Need help with garden set up

Harrison, MI

I am new to gardening vegetables.. we have approx 2 acres and have recently cleared part of it to start a garden.. given the pictures how do you think I should design it? I have stuff already ready to be put in the ground ASAP ..
including carrots, beans, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, cukes, watermelon, squash, rhubarb, cantaloupe.. i know i should put the strawberries , watermelon, and squash on the outside as they will become a larger spread plant.. anything else anyone can tell me? I would like to bring in a load of horse manure and screened black dirt and get it all tilled in good then plant? What do you think? Also thought about raised beds out of wood in the four corners for strawberries and possibly grapes or asparagus at a later date?

Thumbnail by lynchl
Perth, Australia

You will certainly have plenty of scope for a great vegetable garden.
I used to have big gardens but more recently have had smaller ones and at the moment am gardening in containers as we are only here temporarily and I want to take my garden with me when we shift!
It is always good to add plenty of organic matter.
I like raised beds especially for perennials like asparagas, rhubarb and strawberries that will be staying in the same place for years. So it is good to take that into consideration when laying out your garden. Annual things are best rotated (don't grow in same place each year).
Allow plenty of room for water melon, squash etc to spread out.
It is best to grow the same types of things or things that have the same requirements in the same area. Grow root crops together, leaf crops together etc.
Be careful with siting so you don't have tall growing things shading smaller things.
Experimenting is the best way to learn to see what grows best for you etc.
Have fun.

Saint Paul, MN

Get a book called "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible". It's a spectacular book for the beginning gardener.

Harrison, MI

thanks for your help :) I guess it is kind of trial and error..

Houston, TX(Zone 9a)

Gardening does have trial and error, no question about that. But I also don't think you have to go it alone. If it took me 10 years to start getting good results, I would never have started gardening.

I read everything I can get my hands on and talk to people who have gardened *in my area*. You will find that information which pertains to your local growing climate is vital. Someone even as close as 10 miles away from you may have some differences in their climate which affect planting dates, watering, etc.

When I see you say:

Quoting:
I have stuff already ready to be put in the ground ASAP ..
including carrots, beans, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, cukes, watermelon, squash, rhubarb, cantaloupe

This makes me wonder a bit because those things are not usually planted at exactly the same time. There are some planting date considerations. There can even be some difference between hot peppers and sweet peppers, pole beans vs. bush beans.

I think The Vegetable Gardener's Bible would be helpful to you since it is written from a cooler USA climate perspective, plus it gives a LOT of basics which apply to any zone.

I hope you have a fantastically successful year. Read everything you can, and believe about 70% of it. ;)

Houston, TX(Zone 9a)

Also I should add you say you have carrots and beans that are "ready to be put in the ground ASAP". Did you start seeds of those indoors? Because they really do not respond well to being transplanted.

Harrison, MI

thanks for the input everyone! I gave it a go with a lot of help from my boyfriends mother and her Mantis tiller..she is great! Learning a ton and plan to get the book you all mentioned.
I will take picture of finished garden for input however !!

Evergreen, CO

Good luck! A good soil test is a good way to start. Them you can amend accordingly. You plant girl! and don't worry if you make mistakes. Its not rocket surgery:-)))

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