Plan to grow a garden in zone 5....

[kawaiineko32]

We currently live in Florida. We plan to move to Petoskey Michigan in February of 2008. Petoskey is located in the upper part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. I need help with when to grow what. My main question is, with the list of vegetables, herbs, and fruits (I'll provide a list later in the post) which are able to be grown in Michigan?

PLEASE don't be vague with what I'm about to request help with OR be general about it. I'm looking for specifics here. Below I'll provide a list of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs I am planning to grow.

I request two things in the information provided:

What season is the best time for the vegetable/herb/fruit to be planted
from seed? (spring, summer, autumn, or winter; please put the best time it should be grown in one of these seasons)

What months are the best time for the vegetable/herb/fruit
to be planted? (ex:corn, Aug-September; I'm not saying that's accurate, that's just a hypothetical situation. It's also an example of what I'm looking for regarding information on this)

Please say if each vegetable listed is able to be grown in Michigan; plesae just put yes or no for each vegetable/herb/fruit

Veggies:

onions (Vidalia and Red)
broccoli
peppers (sweet bell peppers; red and green)
romaine lettuce
carrots
sugar snap peas (the kind that come in pods)
green beans
tomatoes
pumpkin
zucchini
cucumbers
scallions
corn

Herbs:

Lavender
garlic
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Basil
Dill
Garlic
Chives
Rosemary
Cilantro
thyme (don't know, still debating over it)


Fruits:

strawberries
raspberries (if possible)
blueberries
cantaloupe
watermelon


I also have a question regarding a gardening technique known as the three sister's. You plant corns, squash, and beans together. Mounds of soil, which are known as hills are created. You plant the corn seeds in the middle of the mounds. When the corn seedlings reach about 6 inches tall (15 centimeters) you plant the beans and squash around the corn. Two questions regarding this.

I know you have to have to space the plants a certain measurement apart, and you have to space the rows a certain amount of space apart. How far apart you plant the rows and plants with the vegetables, and herbs varies from plant to plant. My question regarding this is do you have to take into account the row spacing and plant spacing with the three sister's gardening technique? My question is how.

Also, can you plant watermelon seeds and cantaloupe seeds using the three sister's gardening technique? I know they're a different form of plant, (when compared to squash) but they're still vining plants.

I also know that there are two varieties of onions, long day and short day. I would like to plant both Vidalia onions (or another form of yellow onion) and red onions. Which variety of onion is zone 5 in Michigan suited for, long or short day? Also which type of onion is yellow, long or short day variety? Which type of onion is red? long or short day?

[Jess]

Hi

If you tell me how cold zone 5 gets I can let you know which herbs will survive.

[Roger]

Hi there!
Everything you listed can be grown in Michigan. Specific dates for planting though, that is difficult to predict without knowing the local micro-climate. Even with this knowledge, it is difficult because of yearly fluctuations. When you get there, I think the best bet would be to talk to people at the local farmers market or a garden center to get an idea of when to plant what for best results. Often, what they have at that time on display is a good indication to what is in general demand at that time from other established farmers, so I like to use that as a guide for a local opinion.

Regarding onions - you will want the 'long-day' varieties of onions. The Yellow Granex [Vidalia] is a short day variety. There are long day varieties for yellow and red onions. They will undoubtedly have the right variety at the local garden stores.

For the spacing question on the three-sisters method, I would follow the spacing instructions for the squash over that of the other two, since the squash has the larger 'footprint' in the garden. So: roughly 18 to 24 inches apart.

The problem with using the corn to support the melon vines - the corn stalks will have to be pretty strong to hold up the fruits. You will likely end up having to use some form of a stake to help support the weight. You will also have to spread the spacing per 'hill' to about three feet or more to compensate for the melon vine spread.