Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

I have decided - and more importantly - convinced hubby that we will have our first garden this summer. Below are the details and concerns I have.

We plan to have: tomatoes ( sandwich/ sauce/ salad), peppers ( bell/ jalapeno), watermelon,peas, green beans, zukes, squash, carrots, lettuce,spinach, strawberies, sunflowers, cukes.

I) we rent the home and 1/2 acre property

2) We have 12 trees on the property so boxes will be scattered from the front, back and sides. Our front yard faces west. The side yard is to the north, and the back is towards the east ( 6  mature trees are back there)

3) Property is on the low side of the street and can be marshy in areas. Until the water recedes we will see ducks land there !

4) I think I'm zone 5/ 6 and have been told repeatedly that Memorial weekend is the time to put out in the yard.

A) Think my boxes will be more like frames that we will put chicken wire on the bottom so the moles can't come through (good idea for mole control - JK)

B) Need basic info on how to organize plants within boxes? so sun reaches them all. (Plant taller plants to North or East of shorter plants - do not companion-plant�- JK)
C) Can boxes be placed to take advantage of the self-watering feature? (If self-watering means constant water, then no - not a good idea, as you will drown your plants. YOU need to be in control of the water - JK)

D) How do you know which side of house/ box to place seeds so that shadows aren't a problem? (Do NOT plant on the North side of any structure that will shade the plants from obtaining all-day direct sunlight - JK)

E) Do I have enough time to get this done? Tax refund is coming March 1, so getting lumber, seeds, twine will happen then. Should I also get topsoil from Lowes in the bags? Hubby has a guy with excavating company and could get dirt from him also. (We DO NOT recommend you put dirt of any kind in the containers. Instead, find sawdust, peat moss, perlite, pine needles, and other CLEAN materials of a similar nature, mix them using 1/3rd sand, and then apply and mix in the Mittleider natural mineral nutrients - JK).

F) I know tomatoes and peppers need begun indoors. I have hardwood floors near my sliding glass doors.�Any ideas what to do with the pots so I don't ruin the floors? (Don't put them there. Use Grow-lights - one cool and one warm fluorescent tube - with the lights on 16 hours per day and placed within 1" from the plant leaves. And take plants outside into the direct sun at every opportunity - JK)

Thank you all for inspiring us. Prices are going in a bad direction for larger families.

Amanda in New Castle PA 16105

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