Newbie - need help setting up a veggie garden

[AliceM]

Hi!

I would love to get some constructive criticism and/or advice on my work and plans. I've been looking through threads on this forum, and can honestly say that your advice/info would be superior to what I've found online.

What I'd like: A small fruit and/or veggie garden. I like all kinds of fruits and vegetables, so I am not picky. Whatever's easiest to grow is what I should probably start with. (Suggestions?)

Conditions: I live in Chicago. The plot I'm working with gets morning and afternoon sun, but isn't in direct sunlight all the time due to my upstairs neighbors patio. My next door neighbors have a gorgeous garden in basically the same area, so it's safe to say plants will grow here. The area gets east/west light.

What I've done so far: I know the neighbors who moved away created this space and grew something at some point. I dug in the dirt today and found the soil to be very nice in some areas, and not-so-nice in others. There were high concentrations of sand in lots of parts. I mixed the variety in a wheel barrow along with my coffee ground compost, and yard waste, and then shoveled it back in. I found many rocks in there as well, so I sifted them out and placed them in line with the fence. The solar lights in the pics were left behind by the neighbors, so I cleaned them off and placed them back.

Please advise me on what I should grow here!

 

[Chuck]

Hi!

I would love to get some constructive criticism and/or advice on my work and plans. I've been looking through threads on this forum, and can honestly say that your advice/info would be superior to what I've found online.

What I'd like: A small fruit and/or veggie garden. I like all kinds of fruits and vegetables, so I am not picky. Whatever's easiest to grow is what I should probably start with. (Suggestions?)

Conditions: I live in Chicago. The plot I'm working with gets morning and afternoon sun, but isn't in direct sunlight all the time due to my upstairs neighbors patio. My next door neighbors have a gorgeous garden in basically the same area, so it's safe to say plants will grow here. The area gets east/west light.

What I've done so far: I know the neighbors who moved away created this space and grew something at some point. I dug in the dirt today and found the soil to be very nice in some areas, and not-so-nice in others. There were high concentrations of sand in lots of parts. I mixed the variety in a wheel barrow along with my coffee ground compost, and yard waste, and then shoveled it back in. I found many rocks in there as well, so I sifted them out and placed them in line with the fence. The solar lights in the pics were left behind by the neighbors, so I cleaned them off and placed them back.

Please advise me on what I should grow here! View attachment 3397 View attachment 3398 View attachment 3399
View attachment 3397 View attachment 3398 View attachment 3397 View attachment 3398 View attachment 3399

It gets really cold in Chicago. Probably cold enough to freeze the soil in your garden solid this winter. What I would do now is fortify your soil now with a bunch of compost, organic fertilizer, drench in some molasses and maybe add some blood meal and bone meal. Come spring planting time your soil will be well ahead of you neighbors and if you really want to have a crop don't be afraid to use copious amounts of minerals and organic fertilizer when you plant

 

[Jewell]

I totally agree with Chuck. You could put in a section with some spring flowering bulbs, or garlic both of which are planted in the fall. The garlic would then be ready to harvest in the summer. The bulbs (daffodils, hyathins, would just be for color)

 

[prettyinpink13]

I live in Minnesota so our winters are also very cold. I have found the easiest to grow is tomatoes and peppers. Strawberries would also look nice in that space.

 

[Pat]

I agree with Chuck, get your soil ready to support your plants when your planting season starts in the spring. You have sand in your soild, so you will want to add as much good soil to what is already there as you can. Winter comes faster in your part of the country so continue to add household organics to the soil as enrichment, good soil is the key to a good garden.

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome aboard! Great to have you here

 

[cmiller]

Hey you will find all of the information that you need here. It is great to have you here it is always great to have someone new.

 

[headfullofbees]

Welcome.
Get some bok choy, radishes & spinach in NOW and you'll have a little taste of grow your own PRIOR to winter.
You can have all the fertilisers ready, (although I buy fish, blood and bone together, and find that more convenient than buying them separately) and apply them immediately after harvesting the veg I suggested.

By the way, sandy soil is EXCELLENT for growing carrots.

 

[Carolyn]

I also agree with Chuck although I am a strong advocate for not letting soil sit bare. After adding the amendments to enrich your soil I would consider using a thick layer of compost to discourage weeds and encourage earthworms. Newspaper covered by straw for example or just straw. Oh...and Welcome! I'm pretty new here myself and I like it.

 

[Trellum]

Hi Alice! It looks like a big project! Best of luck with it and welcome to the forum! Btw, I think you have been given a lot info already, but you will surely need more if you explore the forum.

 

[Dez97]

Definitely a lot of fertilizer to help out, you'll get lots of answers, welcome to the forum.

 

[KarenS]

As Chuck said then plant food and flowers in the spring for pollinators.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Growing roots like carrot and parsnip when you have just added compost will lead to them 'forking', splitting into a bunch of small roots. They are probably better to grow the second year. Not everyone likes broad beans, but they are a good crop for early planting and put nitrogen into the soil if you leave the roots in. Runner beans go in quite late, but they will take any amount of compost in the soil and make a good first crop in a piece of land. Grow some lettuce in seed trays come Spring, you can always stick one in a gap almost anywhere. If you like garlic that is another thing you can plant really early. Worth getting some tomato seed in indoors soon, then potting them on so they are ready to plant out as soon as the risk of frost passes. Don't overdo th seed planting, better to have a few and then a few more later on, it is depressing having t dump lots of healthy looking seedlings because you don't have the space on the windowsill and it is still too cold outside, and it is good if you don't have to eat all your tomatoes or lettuces at once. Good luck.