Siting for sun.
Your site should be in full sun or at minimum 8 hours of direct sunshine for most crops. You can track your yard by photographing it or taking notes every hour for a full day. Or you can use an app on your phone. The Sun Seeker and Sun Surveyor apps are both available for IPhones and Androids. Now that you know generally how much sun you need and what you want to plant, find an area that can accommodate that, including alternative locations. It’s important to remember that your vegetables won’t lie flat, the way they look on your plan. And vegetables that grow on runners or as vines can be put up on fences or trellises to save space. Put those in the back so they don’t block shorter plants’ access to sun.
The below resources offer guidance on location and garden space.
Title: Recommended Spacing and Yield for Garden Vegetables in NY
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension
Description: Space required to grow and anticipated yield for 33 common vegetables
Title: Growing in a Small Space
Author/Source: Garden Design Magazine
Description: Help for planning a garden when you don't have a lot of room.
Title: A Complete Guide to Vertical Gardening (on a Budget!)
Author/Source: Roots and Refuge Farm
Description: Excellent information for those with small yards or who want to maximize production. Includes a price comparison trip to Home Depot to shop for cheap alternatives to fancy trellises and fences!
Title: Can You Dig It?
Author/Source: Barbara Damrosch, Washington Post
Description: Ms. Damrosch writes about farming on her rocky soil and how she moved away from deep tilling of the soil to adding amendments over time.
Since it’s important to have good drainage, test your garden for soil drainage and percolation.
Title: DIY Soil Drainage Perk Test for Your Yard
Author/Source: Today's Homeowner
Description: Easy DIY instructions for testing a site for drainage and percolation.
Since it’s important to have good drainage, test your garden for soil drainage and percolation.
Title: DIY Soil Drainage Perk Test for Your Yard
Author/Source: Today's Homeowner
Description: Easy DIY instructions for testing a site for drainage and percolation.