Planning my garden for next year

[Greg BoggsStudent]

So my wife and I are starting to plan for what we want to plant next year and I thought it would be fun to see if anyone on the forum might have some ideas as well. Below is a picture of my lot that I’ve drawn on. All of the green dots are where we think herbs can go, and blue dots are potential places where a small tree could go. There is already a sprinkler or drip line for everything we are looking at. Also, I am in Eastern Washington, zone 6

On the south side of the house I’ve drawn 4 boxes, these would be raised beds. The challenge here is that it is not very wide, just 5 feet from the house to the fence (which is 5 and a half feet high chain link fence with slats) so whatever goes here would likely not get a lot of direct sunlight except in the middle of summer

The south side next to the driveway is 6 feet wide and 20 feet long, but gets a lot of direct sunlight. We plan on taking all of the grass that is currently there now and replacing it with woodchips. We plan on putting the more medicinal, less flowery medicinal herbs here (such as Turkish Plantain). One challenge here though is that our neighbor to the south is the water district, and a lot of their sprinkler gets through the fence to this area so it is typically very damp.

On the East side of the picture next to the road is the swale, which is 25 feet long and 10 feet wide. We also plan on replacing all of the grass here with woodchips. Here is where we want to plant a lot of the flowery herbs such as Echinacea, Black Eyed Susans, Chamomile, etc.

As far as the blue dots, they are where I could potentially plant a small tree. Something maybe like a snowball bush for cramp bark, chokecherry, willow, or elder. I would definitely like to plant some kind of tree in the bottom right of the picture on that small square of grass, but there are power lines maybe 15 feet up. I also don’t know if a tree would do well in the swale, but that could be a potential place too.

Overall I am very open to suggestions and ideas. It has been a lot of fun planning this and since I’m so new, I would love to hear what others think could grow well here.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Patricia Hadden, Lisa Derksen, Mikaela

[Greg BoggsStudentTopic Author]

Mod please delete this reply, it was accidental

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Greg Boggs. Reason: accidental post

[Greg BoggsStudentTopic Author]

Hm, I don’t know why the photo insert didn’t work. Here is the link to the picture https://photos.app.goo.gl/YLviYZgn2mZEjaQg6

[Heidi MartinStudent]

I love how you are making the space so efficient! Will you grow Rhubarb? maybe asparagus? what perennials are you thinking

1 user thanked author for this post.

Greg Boggs

[Greg BoggsStudentTopic Author]

Thanks! No rhubarb as my wife is allergic to it but maybe we should look into asparagus.
Here is a list of the things we are growing 100% for sure.
For the swale: Black Eyed Susan, Echinacea, Yarrow, Lavender, Chamomile.
On the front side next to the driveway: Comfrey, Plantain
In raised beds or pots: Calendula, Peppermint, Lemon Balm.
In our backyard garden: Garlic, and Cayenne.

There are about 18 other herbs we are considering, but haven’t decided on yet. What are some herbs you’ve had a lot of success with?

[Victoria StephensonStudent]

My first year approach was to start more plants by seed that I would actually need.  This minimized the financial risk and made it possible to do some experimenting in my yard.  Because of neighboring trees, I don’t get as much sunlight as I wish and was concerned about some plants not getting as much sunlight as they would need.   Plus, my yard has variations in the soil quality and some areas get a lot of reflective heat.  So instead of planting all of a particular medicinal plant in one area, I planted a few plants of each type in several parts of my yard to see where they would grow best.  I knew general areas where I wanted the herbs, but needed to be flexible enough to listen to the plants. The following year, I was able to dig up a few that didn’t do so well in their original home and replant to areas where they are now happier.  My best advice is to be flexible in your plan and have fun experimenting.  The exception to this is comfrey.  Make sure you know ahead of time where you want comfrey because you can’t easily change your mind on that one.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Greg Boggs

[SheilaStudent]

Hi Greg, I am also starting a new garden in a new location. I started my plan by listing out my top 10 or so herbs that are a must, then identifying their best locations. This includes those invasives that would be better suited in a pot until, proven otherwise. I prefer to let the garden establish itself as I go along, adding things in layers. Spring I coddled a top 5 or so. Later in the season, when these are established, I add a next 5 or so. My current bed is very small but has proven to hold a rather large amount of herbs.  This has give me time to actually start incorporating them into use.

I have more a lot more room at my new location, and plan on transplanting what I can.  This is not fail-proof as the soil and the climate differs.  For me, the slow and steady methods give me time to study, learn, and incorporate their use, before I add a next layer. Maybe it’s just me but sometimes, the plant seems to tell me where it wants to live, simply by standing the yard with it in my hand.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Greg Boggs

[paulaStudent]

I’m enjoying your garden plans and plant selection, very thought out. Everytime I see peppermint I sing Peppermint makes the medicine go down! I wasn’t a peppermint fan but now I am…spearmint is even better. Just a few thoughts…what about dogs being walked on the side walk pottying on your plants? Or stray neighbor cats? Wildlife? Will you cover your beds with screen like netting, anything bigger would trap a bird etc… I’m not sure if they spray chemicals on the road in the winter in your location. You mentioned water sprinklers I believe I read don’t plant willows less than 100 feet away from water sources, they will help themselves. And what about water, eleletric, and gas lines coming into your home? Hope you don’t think I’m being cridical but, having my own issues with neighbors using round up (chemical run off) and their free range pets. Our busy road at peck hours brings alot of fumes too. Oh, and if any plants send out runners, neighbors hate that. Someone once said everyone has to be in agreeance.  🙄  LOL Neighbors come and go so, if one agrees doesn’t mean the next neighbor will. I would hate for you to spend time and money on something your neighbors or HOA doesn’t agree with….ask me how I know. I don’t have an HOA but for some reason I have neighbors with evil opinions about dandilions. Now we just need a tribe of like minded people and joining land!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 4 months ago by paula.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Tenley Long, Mikaela, Greg Boggs

[Greg BoggsStudentTopic Author]

Thanks for your response Paula! You bring up a lot of valid points. as far as the swale goes, the neighbor has just let her swale die completely (which I’m pretty sure they are required to keep those up but I don’t care) so no need to worry about chemicals from there. They also don’t spray any chemicals on the road that I’m aware of, even in the winter. I plan on putting up a small rod iron fence to keep animals from coming in and checking out the herbs too. I actually just finished ripping out all the sod and replacing it all with woodchips a week ago, so that was a win. And our road doesn’t get that much traffic either, so I’m not too worried about the exhaust from cars. And lastly, and most thankfully, I am not a part of an HOA haha!

1 user thanked author for this post.

paula

[Lisa BrownStudent]

Lemon Balm is great but it might be better in a container – it can get a little carried away. I’ve read sunflowers can remove heavy metals from the soil but I’m not sure how/what to do with any of the plant/seed material afterward. Seems like it would be packed with the heavy metals.

[Greg BoggsStudentTopic Author]

We’ve got a garden box that we put the lemon balm in and it does great in it. I highly recommend growing it

[JeanStudent]

Regarding the plants that can be grown on purpose to pull up toxic chemicals.  I believe you can burn them.  The ashes are *not* put in the garden.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Rebecca Rizzotti

[Beth StowellStudent]

Watch out for planting in that strip along the street if you are in a typical neighborhood…people walk dogs up and down and traffic is nearby. Your plants may get damaged. I like the use of the beds up near the house though. I want to do that with my yard!

1 user thanked author for this post.

Greg Boggs

[Greg BoggsStudentTopic Author]

Thanks for your advice! We don’t get much car traffic, and I plan on putting up a small fence (1-2 ft) to make sure the critters keep out of it

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