I'm trying to start a box garden

[aseawright]

I grew up working in a garden, but it was a traditional big field garden. I just don't have the space for that where I'm currently living and I need some information on creating a box garden. What plants grow well in box gardens? I'd like to do beans, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, okra, spinach, squash, onions and corn. But I'm not sure if those will do well in a box and if they do, how big should I make the boxes? I know I'm asking for a lot of information but I would greatly appreciate all the info that I can get.

[cynthia_h]

I'd take a look at Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening for some "box garden" ideas. Be sure to read the book; there are a lot of "sorta Square Foot Gardening" ideas running around on the Internet.

But by reading the book--which contains lots of very well-shot photos and well-drawn illos--you can see what Mel's whole system is geared to do. What you do with it in your own garden after that is up to you.

I tried it for the first time this year and am going to tweak SFG a little for my fall veggies.

But when Mel says there's no weeding compared to traditional gardening, he is...Absolutely Correct! It's been terrific!

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[SG6]

aseawright, you don't actually say if you have any garden so I will mention the two option I have/can think of:

I have a small veg patch say 1.9x2.4 mtr. This year I have decided to create 5-6 sections. Made a rectangle of 1.5x2 and split that into 4, the remaining end bit of 0.4 I used for broccoli. I the strip 0.4 at the top I planted a row of Tomatoes and Peppers. The 4 small rectangles had onions, leeks and potatoes (2 bits, but not very successful)

I also have a collection of containers and if you are thinking of just containers how about this: I have 3 troughs 25x72cm. If you can find similar you could simply have a trough per veg and stand them next to each other. Of the things you mention corn will not be greatly succesful it needs large blocks for wind pollination.

I have a good trough of carrots, and 4 good sized peppers in one. 4-6 onions should fit in OK, say 4-6 lettuce in one, try 3 tomatoes in one. Beans should be OK (never tried) but need to climb, also I read they need to be misted to set fruit. I planted 3 potatoes (Anya variety) in a large circular pot 43cm dia - these did very well.

Other pots have Lemon(2), Lime, Coffee(2), Grapefruit and Blueberry.

Problem may be pollination if they are on a balcony or similar.