Veggie/Herb garden Qs

[cransplash]

Going to run out today and get some plants for our garden.
This is what we have in mind:

- Cherry tomato
- Beefsteak tomato
- Zucchini
- English cucumber

Are all these relatively easy to do, and can be planted together? Any tips?
What plants do you grow (veg and fruit)?
I already have top soil in there (we have a raised bed)- do I need to buy any Miracle Gro, manure, anything else at Home Depot?

I also wanted to grow basil, cilantro, and rosemary, but they didn't grow at all last year

[MrsManners]

I am not a gardening expert. However, I would get a few bags of compost to amend the soil with. You'll want some support (cage) for the tomatoes and possibly a trellis for the cucumbers. Make sure to plant those tomatoes deep, so they will develop a sturdy root bed. Did you buy your herbs last year or start from seed? I've found herbs among the easiest things to grow when starting from plants. Also, something I learned this year, I need to plant some flowers or something to attract bees to help pollinate my garden (salvia was recommended to me for our area).

[kaylie]

I have a few different types of tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, basil, parsley and soy beans. I use smartgardener.com - it plots the garden for you and tells you which plants to put where.

I don't think top soil has enough nutrients in it. You can mix in compost and bags of miracle grow to enrich it. There is a lot of science behind soil composition and you can buy a soil test kit if you want to see what you need to add specifically.

[april37]

I would personally never use manure in a vegetable garden. You run the risk of contaminating your produce. (It's a slight risk but it's still not a risk I'm willing to take considering there are easy alternatives.) Instead, I use mushroom compost. It's fantastic in vegetable gardens.

[jchokie79]

Hello there! Including a pic of what happens when you plant tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchinis in the same veggie bed! Learn from my mistake! It was a wild jungle. I would plant the cucumber or zucchini in a separate pot if you can.

Last summer I filled the bed with organic miracle grow soil and a bag of manure. Then this summer I just tossed it with another bag of miracle grow and bag of manure.

Reading the other PP, mushroom compost was probably the way to go, does sound more sanitary.

Have fun!

[annadala]

I have a lot of rosemary (it attracts butterflies once it flowers). Did you know it needs to dry out between waterings? Once I cut back on watering mine has done really well!

I killed all of my veggies so I can't help you there lol

[kaylie]

May 27, 2012 11:21:51 GMT -5 jchokie79 said:

Hello there! Including a pic of what happens when you plant tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchinis in the same veggie bed! Learn from my mistake! It was a wild jungle. I would plant the cucumber or zucchini in a separate pot if you can.

Last summer I filled the bed with organic miracle grow soil and a bag of manure. Then this summer I just tossed it with another bag of miracle grow and bag of manure.

Reading the other PP, mushroom compost was probably the way to go, does sound more sanitary.

Have fun!

Whoa - that's intense. Did you actually get cucumbers? I thought they liked lots of air circulation around them.

I vote you post this pic on the gardening board for comments. =)

[jchokie79]

May 27, 2012 16:20:40 GMT -5 kaylie said:

May 27, 2012 11:21:51 GMT -5 jchokie79 said:

Hello there! Including a pic of what happens when you plant tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchinis in the same veggie bed! Learn from my mistake! It was a wild jungle. I would plant the cucumber or zucchini in a separate pot if you can.

Last summer I filled the bed with organic miracle grow soil and a bag of manure. Then this summer I just tossed it with another bag of miracle grow and bag of manure.

Reading the other PP, mushroom compost was probably the way to go, does sound more sanitary.

Have fun!

Whoa - that's intense. Did you actually get cucumbers? I thought they liked lots of air circulation around them.

I vote you post this pic on the gardening board for comments. =)

LOL, no way I'm volunteering this info & pic on the Gardening board!

Surprisingly I did get a ton of cucumbers but only a few zucchinis.