserves its own thread, but . . .

Perhaps I planted my cucumbers and cantaloupes too close together. What is the best way to do the most I can to avoid cross pollination issues?

It's possible as they are in the same family. You would need to separate them to avoid the worst types. With your space issues that could be a real challenge. Perhaps plant one type on side of the yard and the other some distance away. You can trellis both by the way, just use old knee highs or pantyhose to act as "slings" for the melons. Your garden looks fabulous by the way! And the kilns are making me drool as I use to do and teach ceramics and porcelain. Unfortunately I am now allergic to the slip dust, sigh...... Can you talk you sweetie into selling or finding a new mommy for at least one?

She would love to sell, but I fear the shipping costs would overwhelm the value of the kilns.

Well, it might be worth it to find somebody local that would be interested. You are right, shipping costs are outrageous and I don't see that getting any better anytime soon. I take it she kinda likes those fresh veggies then? grin It's amazing what happens when people get their first taste of fresh homegrown veggies. :)