Hey everyone! I'm super excited to share that I've just become the key holder and owner of my apartment complex's community garden! After two years of neglect, my friends and I have prepped all 18 raised beds for new plants. Each bed is huge—like 20 feet by 5 feet and really deep! I'm looking for your advice on what to plant in each bed. So far, I've got a list of veggies, fruits, herbs, and flowers:
- **Veggies**: tomatoes, jalapeños, squash, zucchini, cucumber, cabbage, potatoes, onions, chives, garlic, collard greens, and mustard greens
- **Fruits**: strawberries, watermelon, and raspberries
- **Herbs**: rosemary, basil, and lavender
- **Flowers**: native flowers and marigolds
But I need more ideas! I'm dreaming big here, as each bed can fit three plants each, so let's make this garden bountiful for everyone! Any suggestions on what else to grow or how to arrange them? Thanks, gardening enthusiasts! 🙂
3 Answers
You might want to think about adding dragons tongue peas, spinach, pole beans, dill, nasturtiums, garlic, luffas, sweet potatoes, and Chinese long beans to your list. And asparagus could be a cool long-term option for your garden!
You’ve got a fantastic amount of space to work with! Here are a few extra veggie ideas for your garden: try planting okra, beans (totally forgot those, too!), tomatillos, corn, pumpkins, cowpeas, and eggplant. They could really thrive in those deep beds!
That’s a crazy amount of space! The best plants for you depend on your climate and when you’re trying to grow. If you can, add some rare varieties of tomatoes each year, plus maybe some radish and squash. Check out local seed libraries for annuals; it’s a cost-effective way to try new things. Also, you might enjoy some volunteer plants, like tomatoes or squash. Personally, I've had all sorts of surprises come up from last year’s volunteers! If you have room, consider dwarf fruit trees for a mini orchard—it could be less maintenance than annuals in the long run. Just be mindful of the shade they cast.
Sounds like a great idea! It’s been warm here in Arkansas, perfect for planting! And I’m definitely going to check if my library has a seed library—thanks for the tip!
I can’t believe I forgot about beans! Such a good addition!