As I mentioned in a previous post, I am mapping out where and how each seed is planted in the beds. This may seem to be overwrought but I do not think so. The reason I am doing this is so that I can know what each seedling is as it grows so that I can watch it’s morphology change, be alert to the different types of insect predators, see which seeds do not like this soil, see which are thriving, which like being next to the other, etc. I think it is worth the time to know what I have planted, where and when so that this sort of analysis is easier.
I am also planting in the vein of “Square Foot Gardening” (though with some pretty big differences) by Mel Bartholomew which means that I am planting intensively. I am also seeding in companion crops to bolster the health of the micro-ecosystems I am creating.
The four maps below are for the beds we have completed and seeded. I have also put a link to the flickr page for each if you would like to look at the images closer up. There are two more 8×16 beds and then a 8×8 bed. We are also finishing off the 4×8 bed for the asparagus (companion planted with tomatoes? perhaps though I am still thinking about it)
Bed 2
Bed 3
Bed 4
Bed 5
More to come!
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I really love your blog! I have been reading away the past few days! I was wondering if you could make your Flickr images larger for the raised beds…they’re too small for me to read what all you planted…the resize option seems to be disabled. I have a community garden (here in Germany) and I am planning for next Spring already. I want to ready my beds this fall before the snow comes. I would love to read all the types of seeds to planted next to one another to get ideas for my beds.
Thanks!
Nicole: hmmm .. I can email you some PDFs of them is you like. Let me know if you want me to do that.
I have to say first that I have learned various lessons and would not plant the beds like I did this year. I will be doing an analysis and write up of my observations based on the bed maps (the images you are referring to) in a week or two so be sure to check back.
Ooo, I would love the PDFs, you can send them to my email address that I provided to you. I will definitely check back to read your assessment on the beds before I continue! I have a green-thumb when it comes to house plants, but this is my first outdoor garden, and there are so many factors - I have so much to learn!
Oh, I also found your idea with the arching cucumber trellises really cool!
Erika: will do hopefully this AM. Getting ready for a ginormous onlocation photo shoot for the next two days so I am running around a bit.
Next year I will be planting more cukes and definitely MANY more lemon cukes!