Comments on: “My Name is Julie and I’m an Untidy Gardener” http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/ Featuring Vegetable Gardening Tips, Organic Growing Techniques, and Unique Plants for the Backyard Gardener Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:06:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Miss D http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-71856 Miss D Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:52:14 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-71856 I actually started off gardening this way, as I'm not a "straight line" kind of person! Unfortunately I found it didn't really reduce pests (I have a serious slug problem, and I think having veg too close to other plants means they have more hiding places and less bare soil to crawl accross) and it made weeding really hard while the plants were small as it was more difficult to tell which were the seedlings and which were weeds. You also need to know exactly how big your plants (both the veg and ornamentals) are likely to get, as I had a lot of trouble with things suddenly overshadowing nearby plants. It works better for things that have been started in pots and transplanted, rather than for directly sown seeds. What I do now isn't too different, though; I've started planting many things in rows but they're still mixed up with the other plants, and they tend to be in interesting curved shapes rather than poker straight lines. Some things are still planted amongst other plants, but they are generally transplanted there when large enough and I try to maintain a reasonable distance from other plants. I also only do this with plants I'm familiar with as I can estimate their ideal spacing more easily and won't forget what they are! However, I am a relatively inexperienced gardener, and I think as I get more confident and more familiar with the plants I'll be able to mix things up a bit more again. I actually started off gardening this way, as I’m not a “straight line” kind of person! Unfortunately I found it didn’t really reduce pests (I have a serious slug problem, and I think having veg too close to other plants means they have more hiding places and less bare soil to crawl accross) and it made weeding really hard while the plants were small as it was more difficult to tell which were the seedlings and which were weeds. You also need to know exactly how big your plants (both the veg and ornamentals) are likely to get, as I had a lot of trouble with things suddenly overshadowing nearby plants. It works better for things that have been started in pots and transplanted, rather than for directly sown seeds.

What I do now isn’t too different, though; I’ve started planting many things in rows but they’re still mixed up with the other plants, and they tend to be in interesting curved shapes rather than poker straight lines. Some things are still planted amongst other plants, but they are generally transplanted there when large enough and I try to maintain a reasonable distance from other plants. I also only do this with plants I’m familiar with as I can estimate their ideal spacing more easily and won’t forget what they are!

However, I am a relatively inexperienced gardener, and I think as I get more confident and more familiar with the plants I’ll be able to mix things up a bit more again.

]]> By: Philip Voice http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-68098 Philip Voice Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:28:54 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-68098 The only problem I find with disorderly planting is the difficulty in weeding and being able to walk through to get to some of the plants. Raised borders are a great solution though. The only problem I find with disorderly planting is the difficulty in weeding and being able to walk through to get to some of the plants.

Raised borders are a great solution though.

]]> By: VicinSea http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-67979 VicinSea Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:49:07 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-67979 I too, mix it up in the garden. One smallish bed has Jerusalem Artichokes, garlic, lettuce, pole beans and radishes. Everything is growing like crazy. It seems to me that crowding is ok as long as like plants are separated. Radishes don't like to grow next to each other but they grow fine next to lettuce or cabbage. Who would have thought? In 200 square feet I have over 2000 vegetable plants and I am still adding more. Many, like peas and radishes, will be long gone before the peppers and tomatoes get big. Also pulling out the peas and radishes opens up holes to get compost in around the remaining plants. I too, mix it up in the garden. One smallish bed has Jerusalem Artichokes, garlic, lettuce, pole beans and radishes. Everything is growing like crazy. It seems to me that crowding is ok as long as like plants are separated. Radishes don’t like to grow next to each other but they grow fine next to lettuce or cabbage. Who would have thought?

In 200 square feet I have over 2000 vegetable plants and I am still adding more. Many, like peas and radishes, will be long gone before the peppers and tomatoes get big. Also pulling out the peas and radishes opens up holes to get compost in around the remaining plants.

]]> By: Mark http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-67695 Mark Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:19:37 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-67695 Mixing plants is great sport, but care must be taken as to what you mix. Some plants are "antagonistic" to others (do a search on "companion plants" for ideas on good and bad combinations). Also, if you believe in crop rotation, improper mixing could be problematic. One of my favorite beds this year has cucumbers going North South, chard on immediate west and east, followed by spinach, west and east, followed by chinese cabbage, west and east, then basil, west and east. The cucumbers provide some shade to both sides during the day, the chard and chinese cabbage shelters the spinach (as it really is a bit warm for them now), and so on. Mixing plants of the same "family" is okay (like nightshades: tomatos, peppers, eggplant), but other combinations can be bad (as noted earlier). Best, Mark Mixing plants is great sport, but care must be taken as to what you mix. Some plants are “antagonistic” to others (do a search on “companion plants” for ideas on good and bad combinations).

Also, if you believe in crop rotation, improper mixing could be problematic.

One of my favorite beds this year has cucumbers going North South, chard on immediate west and east, followed by spinach, west and east, followed by chinese cabbage, west and east, then basil, west and east.

The cucumbers provide some shade to both sides during the day, the chard and chinese cabbage shelters the spinach (as it really is a bit warm for them now), and so on.

Mixing plants of the same “family” is okay (like nightshades: tomatos, peppers, eggplant), but other combinations can be bad (as noted earlier).

Best, Mark

]]> By: Patrick http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-67663 Patrick Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:56:29 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-67663 This is a really interesting post. To be honest, while I sometimes have mixed beds, I never thought of them in terms of biodiversity and preventing pest problems. It makes perfect sense. There's nothing like monoculture grown in perfectly formed rows to cause problems in anyone's garden. This is a really interesting post. To be honest, while I sometimes have mixed beds, I never thought of them in terms of biodiversity and preventing pest problems. It makes perfect sense.

There’s nothing like monoculture grown in perfectly formed rows to cause problems in anyone’s garden.

]]> By: naturehills http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-67601 naturehills Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:16:13 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-67601 I love your take on gardening. Everyone has their own style to gardening no matter if it is vegetable, fruit or perennial gardening. I love your take on gardening. Everyone has their own style to gardening no matter if it is vegetable, fruit or perennial gardening.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/%e2%80%9cmy-name-is-julie-and-i%e2%80%99m-an-untidy-gardener%e2%80%9d/#comment-67568 Cindy Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:56:53 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=642#comment-67568 This sounds like my garden. It may seem a little eccentric to some but I personally think it looks beautiful and much more interesting. This sounds like my garden. It may seem a little eccentric to some but I personally think it looks beautiful and much more interesting.

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