1st time in a community garden.

[Porkchops]

Over the past few years, I've tried growing some herbs and porch tomatoes in containers with varying degrees of success. Some critters ended up fancying my tomatoes, and my spearmint didn't survive past 1 or two harvests for my mint juleps. Fortunately, the other stuff seemed to do ok

This year I've managed to secure a plot at the neighborhood community garden. My plot is somewhere around 10' x 10', maybe a hair bigger. I've just planted a bunch of seeds in flats, and I'm now waiting for them to germinate. I'm worried that I may have purchased a bit too much, and I'm wondering what I should keep around the house in a container (or on the porch), and what I should transfer to the garden.

So far, I've got in soil:
sweet basil
italian parsley
thyme
sage
rosemary
chives
scallions
mesclun
Some other kind of lettuce (can't remember which kind. something smallish)
lavender
eggplant
spinach
watercress
spearmint

perhaps a couple more.. my mind is drawing a blank. I also plan on growing tomatoes, but I heard from several different people that they're hard to grow from seeds, so I figured I'd splurge on some nice sized plants in a month or so.

I was told by the woman who runs the garden, that anything "too exotic" will be filched by other garden members, so none of these herbs/veggies are especially heirloom, or anything like that.

Of course, there's no guarantee that these will all germinate..

Any advice is much appreciated. Also, if there's anything especially hearty that someone would like to recommend, I'm open to suggestions

--P

[Pete]

I would keep most all of the herbs in containers, at home, where you can go cut them at a moments notice as you are cooking. Any mint you will want to keep far away from your garden as it can very easily take over. I would save the garden for your lettuces, spinach, tomatoes, and eggplant. That should still leave you some room for a few more things. Maybe peas or beans of some sort, carrots, onions, a squash plant or 2 or a cucumber plant. Try some brussel sprouts also, they are a great way to extend your growing season as they are usually some of the last crops to be picked. A 10'X10' plot may not seem that large, but if you really organize it, you can grow quite a variety in there.

[SaraP]

I agree with everything above. Great advice!

If I can add my 2 c worth:
You can plant things is intervals too, like your lettuce. Plant some, then two weeks later, plant a bit more. That way, it isn't all ready at the same time and you can enjoy it for longer.

I've had a community plot before and it was a good experience. I don't know what your water access is like, but we had a hose that had to be dragged around the whole garden so each plot owner could use it. If this is the case with you, make sure you put your water-thirsty plants like cucumbers, eggplant, watermelon, etc. as close as possible to your water access. You will save yourself a lot of headaches.

Good luck with it!

Sara

[Porkchops]

Ok, I think I will try to take everyone's advice:

I'm going to get a strawberry pot for the backyard for the herbs, and I'll plant the veggies in the garden.

I also like the idea of staggering the planting of the veggies. Since I've already got the seedlings going, Is it best to just keep the plants in the flat in my window and just bring a couple of plants outside at a time? Or do you think it's best to bring everything outside (when the time comes), and plant more lettuces then?

One last question.. any advice on growing lavender? That seems to be the only seedling that hasn't come up yet.

Thanks so much for all of your help!!!!

--P

[Pete]

I always buy my annual herbs at the nursery, already sprouted so I don't have to deal with starting them from seed.

[SaraP]

Quote:
I also like the idea of staggering the planting of the veggies. Since I've already got the seedlings going, Is it best to just keep the plants in the flat in my window and just bring a couple of plants outside at a time? Or do you think it's best to bring everything outside (when the time comes), and plant more lettuces then?

I think it's probably best to plant all your seedlings together because I've found that some seedlings sometimes start to wilt when they don't get into the ground.

Then, you can add more lettuce at intervals later.

Good luck with it!

Sara