Wanting to Make My First Garden, Need Suggestions

[GardenWeasel]

Well I'm in Eastlake Ohio "very close to cleveland" and I'm wanting to make my own garden.I'm not big on veggies,but I'm doing this more for a hobby.
What can be grown together,I wanted some tomatoes,potatoes,and was even thinking of growing some pumpkins with the kids so we can have them ready for holloween.Someone told me that you cant grow pumpkins with other things,because the pumpkin vines will kill the other stuff is this true?
If so I'll just stick to the average stuff like peppers,potatoes,tomatoes etc.
So if you could recomend how I should start the garden area out also what is a good size for a garden?I was planning on just taking a rototiller and do up a area level it out and plant some stuff,should I do anything else?
Also is some seeds better then others,recomend what ever is best,and if I need anythign else.Thanks!

[The Helpful Gardener]

Best bet is to start doing some reading. Here's a start...

[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/vegetable/2003/vegetable.html[/url]

Scott

[opabinia51]

Yes, try reading some of the threads in the organic forum as well. Lots of good stuff there regarding building your soil and what not.

Also, you may want to pull any weeds out of the area that you want to garden in and place them in an area where you can compost all your weeds and plant parts. Then, apply some manure on top of the area. Just let it sit until after the first frost then, you can turn it in with a shovel. Place any weeds that have come up on the compost pile. (I always carry my pruners with me when I'm in the garden so that I can chop the weeds up as they go onto the compost pile).

[Bob]

For a “firstâ€

[GardenWeasel]

I'm not clear on the Compost stuff?
I'm reading here and there,but wasnt sure what you do with the compost pile.
What stuff would you want and not want in a compost pile?Like leaves and grass clipings? Would dog waste do good?,or if you could just list some stuff to add to the pile.
My other question is after you have a pile of compost,do you mix it in before planting,or do you throw it on top of the soil with the plants already growing,or both?
I thought I made a reply earlier but I don't see it,So I was gonna try tomatoes,peppers,Corn,green beans,peas,Watermelon and Pumpkin.
Would watermelon be just as viney as pumpkins,or would they grow ok with the rest of the stuff?If not would the melons and pumpkins grow together away from the rest of the stuff,or would I have to plant them separtly?

[opabinia51]

What stuff would you want and not want in a compost pile?

Compost is dead simple. If you have a lawn, put all clippings into the pile, any weeds (provided you do not recognize them as a local invasive) an go into the pile, manure, eggshells, kitchen vegetable scraps (I like to chop them up first), and LEAVES are very important. Everything else that I have listed (except for maybe the eggshells) can be considered a GREEN which means that they have a Carbon to Nitrogen that is closer to one or less that one.

Leaves are considered a Brown and have a C:N retio that is much higher than one. Other browns include: Black and White Newspaper articles (don't use the colour ones, they have dioxins that can be quite harmful to plants), Cocoa Bean hulls (available from some nurseries and also Home Depot, a healthy alternative to Peat) and......chopped up twigs and branches.

My other question is after you have a pile of compost,do you mix it in before planting,or do you throw it on top of the soil with the plants already growing,or both?

You can grow plants directly in compost (winter squash, pumpkins(which are a winter squash), and zucchini will grow right on top of your compost pile). Or you can mix it into the soil. Laying it on top of soil before or after planting is good, worms will pull it down into the soil.

Another thing that you can do is: lay the compostables over the gardening area in the late fall and just let it compost over the winter.

[Bob]

All melons are “vineâ€

[opabinia51]

Melons and corn are companion plants as are beans. Try mixing them together. You'll have increased growth and fruit on all three plants

[grandpasrose]

I saw the coolest idea yesterday for growing cucumbers, zucchini, melons, any vine plant in the garden. This gardener had taken a rectangular shaped screen (it had a square weave of about 1.5 to 2 inches) and leaned it against a railing, something like a horse rail, with the screen on a slant. The bottom was where the plants were planted, and then they grew up the screen towards to the top, which was about 4 - 5 feet off the ground. Then, underneath the screen, where it was shady, they planted plants that prefer a little less sun! Way better use of your space, and way easier picking your vine produce!
Isn't that just the coolest!!
In my green house, I plant my vines in the ground, and then have wire mesh attached up the walls and the ceiling, and they just grow their way up and over. The fruit just hangs down, and you pick it when it's ripe! Simple!!

Val

[Grey]

Wow Val - I admit I like this other gardener's ingenutity with the slanted structure - I don't suppose you could get us a photo?

I love new ideas.

[GardenWeasel]

OK,I have rototilled a area for my garden,its 8x15.
Ill try the the screen wall thing for the vine crops.
what I would liek to know now is what should be planted next to what and how far should the spacing be? I'm growing...
pea's
green beans
sweet banana peppers
cucumbers
watermelon
corn
The kids want to try Pumpkins but I'm not sure
and were gonna pick up some tomato plants
So if you could tell me what will grow good next to each other and how far should stuff be spaced apart,or if I have to much stuff for my area,could I only plant a portion of the seeds? Or how much more room would I need?
Thanks

[opabinia51]

Instead of doing seperate rows of each plant, try planting mixed rows or even better do a keyhole design in your garden.

If you do a keyhole, you will maximize the number of plants that you can fit in one area and companion plants can be planted in each keyhole design with the taller plants on the outside of the keyhole and the smaller ones on the inside.

This is a good website with lists of companion plants.

https://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html

[Grey]

I'm with Opa - the whole concept of growing in rows is silly - I've read on growing in groups - easier for picking & puts a little less stress on the plants - they help hold each other up in high winds, none of them get too much hot sun, and your water doesn't evaporate so easily either.

The keyhole design is a good idea too.