It looks like we're right on the edge of zones 5 and 6.

I have a bed established by the door. Last year my tomatoes fizzled badly - I suspect not enough water because we had a drought and watering restrictions. The peppers didn't do so great either - except the jalapenos, which were FIREY hot.

The sage, rosemary, and lavender did well and survived the winter. There are also chives that grow by the house. The mint is already coming back. The basil went WILD and we had bushes and bushes of it.

I want to really expand what we grow this year, but I don't know how to do things like cukes and edamame. Do I need a trellis?

I have a spot in mind for berries, too - I'll probably do some kind of strawberries that will fruit this year, and plant some raspberry plants for next year.

I need FOOD plants, though. Herbs, I can handle now. Oh - should I plant my cilantro somewhere other than in the same bed with the mint?

Dont plant cilantro with mint. Mint will kill it. lol...

Cilantro can go in between other plants that are not as tall. Cilantro needs a rotation to be really effective. You have to cut it off and replant at the 6 wks mark... so I rotate and seed about every two weeks. Usually. This year, I have done nothing. (long story)

To be more water sensitive and be able to get more crops... you want to learn to mulch. :) You will be able to grow just about anything if you mulch in your zones.

You can mulch with lawn clippings as long as you mow often enough not to have grass seed in your clippings. Leaves that are raked up are another one. Ask your neighbors if you can have theirs. :) Water heavily... and then mulch heavily (at least 3 or 4 inches in your climate...) and you won't have to water more than once a week. If you get a drip line, and set it on a timer, you won't have to water again at all after you mulch over it. A soaker hose, turned on for 15 minutes every 4 days would do it. After a while, it woud get very easy. The set up would be an issue, but it would get really easy after that.

Mulches for Water Conservation (http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/drought/mulches.html)

Here is a good website for some good information.

So, I should chop off the whole top, dig it up, and move it every six weeks?

thanks, val!

No... you should plant it every two weeks, and as it gets big enough to enjoy, cut that whole section off, then take up the roots (or dig them into the soil) and replant... right where they were. Then in two weeks, move on to the next section. It is called rotation or succestion planting.

First, if you want a continuing supply of cilantro, you should succession plant about every 3 weeks. I know you said you've used seed that is hybridized for more leaf growth, but here's the following info anyway. To the more basic question of bolting - you need to get "slow-bolt" cilantro. There are two types: slow-bolt and regular. The regular is generally grown for seed, hence the speed to seed. The slow-bolt is grown for the leaves like you want. It still bolts pretty fast, though. That's why the succession planting. I always use Shepard's (I have no association with them other than as a consumer) because I find I get nearly 100% germination rates & theirs is the slowest to bolt of all I've found. [If anyone's found a slower bolt seed, I'd love to know about it.]

Look at the cilantro in the store, if it has roots attached you will see that it is only 10 - 12" high. It pretty much all bolts just about then. I grow cilantro for commercial use (as well as a lot for my own use) and generally pull it at about 12". I always pull it, not cut it because it keeps much better with the roots on and because it leaves space for the next planting. I do fertilize lightly once just after the first true leaves appear. It grows nicely in sandy loamy soil. I'm experimenting a little this year with light shade to keep it cooler in order to see if I can slow down the bolt even more without losing anything. It works well with lettuce, so I'm giving it a try. I'll let you know my experiment results in a month or so.

Here is another site with good info. :)

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/pub__295333.pdf

Ooooh - clever!

That would explain the challenges I had with my cilantro last year :lol:

I need some help with a garden birthday - as I recall, you've done that, too. I'll post here in S&T, separately :)

What do you want to grow? what do your kids like to eat? Bush green beans are great, kids can help pick. No trellis needed. Summer squash and zuchinni are great, take a lot of room, produce a lot, water hogs (anything squash-like). Cukes need a trellis. Both those have prickers, not kid friendly. . . or kids w/ good gloves. Tomatoes need staking, kids help pick, also easy in containers.

Here's my wish list:

snow peas
melon (probably some heirloom watermelon - sugar baby?)
zucchini
summer squash
some kind of heirloom pumpkins (found a blue one and a white one)
strawberries
black/raspberries (for next year)
cucumbers - pickling and eating
flat leaf or red russian kale
slicing tomatoes
grape tomatoes
herbs (basil, flat leaf parsley, cilantro)

Can I piggyback on to your thread? I just signed up for 2 garden plots. We're zone 5. So far my list includes:
cucumber
zucchini
squash
green beans
red onions
a crap load of heirloom tomatoes, both cherry and slicing
sugar snap peas
green peppers
muskmelon aka cantelope
eggplant
broccoli

So Eric was telling me that you can't grow some plants next to each other. Are there any issues with anything I have posted above being neighbors? We're starting some things now indoors to plant next month. Are there any other tips for a noob gardener?

For melon, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, cuke you sow right in the ground, need a large area because they sprawl with huge leaves. My plan this year is to plant them outside the raised beds and save the raised beds for root veggies and things that are staked or trellised. I am just going to dig a hole fill it with garden soil and that's it. Hopefully it will go well! They are water hogs. You might consider keeping a bucket in your shower to collect the cold water until it warms up and use that to water, also see about keeping rain collection barrels outside. They need to be lidded to keep mosquitoes out (and kids), open when it rains, then close. I am going to do both this year, hopefully!

The tomatoes I find easier to buy plants. They can grow in large containers or in your bed. You need stakes or a strong stick or tomato cage.
The other stuff I don't have experience with, sorry!

I am going to try that mulch trick this year.

you can piggyback me any time :lol:

I'm zone 3...and novice. I posted my list over in the Garden forum. It's way too much and who knows how things will do. I just have to jump in and do it. I've found so far that it has been easier than I thought. I am learning as I go. :) So I say grab the seeds or starts on your wish list and go for it!

we are planning on planting the following:

corn
potatoes (red and white)
cukes
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
onions
garlic
green beans
radishes
peppers
culiflower
broccoli
zucchni
watermelon
cantelopes

already have
raspberries
strawberries
dill

We are in zone 5-6 too. In summer I use the water running into a bucket waiting for the shower to warm to water things. My kids or I haul bucket out to garden and water each plant, usually in evening when cooler. Doesn't take long and plants get water directly. I also use the kids bath water and other areas where water is wasted.

Don't plant mint and oregano close together, either, or you'll wind up with some funky-flavored oregano.