2014 Garden Planning

It may seem early to think about gardening, but you have to have a plan. After all: A garden starts in January, with a dream.

Well I already have garlic and shallots wintering over in half of a raised bed, and another bed will be dedicated to starting asparagus this year. That still leaves plenty of room to figure out what I want. I use SmartGardener.com which is great at reminding you what to plant when, and even suggesting where to plant it!

Generally I keep my herbs in giant pots so I can scoot them into the sun for the spring, then into the shade for the heat of summer. The three big circles below are barrel size planters each with a Basil, two Thyme and two Oregano. Other herbs in various pots include chives, cilantro, parsley, mint and rosemary.
Make sure to keep your mint separate in a pot, NOT in the ground!!! It will take over your garden and choke out any vulnerable plant. Also, I know my pots are too small for the rosemary, but they are not winter hearty here in zone 5, so I have to be able to haul them inside for the winter.


You may be wondering what those orange things are in the upper left... sweet potatoes! I have decided to try and grow sweet potatoes for the first time ever. They will also be in large containers so when it comes time to harvest, all I have to do is tip over the container instead of trying to dig them up. That's the theory anyway.

The first raised bed is dedicated to asparagus. It will take a few years to come in, so I don't expect any true harvest at all this year.

The second raised bed is mostly tomatoes: the upper left is two Roma Tomato plants, then a yellow pear tomato below, and a cherry tomato to the right. The yellow circles are marigolds to keep bugs away, and all the way to the right are the cucumbers.
In the bottom middle I am going to try and grow spinach/salad greens for the first time.


Finally, the last raised bed is still half up for grabs... half of it has garlic and shallots, and I am (foolishly) going to try green beans again. Since the garlic gets pulled up in July/August I might be able to squeeze brussel sprouts in after them, but I need to research that more.

What else should I try to grow?
Post below to give your suggestions! I'm maybe thinking snap peas, beets, or carrots...