Thinking about growing 21 vegetables,4-5 each.Need some tips

[bgthumb25]

I would like to grow them in anything but bare ground.Although it's the cheapest method,I don't believe I have enough good & safe area.Its extremely rocky,very difficult to dig,& their are tons of roots from weeds.
I thought of using pots,raised bed,or a "pyramid space saver".Whichever one will cost the least.Don't know where to find the best deals.I want to hurry & get started,feel like I'm running behind already .Here are some vegetable seeds I have now:
Brand-Burpee
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Organic cucumber-Bush champion
Cucumber-burpee pickler hybrid
Organic spinach-Bloomsdale long standing
Garden bean-Royal Burgundy
Radicchio-Early Treviso
Cabbage-Baby Choi

Brand:Livingston,all but one are 2-3yrs passed sell by date
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Radicchio,regular head shape.Only new one I bought
Baby romaine
Crimson cushion beefsteak tomato
Nantes carrot
Blue lake pole stringless FM1 bean,may not grow this one

NK lawn & garden 1yr past sell by
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Sweet spanish UT onion,may switch to a different onion
Serrano chili pepper

Here is what I haven't bought yet.
Bell pepper,chard,kale,celery,radish &/or turnip,broccoli,roma tomato,carrot(might not use the strain I have),kale,mustard & collared green.I want to grow 3-4 onion strains yellow/spanish &/or TX sweet,white,& red.

[bgthumb25]

This will be mostly for me,my parents might eat some but not as often as I will.We are getting a deep freeze soon so I can store if overloaded.
Best spot I can find safe from my pets are between my shed & 6ft wooden fence.I believe its 69 sq ft.Will measure it soon.Their may be 1 or 2 more areas,but less space to work with.
How much soil should I need at least?I seen this site,looks pretty good.
http://soilminerals.com/Minerals_and_Fertilizers.htm
I got a menards & lows nearby.I would like OMRI rated soil.
http://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/gardening/lawn-plant-care/c-10116.htm?queryType=storeItems&criteria1_facet=Soil+And+Protectants&ipp=50

Sorry I'm going everywhere a bit lol.I only successfully grown italian parsley.It kept growing back like a weed that wouldn't die lol.I only have 2 3Gal pots right now.I put holes in the bottoms & put rocks in before the soil,seemed to work well with the parsley I grew.

[jal_ut]

For the cukes, I am going to recommend that you dig a hole about eight inches deep and the size of a dinner plate in your tough ground, then fill that with soil. You may get some soil from the hole you dug, but may need to add some bagged soil to fill the hole. Now plant 6 cucumber seeds in this small area. Put the holes spaced 4 feet apart. Now when done planting take cardboard and cover the area leaving only the holes open. You can mulch on top of the cardboard with grass clippings or any organic matter you have available to hold it down. The cardboard holds the weeds back and preserves moisture.

[imafan26]

I would recommend a vining cucumber instead of a bush cucumber. Cucumbers on a trellis takes up less space. A tomato cage works fine for a cucumber trellis. I put 4 cucumber seedlings in a five gallon container. All of the trellis legs won't fit in the pot, so I use additional stakes to support the trellis. It would fit if you used a half barrel instead and you could plant some lettuce around the edges.

How much sun do you have. If you are planting by a shed it may not be the best place. You need to find a spot that has at least 6-8 hours of sun. Try fencing to keep the animals out. Depending on where you live you may need to keep other critters out as well.

On short notice, I'd consider container gardens. You need to water them often, so invest in a drip system or plan to be out there everyday.

Plan now for a fall garden. Consider raised beds and a no till garden also known as sheet mulching or lasagna garden. It will take time to build it so it is best to start now for the fall crop. It can be built inexpensively. You would start with clearing as many of the weeds you can. Cover with cardboard (wet it down), start layering with greens, browns, and manures. You could plant in it sooner if you pick up a truckload of finished compost from your local green waste recycler. It will be cheaper than buying bags. You will have to add manures, rock dust, bone meal, etc. depending on the recipe you are using. You can also opt for no borders on the veggie bed, just pile up the material on a mound.

If your yard is weedy, you still need to deal with the weeds. Vegetable gardens are not low maintenance. Mulch your garden to keep down weeds.

[imafan26]

69 square ft is not a lot of space. Check the plant spacing you will need and plan out the area. Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, can be trellised to save space. Lettuce, radish, are short crops and can be planted under the larger plants while they are still small.

Things like carrots, onions, broccoli, I can only grow in the coolest times of the year.

Broccoli, kale, zucchini take at least a 24 inch diameter space. So, plan how many of each plant you need and how much space they will take.
I do suggest that you do a garden plan first.

http://vegetableplanner.vegetable-gardening-online.com/

[bgthumb25]

Thank you all for the replies !I may talk to my neighbor & see if he can help me with planning the layout.Just remembered he has a tomato garden in his backyard.He is barely ever home though.
I'm avoiding my backyard inside my fence.My pets are out their often & my pool takes up most of the yard.Might be able to fence off one spot,should take care of my cabbage & lettuce.Since I'm so limited I think ill keep it to 2 maybe 3.2 for the ones that require more space.

[Bushman]

That seems pretty aggressive for not having an established gaden. may I suggest halving that (minimum) so you are not overwhelmed with the maintenence?
If you plant in pots you will need to water almost every day.
Not too many of the veggies you speak of can be put in a freezer either.
Don't rush into it. Take your time and start with the veggies that you will consume rapidly during harvest time.
There are so many things I would like to grow but what it boils down too is how many times can I eat it while it is ripe or can I preserve it. For example Chard. How many times will you eat it before it passes it's prime? Is it worth it?
I recommend raised beds for bad soil. I use them and I mulch them in with all of my grass clippings to prevent weeds and retain moisture.

Good luck with all your endeavors!