A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Where to put what?

I have 5 beds.
1) 10x3 strawbale and compost box, full sun (dog access) w/ sunflowers planted behind it (wanted beans to climb them but not sure now)
1) 10x3 strawbale and compost box, minor late afternoon shade (dog access)
1) 12x2 full sun strawbale w/wire fence behind it
1) 9x2 some house shade (grew awesome romas and cantalope and late developing squash last year) w/ wire fence behind it
1) 6x3.5 deep lasagna box that has afternoon shade (dog access) this already has onions and carrots planted and I may move my remaining strawberries there.

I am planting the below veggies and maybe the companion plants as well but I need to break down my groups of 4 in to the 5 beds listed above and I do not know which would be best as I am only a 2nd year gardner and not familiar with sizes and which could tolerate/use the minor shade etc.

soy beans, sugar snaps, eggplant, rosemary, thyme, corn, sunflowers, marigold, cucumbers, peppers, early potatoes

okra, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkin, oregano, zinnia, French marigold, lemon (or bee) balm

strawberry, carrots, onions, potatoes, chives, parsley, lettuce, sage, painted daisys mexican marigold, sweet alyssum

okra, tomatoes, peppers, dill, opal basil, mint, parsley, geraniums, nasturtium, petunias, borage

so which could take the occasional shade better? and what would be less attractive to the dog (6mo goldendoodle who loves to bury her face in black dirt!) I dont care about the companion plants just trying to ward off bugs and make it all more attractive

Wow!

I can't help with the dog part of the situation, but I can offer some advise, hopefully helpful. Re you zone 7 or 8 in NC?

First, don't plant your mint in the garden! It's super invasive. Put it in a pot(s) instead and place the pot(s) around.

If it were me (and it has been!!) I'd get some graph paper and draw out your beds to scale. That way you'll be able to see the elements of your garden in relation to each other. Then list what you want. Then, if you haven't already, find a table of companions. Wikipedia has such a table & in addition to companions, it lists "incompatible" plants as well; I find a table more useful than just a list b/c you can cross-reference things, especially if you print it out. One thing you mention is that you don't know the eventual sizes of some of the things you want to plant. This is a tough problem! BUT, you can use the spacing information on the seed packet to give you some idea of how much space individual things will occupy (and over crowding in the size beds you have is o.k.) Then just start laying it all out on paper!

As for the shade issue, "full sun" is at least 6, and preferably 8, hours of direct sunlight per day. If the beds are getting direct sun by about 8 or 9am, and aren't being shaded until 3 or 4pm, I think you should be o.k.

Hope this has been some help!

Maricia has some good advice--and I agree--DO NOT put mint of any kind in an area that you do not want to be taken over----

pots are perfect for mint----you will have it available but it will not take over an area---

I have my herbs seperate in one corner of my garden, so as to make a herb garden---but they too work well in pots---you can jsut take them in for the winter then..