Vege Gardens in the Puget Sound area

I know you all have them, but I don't. I am just finishing "In Defense of Food", which is quite an eye opener, and I have gained far more interest in growing some of my own veges. But I know not where to start, other than at the seed store.

The Vashon Glaciation left me with a rather gravelly/cobbley yard, so root crops are out unless I do raised beds, and season 1 won't be featuring them. I have several locations in mind all that will provide at least a 10x10 patch for the plants in full sun.

All of my yard maintence and gardening is 100% organic in what I do, and so will the vege patch be. Now, I am thinking about being able to put together at least a decent salad, and maybe a few things for the pot. But I am quite curious, what hybrids do you all recommend for those of us up above the 47th parallel in the wonderful glacial debris? I would love to hear about tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, herbs, corn?, and whatever else you all recommend.

Rob

Rob - since our region is considered a short-season growing area, you may want to take note of those vegies/herbs/whatever that are grown with specifically that in mind.
I have been growing my own for the past 25 years; Territorial Seed Co. is my first choice, unless I'm looking for something unusual that they don't have. It's a local company (Oregon), and I've had excellent germination rates with all seed purchases. They do carry Organic seed.

Tomato: hard to recommend as I try different things each year, and typically buy starts. But Cabernet (grape tomato), Sweet Million (Cherry) & Viva Italia (Roma) are my faves. I don't bother with the large tomatoes - we just don't build up the necessary heat units to produce a worthwhile crop.

Lettuces: there are 7 pages of the various types in the Territorial catalog. You might want to check it out. I grow a variety of Romaines, Butterheads & Mesclun each year.

Green Beans: I prefer Pole Beans to Bush beans: Blue Lake or Violet Podded Stringless.
This year I am growing the Yard Long Bean 'Noodle'. This is an Oriental bean, regularly featured in Chinese cuisine.

Corn - Sugardots, but there are lots of choices.

All my vegetables are grown in raised beds, and I use the "square foot gardening" method. It's quasi-french intensive, with a twist. As an example - corn is planted in a 4' x 8' bed, 4 rows x 8 columns. I interplant this area with quicker growing crops, or plant a cover crop and let the corn grow up through it. Plants can be grown closer together and
I find the yields are consistently high. I've not yet seen evidence of poor quality when planted in this manner.

Herbs - this is a whole different situation. Some make polite neighbours, but not all. Many of the herbs (Rosemary, Lavander, Tarragon) do better in leaner soil, so I have created beds for them, or, grow them in large pots.
Mint & Oregano are two that you would want to put in containers: notorious space hogs.

Parsley, Cilantro, Basil, Savory are all friendly, and prefer nice soil.

Hope this helps. K


Parsley,

What kind of Veggies do you want?
I have found in my area for Tomatoes Is 'Early Girl' I tried the seed thing and had no luck, so I buy 1 Gal size and plant them to where only 6" shows above ground and pinch the tops, and end up having more tomatoes than I want and give allot away. also a new thing out if you don't have space you can buy a upside down pot. kinda neat a friend of mine grows hers that way.

If I had a 10X10 spot, I'd build two 4X10 beds with 2 foot wide path down the middle. That would maximize plantable space while still allowing arm reach into the middle. When you build up the soil with compost and/or manure, you will be able to grow root vegetables also. I think raised beds are the way to go in this area, partly because the soil warms up sooner and is workable earlier to plant your peas. Trellises to hold up peas, beans, cucumbers could allow you to fit more in your space by growing them vertically. I find this is a great region for lettuce (I like both Romaine and Red leaf), spinach, broccoli (Umpqua is my favorite)and cauliflower. I, too, get Territorial seeds most often, but I also use Ed Hume seeds. I have had good luck with sungold cherry tomatoes, and a variety called Matina that pumps out a large number of medium sized slicing tomatoes. Corn takes a fair amount of space, because you have to have enough so they will pollinate each other. The Territorial catalogue is like a great planting guide as well as place to read about many possible varieties you may want to try. They are free, so e-mail them and get one sent out to you.

HI...I am from Seattle living in Hawaii...with a bad back. I feel qualified to answer this. LOL.

My vegie garden (here in Hawaii) is contained in 30 and 50 gal. pots. I put one put upside down (for support and height) and another on top. In the top one i plant the vegies: 3 kinds of string beans (pole....we put up hogwire for support) in 4 pots, sugar snaps in another with support, eggplant in another .... i have tatchoi and bokchoi in 2 others. I am growing cherry tomatoes upside down in a 2 gal. pot...with herbs in the top of the tub. I will start hydroponic lettuce in strofoam containers when i get back from Bellingham in 2 weeks.

We are just 2 people...MoST all vegies here are grown locally and i can get them at the market weekly.

I, too, read In Defense of Food, and was shocked into action. If we don't take care of ourselves...heaven help us!!!!!

Carol

Carol - thanks for posting. I'll have to read In Defense of Food, clearly. Thanks for the reccomendation, both of you.

Here's a picture of a little "potager" I put together for my elderly folks so they could have fresh tomatoes in the summer. One thing I'd add is that when you're gardening in close quarters like this, you should plant plants that like the same food. I put scarlet runner beans up the middle and tomatoes around the outside. My dad was great about feeding the tomatoes with traditional nitrogen-heavy tomato food. But beans fix their own nitrogen and so don't need any extra. You can see here that the beans just went leaf-crazy. Really pretty, but no beans.

Another thing this illustrates is that growing things up can be easier on your back and give you more gardening area. There are hanging tomato planters, as well:

http://www.gardeners.com/Gardener+s+Revolution+Planter/PotsPlanters_HangingPlanters,37-000,default,cp.html?SC=XNET8019%22

Kathy

I grow 100 Sweet Cherry tomatoes every year I cannot keep them picked..lol they love the Pacific Northwest. I also grow Early Girl and most years get a good yield. Some of the cooler summers it is touch and go with this one!
In the greenhouse I grow Jalapeno, Habanero, and any other hot chilis I can. Some years I throw in some green onions and radishes as well......I am trying to talk DH into a raised area for veggies. He is so hesitant to give up the grass areas....he says it is because of resale value??? I would have loved to find a house with gardens built in, you can always change them and add new things!
Wish I could find a study that said house sell better with lots of gardens....lol

Rob, this is my first year with a veggie garden as well, so thank you for this post, I have learned a bunch from it already! :) I have some tomato starts I could share with you, provided they make it (my first time starting seeds indoors as well)... however, they are not from organic seeds. I have Burpee Super Sweet 100s and Burpee's Big Boy Hybrids, and then some Ed Hume Yellow Pear and Ed Hume Tomatillos... I will have way too many for my little beds, although being my first time starting perhaps I will not end up with any! We will see. My father in Edmonds used to have a huge veggie garden every year as I was growing up, he grew tomatoes, corn, carrots, radishes, potatoes (those plants would grow ANYWHERE in his yard), cucumbers, peas and beans... and they all actually did pretty well. He grew the tomatoes from starts and the rest from seeds.

My question for everyone is, what other veggies besides tomatoes and peppers should be started indoors? I know carrots, peas, beans, and lettuce are all fine to sow outdoors, but I was going to try onions and leeks, and wasn't sure if I should start them in here under lights? Also, what herbs should be started indoors? Mostly I am wondering about Oregano, tarragon, basil, chives, parsley and dill? Thanks so much!

Stacy

I realize I am no longer there in PS Region....but this is how i planted my beans(3 kinds), snow peas, eggplant.The pots are planted only with seeds closest to the outside of the pot closes to the wires. in a month i will plant another row that hopefully will climb up the first row and give more vegies longer.

One pot bottom looks like it needs bracing!!! I tell you...it is easy on the back!!!!

Dum Q why is your tread bigger than everyone elses, It dosnt fit on my screen ?

Hi Tills, Mine either, Maybe we just see things bigger over here. Heidi

Now thats a scary thought.
We do grow some things bigger,

I have no idea why this thread is so wide! Its driving me nuts, too!

Me too, what happen? This is weird

OOO Dave Help please

Hey, AlohaHoya - how have you been? Are you going to be coming to the mainland for a visit this summer. Please let me know if so. And what a great idea for raising the pots up. they could easily be braced with 3 pieces of rebar, inserted into the groundat the lip of the bottom pot. Aching backs & dirt manicures! But i love to eat what grows in my garden.

Cat: As far as starting things indoors, I start most vegies inside. I direct sow peas, beans, root crops and some of the herbs (parsley, Savory, Chives, Dill.
Next Spring you can try winter-sowing. More on that later, but it will free up some room inside, unless you don't have to worry about that.

Kate

Funny you should ask, Kate - I leave tomorrow morning for Seattle and then up to Bellingham!!! Gotta buy some - ahem - 'things' and play with the granddaughter!!! Will be there until the 17th. Would love to connect with you!!! Phone number is 393-3111. Give a holler if you want visitors!!! We have a 3year old and a lab who love to play!!! Also cruising the big box stores looking for treasures in the Gardening Depts. -

Great idea about the rebar...will tell DH...he is President of Rebar!

A hui hou -

Carol

Gee...don't know why the screen is so wide!!!!

I contacted DG Admin, and they fixed it for us. Apparently it was a link that the forum could not handle properly by default, and they dealt with it by hand for us.

That was weird.