How to Plan an Edible Garden in Seattle?
The school that I work for has just received a grant to fund a food garden. I have about a years experience as a landscaper and gardener but my education has a lot of holes in it. I have a green thumb and love getting dirty but I couldn't plan a vegetable garden to save my life. On top of that, I just moved from the midwest (St. Louis) to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle) so I'm even more lost when it comes to when to plant what and how to plan a year-round garden. Where do I begin? Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Welcome to Puget Sound 
You can grow a variety of things overwinter here, which softens the blow a bit when we have a lackluster summer like this one.
I'd recommend reading Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades for a good primer and reference on what and how to grow in this region:
[url=https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Vegetables-West-Cascades-Gardening/dp/1570615349/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Vegetables-West-Cascades-Gardening/dp/1570615349/[/url]
You can grow a variety of things overwinter here, which softens the blow a bit when we have a lackluster summer like this one.I'd recommend reading Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades for a good primer and reference on what and how to grow in this region:
[url=https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Vegetables-West-Cascades-Gardening/dp/1570615349/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Vegetables-West-Cascades-Gardening/dp/1570615349/[/url]
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CharlieBear
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 588
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:19 pm
- Location: Pacific NW
You might be able to find a copy of this at the local library that you could look at first. This author revisits this topic over and over and over again. Some find it helpful others find it annoying at best.
How big and area are you looking at?
What is the soil, drainage, sun exposure, water restrictions if any?
Are you going to do raise beds?
Either way if you can it is best to use 3' wide beds either stationary in place or raised beds in the maritime NW.
You will need row covers to extend the season and begin it also to deter bugs etc.
You might also want to invest in some 3.5 mil clear plastic sheeting to use for constructing poly tunnels. To get many tomatoes you almost have to here to get them started. If you use determinates you can cage them and use the cages with clothes pins to make the tunnel. For shorter vegs, you can get or make staves to make a hoop like above the ground and clothes pins.
I would suggest that you sell them on the idea of starting small and expanding in the spring and then again in the fall and the following spring. That will allow for some experimentation.
Generally, it would be best if you look at the site in early Oct to see how much sun exposure you have at the site you are using. If it is less than about 6 hours you will have difficulty using that site. It is too late to check in on or about March 15th.
I would sell them on wide beds in place or box gardens, avoid tillling in this climate unless you have to to get going, but only once. Be sure to set up compost bins right from the start in a convient area a little a way from the garden area if possible.
The length of the boxes if you go that way need to be at least 8' more is better. Most research on the subject suggest 15' rows if you do wide bed in place. I use 35' but you have to walk around the rows more.
Place a center walk area when you do the design that is wide enough to get a wheel barrow up it. Make sure you buy a good sturdy one, not one of those plastic ones. Also get good hand tools and shovels if you don't already have them. I have 18" between my rows don't go any closer or you will regret it.
Start by finding out what will be used if you grow it, it doesn't make sence to grow something that the cooks won't use. Note that while tomatoes and potatoes are possible here generally eggplant, lima beans etc are not practical at all.
Make sure you have water close by. You might see about rigging up water collection from the roof of the school. That would be a good lesson in wise use of the environment and then use it.
Intercropping will probably work fine as that will reduce pests. I use a modification of square foot gardening. Note, his measurements are too tight for cabbage etc. Also, check to see what is generally available in the area cheap, like cabbage and don't grow it. Note, corn is a waste of space in the maritime NW unless you have acreage. Summer and winter squash take up a lot of space, but it might be worth it. Many think growing potatoes is also a waste of space here. Don't under any conditions grow lumper potatoes, like russets, burbanks etc. They don't do well here. If you grow potatoes grow the early red skin types.
On tomatoes only short day determinates are a good choice.
Most lettuce will work except head lettuce. Cut and come again is great, but you might have a slug problem. Bush beans tend to do better than pole beans, but take space.
Well that is a beginning, a better one would be to contact the extension and get a list of what varieties of vegs do best where you are and read all pubs they might have on growing vegs and gardening in general in this region. They are generally the best sources. Note Oregon's extention's advice will also generally be relevant to you as well.
How big and area are you looking at?
What is the soil, drainage, sun exposure, water restrictions if any?
Are you going to do raise beds?
Either way if you can it is best to use 3' wide beds either stationary in place or raised beds in the maritime NW.
You will need row covers to extend the season and begin it also to deter bugs etc.
You might also want to invest in some 3.5 mil clear plastic sheeting to use for constructing poly tunnels. To get many tomatoes you almost have to here to get them started. If you use determinates you can cage them and use the cages with clothes pins to make the tunnel. For shorter vegs, you can get or make staves to make a hoop like above the ground and clothes pins.
I would suggest that you sell them on the idea of starting small and expanding in the spring and then again in the fall and the following spring. That will allow for some experimentation.
Generally, it would be best if you look at the site in early Oct to see how much sun exposure you have at the site you are using. If it is less than about 6 hours you will have difficulty using that site. It is too late to check in on or about March 15th.
I would sell them on wide beds in place or box gardens, avoid tillling in this climate unless you have to to get going, but only once. Be sure to set up compost bins right from the start in a convient area a little a way from the garden area if possible.
The length of the boxes if you go that way need to be at least 8' more is better. Most research on the subject suggest 15' rows if you do wide bed in place. I use 35' but you have to walk around the rows more.
Place a center walk area when you do the design that is wide enough to get a wheel barrow up it. Make sure you buy a good sturdy one, not one of those plastic ones. Also get good hand tools and shovels if you don't already have them. I have 18" between my rows don't go any closer or you will regret it.
Start by finding out what will be used if you grow it, it doesn't make sence to grow something that the cooks won't use. Note that while tomatoes and potatoes are possible here generally eggplant, lima beans etc are not practical at all.
Make sure you have water close by. You might see about rigging up water collection from the roof of the school. That would be a good lesson in wise use of the environment and then use it.
Intercropping will probably work fine as that will reduce pests. I use a modification of square foot gardening. Note, his measurements are too tight for cabbage etc. Also, check to see what is generally available in the area cheap, like cabbage and don't grow it. Note, corn is a waste of space in the maritime NW unless you have acreage. Summer and winter squash take up a lot of space, but it might be worth it. Many think growing potatoes is also a waste of space here. Don't under any conditions grow lumper potatoes, like russets, burbanks etc. They don't do well here. If you grow potatoes grow the early red skin types.
On tomatoes only short day determinates are a good choice.
Most lettuce will work except head lettuce. Cut and come again is great, but you might have a slug problem. Bush beans tend to do better than pole beans, but take space.
Well that is a beginning, a better one would be to contact the extension and get a list of what varieties of vegs do best where you are and read all pubs they might have on growing vegs and gardening in general in this region. They are generally the best sources. Note Oregon's extention's advice will also generally be relevant to you as well.