Planning A Garden - Help And Advice Wanted

LittleShadow

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I've wanted to have a crop garden for ages, but never got around to it. I've also been kicking around the idea that it would be interesting to create a garden that could, in theory, provide all the food and nutrients that a person could need. There are a thousand opinions out there, but I thought it might be nice to try talking this out with some of you!

Things to consider:
I live in California, so we can get into the triple digits in the late summer/early fall.
We do have some nights that get down to the frost point in winter, but my area doesn't have a ton. No snow.
Corn is not my friend. I'm not allergic, but if I grew it, I wouldn't eat it because I'd end up with various digestive issues. I suppose if it was a key element of some sort of companion planting, I could give it away or trade it to friend with chickens in exchange for eggs, but I'd prefer to focus on foods I can eat myself.
I have a smallish back yard, with LOTS of sun. I'd prefer to stick with container gardening or raised beds, as much of my yard is concrete.
I'm not an experienced gardener, so idiot proofing as much as possible would be good.
I have a VERY PRODUCTIVE meyer lemon tree, if that matters.

So....opinions, advice, go! :compsurfing:
 

Furballsmom

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Use raised beds as well as containers, there are a surprising number of plants that can be grown in containers, both from seed or from young plants. Have fun, and no you don't need corn ;)
 

Kieka

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Head to the local garden store/nursery and ask them what does well in your climate zone. I also am in California and we tend to do squash, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers. But we planted our garden about six weeks ago. You might want to ask if there are any trees that would do well in your climate zone either in a pot or in an open spot. We have orange, tangerine, avacado, lime, apricot, and plum. You can usually find neighbors to trade with for the extra. We tend to juice our citrus and freeze it to take out throughout the year.
 
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LittleShadow

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Yeah, my meyer lemon tree is only about six feet tall and fairly...bush-like, and produces well over a thousand lemons each winter. My neighbor has mandarins, oranges, and grapefruit, which hang over our shared fence and I'm welcome to harvest. I generally get all the citrus I can handle.

I'm aware I'm a bit late to the game for some crops, but given how mild the winters are around here, I'm betting some things can still be planted. And I'm not looking for just what to do RIGHT NOW, I'm also thinking ahead to what to plant in the coming year.

I've also long been planning to rip out the front lawn. I'm allergic to lawn grass, and currently have to have someone else cut it for me. I'd much prefer to take it out, put in a nice path from the sidewalk to my front door so people don't have to go up the driveway, and then plant SOMETHING in the front yard that isn't grass.

From what I've heard, there are a number of rather pretty plants out there that also produce food. Fall and winter would be a good time to tear out the old, and plan and build the framework for the new, ready for planting in the spring. I don't have a homeowner's association, so I don't have to worry about being told to rip out my front garden, or keep a certain amount of lawn, but I would like to keep it pretty anyway.
 

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LittleShadow

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Went to the nursery nearby, and their response was basically "Yeah, well...You COULD try planting your cold season garden now, but most of it will bolt. Wait a month or so for the heat to break if you're just starting." And seeing as I'm greener than most of their plants, I'll go ahead and listen to the experts. I'm going to plant two small blueberry bushes, some potatoes, broccoli, kale, maybe squash and carrots, and whatever else they get in that looks good. In December, they should get in some dwarf freestone peach bare root trees, and I'm going to snap one up. I'm so excited!
 

posiepurrs

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In the mean time you can prepare your soil. With cooler temperatures you may be able to grow lettuce and radish too. As perennial vegetables you could do asparagus and artichokes (I think- depending on your growing zone).
 

Furballsmom

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Would you want to try some seeds? You'll need to water frequently to keep them moist but they wouldn't be exposed to the heat since by the time they're up it should be cooler for your area... As mentioned, for example radishes are almost a guarantee :)
 
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LittleShadow

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My garden is started! I now have broccoli, kale, swiss chard, spinach, sugar snap peas, stevia, chocolate mint, peppermint....and white cabbage butterflies. >.<

I'm working on making a sort of mini-greenhouse with netting walls and ceiling, and in the meantime I'm doing daily search and destroy on the cabbage butterfly eggs and caterpillars. My broccoli and kale!

Oh, and everything is in pots, so no "oh, I had one mint plant...now my entire neighborhood has mint." issues. Hanging baskets, away from anything they could grow on, around, or in, except their own baskets. The rest of the plants are in pots on rollers on concrete.

My weed patch that pretends to be a postage stamp back lawn is in the process of being covered with black plastic to prep it for being remade into my raised bed area in the spring. I'm allergic to the grass, so it is going away, and it can be made into a delicious snack bar instead!
 

doomsdave

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LittleShadow LittleShadow , sounds good!

I've been gardening for 50 years, still learning. Managed a garden shop in Diamond Bar and Moreno Valley in the 1980s. I've got half an acre, no edibles, but that might change soon.

Sounds like you might be in my neck of the woods in coastal Southern California. Or, maybe a favored spot in Nor-Cal.

If you're only gardening for one, or two, shoot for variety within crops for a number of reasons. In other words, instead of a six pack of beefsteak tomatoes, get a couple plants, as well as a couple each of as many other kinds as you have room for. First, different varieties ripen at different times and have different flavors. Also, some varieties just like some places better than others, and over time you'll see what does well for you. Some varieties are more prone to bugs, etc., than others. So, experiment.

Also, look at each new crop and see how much space it requires. If you have a small garden, sprawling plants might take up more room than they're worth.

That you have a meyer lemon shows that you have good soil and plenty of sun, which are must-haves for most edible plants.

Don't use pure potting soil in your raised beds. Instead, mix "dirt" or "topsoil" with plenty of humus (not hummus!) i.e., planting mix, so it's lighter. Go about half and half, or two-thirds "dirt" if you can. Try to buy in bulk and remember that cubic feet can add up fast. If the numbers confuse you, ask. I did that for a living and still try to help.

And, if you have time, make it a point to sit out in the garden and look everything at least a couple or three times a week. Don't just set and forget watering and/or "fertigating." You want to know in real time how things are going.

The garden shop people are correct as far as it goes about the seasons. We really have two here: (a) one sunny and warm, with little or no rain; (b) the other cooler and wetter. Things like lettuce, etc., "leaf crops" are best in (b) while things like tomatoes are better for (a), but keep in mind that some things, like some tomato varieties will bear year-round.

Keep experimenting, and keep asking. PM me if you feel the need, but it's better to go on the board for public service.

I garden, so I am!
 
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Furballsmom

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And, if you have time, make it a point to sit out in the garden and look everything at least a couple or three times a week
:yeah: along with the excellent advice above, it becomes very easy to put yourself on autopilot when doing the daily watering, and forget to enjoy the plants and how things change through the season :) at least it can be for me.

I have to water daily especially in the spring since I'm growing a number of things from seed, and those early shoots need frequent gentle watering since the sun here can be hot even then. Plus, the sprinkler system has been adjusted to accommodate apple trees which, in order to combat fire blight et al, only get hand watered at their drip line so I'm watering a number of other plants by hand now too :) (drip systems are a dud in my opinion lol).
 
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