Every gardener, from the apartment dweller to the farmer, has a finite allotment of planting space.
What you want to grow needs to fit into that space, so planning is essential.
Your plants can benefit from being next to certain plants, and kept away from others.
For the farmer, this is efficient.
Thats less realistic in a home garden, where you have finite space.
Block planting is great for people who enjoy straight lines and color blocks.
Then she moves trellises to the appropriate spot.
The effect is mesmerizing and, clearly, effective.
Early lettuce harvest make way for another short crop at the end of the season.
But for the most part, Cowdens garden is a wonderful example of incredibly experienced block planting.
The downside of block planting is that it does feel like it requires more space.
Its more likely to all be ready to harvest at once, since its under the same conditions.
Do you want 12 heads of broccoli at once?
Consider how much space each plant needs, and then how many you intend to grow.
This will give you the block space.
A boring but incredibly helpful task is to map out your garden space accurately with a tape measure.
I have mine digitized so I can print out blanks whenever I want.
Once youve done this, you’re able to start putting blocks into the map.
venture to rotate them from previous years for the sake of soil health and keeping viruses at bay.
Think about what will need trellises.
Companion planting
Some animals are prone to naturally get along, while others do not.
Some animals actually benefit from living in the same space.
That symbiotic relationship can be seen in gardening as well.
Tomatoes and onions grow well together, as do cabbage and nasturtium, and cucumbers and beans.
While its now a very popular idea, it has its roots as far back as we know.
Native people grew plants in an arrangement known as three sisters.
Squash are grown around them.
The kitchen potagera French idea of a kitchen gardenuses the same ideas.
Interplant flowers, herbs and vegetables for a fuller space, and one where plants benefit from each other.
Heads of lettuce might hide, or you’re free to miss some cucumbers.
However, you generally have a far more resilient garden.
To get started with this method, you should still map your garden.
Additionally, grab a companion planting chart.
This is by far the mostcomprehensive chartIve ever seen, and its the one I use.
It helps to consider most vegetables as being within one of two families: cruciferous and nightshades.
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are all cruciferous and grow well together.
Nightshades include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes.
These two groups dont grow well together, so they should be separated.
Next, I figure out where certain crops Ill plant together go.
I have a small bed for fennel, which cannot be planted with any other vegetable.
Next, I look at the trellises, and start laying in cucumbers and pumpkins and squash.
Then, I intersperse everything else: lettuce and radishes and beets and onions and carrots and herbs.
The author in her garden in 2022, using companion planting.
Within block planting it’s possible for you to still intersperse beneficial flowers or crops.
Within companion planting, you could still establish dedicated spaces.
What both systems offer are starting pointsbecause garden planning can be overwhelming.
