ready to garden!.....and havn't a clue! HELP!

[nurturinglovely]

Okay - we have our yard now, and we have PLENTY of growing space.

I *know* what i want - mostly but have no clue how to get there... I have tried visualizing my garden in hopes it will just show up - and it aint workin'! :wink :lol

So, i am in portland and need advice from that perspective.

Here's what i got and what i want:

GOT


Lots of space!
*one spot is roughly 8 x 15 with partial shade from a fence and our neighbors tree.

*then, we have a wrap around yard (back to side like an 'L') that is mostly full sun - with shade really close to the fence (because of the fence)

*Big front yard area (big to us :wink )which is about 36 x 7


WANT

*want to leave plenty of space for little ones to play and run - and not feel like all they will hear is "don't touch"... i want to know that i don't have to follow them all the time to make sure they are touching the plants "correctly"

*FOOD!! tomatos of different variety, basil, green onion, fennel, greens, strawberries and tons of other things i can seem to think. Basically, i want an edible yard.

*an evergreen vine... to cover the REALLY ugly fence i have to look at... keeping in mind that one fence is mostly in the shade, and all the other fences are full sun.... is it impossible??:shy


Right now i am prepping the area, getting rid of rocks and weeds, turning soil, etc....

Keep this in mind: i want to plant in a way that the foods will compliment eachother: like tomatos next to basil. That, and we will be vegan gardening. :loveeyes:

so, i don't know what to do now... i really want to take this nxt week to get started cause temps will be low (60-70) with a couple days of rain then a couple days of sun, and little more rain. I will probobly not start with seeds, since i am starting so late...

but other than that.... HELP... i seriously don't know what i am doing!

Thanks!!

~navae~

[Peaceful Meadows]

I am on the east coast so don't know much about the climate in Portland Oregan. I did find this (http://www.rainyside.com/) though.

I like using lots of perrienals in my flower gardens. They are hardy and come back each year. If a child walks on them, I'll see them again in a year. ;) I let each child choose their own pack of anuals at the green house and they plant them where they want in my flower garden. Those flowers are theirs, they can pick them and do what they want with them. I keep in mind what wild life I want to attract to my yard, birds (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/attracting/landscaping/), butterflies (http://www.thebutterflysite.com/gardening.shtml) and which kind and plant accordingly.

For a vegetable garden, we use part of our land lord's parents garden so it's not really the lay out I'd like if it was my own garden. If it were my own I would do this (http://www.squarefootgardening.com/) or this (http://www.sunset.com/sunset/garden/article/0,20633,1152183,00.html). But since we use part of our Amish neighbors 2nd garden, we just have the traditional row garden.

Theme gardens:
African American Theme Garden (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W036.pdf)
Asian American Theme Garden (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W037.pdf)
Pizza Gardens (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W038.pdf)
Salsa Garden (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W039.pdf)

Other helpful links:
intercropping (http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/616/6512.htm)
Creative Vegetable Gardening (http://gardengal.net/page107.html)

HTH at least a little. :heart

[Dove*]

I just started my vegetable garden for the first time this year and did the square-foot gardening method by Mel someone. It is working out fantastic! I highly recommend picking up his book for veggies anyways. I don't know much about other things. Although a great vine that is an evergreen (at least where I live) is morning glory. It's beautiful when it blooms and it will cover a whole fence.

[harmonyfarms]

I think the best website for gardening newbies is www.gardenweb.com It's got specific boards for beginners and boards for certain areas of the country. Be warned though, gardening is ADDICTIVE!

[chelsea]

Theme gardens:
African American Theme Garden (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W036.pdf)
Asian American Theme Garden (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W037.pdf)
Pizza Gardens (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W038.pdf)
Salsa Garden (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W039.pdf)

How cool! Thanks for those links! :heart