msmoak1705
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My garden is overcrowded, what can I do to make some room???

Hey guys -

I was a little bit overzealous with my first garden and planted too much in my garden box. I don't remember cucumber plants being so big when I was a little girl. The cucumbers and tomatoes are out of control! I'm afraid that this means they aren't getting enough sunlight and/or air flow. In the box, I also have corn, jalapenos, basil, mint and cilantro. I plan on moving the herbs to potters this weekend so make a little more room.

Is it safe for me to try and transplant the jalapenos also? Any other suggestions on how I can make some room?

I have attached a photo of the garden. The order of the plants from the closet to you to further away is: basil, corn, jalapenos, cucumbers and tomatoes in the back. I didn't expect for the corn to actually grow, I started it from seeds just to see what would happen, and well...it's growing like crazy too.
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imafan26
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Yeah way too much in that little box

You can transplant peppers.

I would take out the corn too, you will not get good yields from such a small patch and you will have more space for the basil if you space them more. You can add an extension and make the cucumber trellis higher. I stack tomatoe cages but you could get some tall stakes and use trellis netting to extend the height, you will have to secure it well. I would put a cross bar across the top of the stakes. Tomatoes can also be staked but you have to prune them unless you let them sprawl.

Its easy to over crowd things when they are small. Live and learn, and plan better next time. For plant that will need a trellis it is better to have the trellis in place when you plant things. A seven foot trellis can handle most things. I only grow smaller things in my veggie plot. I grow tomatoes separately in 18 gallon pots and CRW cages.

I only need a couple of basil plants but it depends on how much you use.

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applestar
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Are those 2x6 or 2x8 for the sides? You are not making full use of the box if you don't fill almost to the top (I'm guilty of that ,too sometimes, but in this instance, after taking out the herbs and jalapeños (3-5 gallon container for each pepper), I might be inclined to keep the corn along with the tomatoes and cucumbers, and see what happens. You will need to hand pollinate the corn.

Definitely increase the height of supports for the tomatoes and cucumbers like imafan said.

I would fill up to the top of the box with really good mix of compost and soil with fertilizer like tomato-tone added, burying the stems of the corn and tomatoes, as well as any cucumber vines that are trailing on the ground.

If the jalapeños gets set back from transplanting, and don't ripen to red mature peppers before frost threatens, you can bring the containers indoors. Jalapeños are easy to keep.

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jal_ut
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Hey, looking good. At this point, I would just say, let it grow and see what you get. Ya it is crowded, but keep that in mind next year as you plant. Have fun!

msmoak1705
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 12:31 pm
Location: Charleston, SC

So I pruned my tomatoes a bit and moved the herbs out. I also bought some plants that should attract bees. I don't feel like the plants are being pollinated enough either.

I'm worried about moving the jalapenos because they have some baby peppers on them. I don't want to lose or damage what has started growing. I hope I end up getting some veggies out of it, either way, it's so much fun having a garden again.

Pictures attached.
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Meatburner
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Pull out some plants to make enough recommended space for the plants to grow.

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jal_ut
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Any room for another box? That would give you more planting space.

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Peppers actually can transplant fairly well. It might be hard to get around since your box is up against a wall. It would be better if the box is out in the sun and you had access all around.

Try to use a shovel and dig around the peppers and under the root ball. You should be able to lift them with the shovel and put them in a container. I like egg cans or a 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled 1 inch from the bottom works too.

For a box that size I would grow smaller things like herbs. lettuce, spinach, greens and the peppers would be ok. I would have grown the larger plants like the tomatoes, and cucumbers in large pots with a trellis. It would be easier to space them out that way. Corn really should have a 4x4 minimum space but 10x10 would be better. Too bad you have a plastic fence. It is good for privacy but a chain link fence would have been a built in trellis.

If you think about expanding your garden consider an area that is 20x20 with a chain link fence around it. The fence will keep some critters out especially if it is a 7 ft fence. the fence can be used as a trellis. You can put at least 3 long beds in there with paths all the way around each bed and clearance from the fence or 4 - 4x4 ft beds with paths. . 4 ft wide beds are a good width to work around.



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