Garden plants- zone 5?

[Mama Bear]

Going to get my garden plants this week- any recommendations?

I'm going to be planting tomatoes and zucchini for sure- (just starting a new raised bed system- going to eventually have a mini-farm here in suburbia ) I'm in zone 5... I'm just getting into growing *food*- so- any tips are much appreciated

[Londerosa]

There's a great site and Yahoo group on the Mittleider Method for growing veggies. The site is www.foodforeveryone.org or www.growfood.com. The Yahoo group is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mittle...thodGardening/ .
The two webpages have enough info to be able to pull off vegetable gardening that is five to ten times more productive than conventional gardening, expecially if you are using raised beds like you are. They use very specific nutrients in time tested proportions, and they grow pruned vegetables UP instead of allowing plants to sprawl. The water is managed carefully so you're only watering your crops and no weeds. The sites also have books and CDs if you want to buy them, but there's a great deal of info there that's free. The Yahoo group is great because you have access to a guy named Jim Kennard, who was trained by Jacob Mittleider, and who is absolutely encyclopedic. This man knows everything! And of course you have your peers in various climates to chime in and tell you what they know. I have found it very valuable.

[Mama Bear]

Awesome! Looks like some great info there! Thanks!

[Zorba]

In a small space, plant up. I have a 20 by 20 foot garden in my back yard. I grow things vertically that I can and in between trellises things that won't (on my website in the About Me there are some garden pictures... eattheweeds.com ) Pole beans go up, tomatoes (cherry tomatoes especially) cukes, various zucchini, luffa, sweet potatoes (edible vines) and various other ipomoeas. Because of that all is arrange to be parallel to the the sun's summer path, which in my case is directly east to west.

[riverrat]

We started planting yesterday. If the weather is decent, we'll do all the rest this weekend.

[Mama Bear]

Originally Posted by Zorba

In a small space, plant up. I have a 20 by 20 foot garden in my back yard. I grow things vertically that I can and in between trellises things that won't (on my website in the About Me there are some garden pictures... eattheweeds.com ) Pole beans go up, tomatoes (cherry tomatoes especially) cukes, various zucchini, luffa, sweet potatoes (edible vines) and various other ipomoeas. Because of that all is arrange to be parallel to the the sun's summer path, which in my case is directly east to west.

Hmmm- that gives me some good ideas... Thanks