Veggie garden planning help needed

[lush_jokes]

Who’s up for a challenge?? We move in 5 weeks and I am starting to think about my veggie garden We don’t have a big block (6xapprox 13m) and in that we have to fit a monstrous trampoline (4m diameter), a water tank and aircon unit (which are kind of against the back wall) There is a chemical termite system around the house, so don’t want anything planted too close to that. We do have a swing set as well, but we don’t think that is coming with us when we move. At the moment the clothes line is there too, but depending on if the sun hits the side of the house AT ALL it might get moved. DH *may* want a 3x3 m shed in the back lh corner down the track too.

We still need some play room but we have 4 parks in close walking distance (and girls! Lol) so we don’t need heaps. I’d love some shade for the girls too, but I can’t for the life of me figure out where the sun will be at what time!
The house faces NE (so front right as you face it points north) we are single story and surrounded by single story houses and have a 6ft fence all around. We are in Brisbane.

Things I’d like to grow include:
Lots of tomatoes, potatoes, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, cucumbers, peas, zucchinis, onions, beetroot, shallots, some Asian greens, silver beet, herbs (but they have a 4 tiered pot too), strawberries, lettuce and anything else I chuck in lol I am also looking at possibly a couple of these fruit salad trees to get a good variety in a small space (in pots maybe?? Half wine barrel with strawberries around the base or something like that??) I don’t think I have enough room for melons/pumpkins L

I think raised beds are going to be the way to go, but I don’t know if I should have 4-5 separate beds for crop rotation, an all in bed? U shaped? L shaped?? I have never done a veggie patch from scratch before – only pots and an occasional chuck this in the existing garden and see if it works lol

Any help would be appreciated J and the ALS site is down so I can't ask there either!!
Cheers

[Kitikova]

I have no ideas for you. I will however be reading along, and am currently investigating the fruitsalad trees after seeing your link LOL!!!!

[lush_jokes]

I think they look awesome!! I do wonder how much of each fruit you'd be likely to harvest though??

[monicat]

my veggie patch is about 3.5x2m. It's just in the ground, last year I grew broccoli, beetroot, carrots, heaps of tomatoes, lettuce, chillies, capsicums, corn and eggplants. The hardest thing I found with such a small area was trying to layer all the plants so the largest ones were at the back, and not hogging all the sun!!

When I replant this time, I'm going to have fewer types of vegies (probably just 3 or 4 at a time), so I can actually get a useful harvest! And I like the idea of a fruit tree in a pot, might look into that too!

I think getting the position right is really important, so I would be inclined to live in the house for a while, and find out where the sun is, to make the most of the patch. Mine is stuck behind a shed (no where else to put it!) So not having enough sun is often a problem!

[mum2miya]

Have you had a look at the Brisbane Organic Growers site? Brisbane Organic Growers Inc (BOGI)
It's got lots of great info. We have this book by Bill Mollison Introduction to Permaculture - Bill Mollison $39.95 new softcover book 2nd Ed and it is really helpful. We are starting small with plans to have larger beds in the not too distant future.
Organic gardening and local organic food - Cityfood Growers is also really helpful. It is a Brisbane based site with lots of great tips on what to plant when

[Gis]

I don't know how much help this is, but if space is limited, then think 'up', so lots of vertical support for tomatoes, zucchini, beans, etc. to climb. I've seen strawberries grown in hanging baskets & lettuce grown in containers of water. We've never had success with broccoli or cauli, I think cos we just don't get the frosts they need.
We put in a raised garden bed filled with organic soil & things seem to grow really easily, but we're also the "scatter & pray" variety of gardeners! Our blueberry bush is good too, but you'd need several to get any decent amount of berries.

Check out Eden Seeds for great organic seeds & planting guide.
Eden Seeds

[~*Bron*~]

can you use the front yard at all? you could do your fruit trees there?

[stellaj]

Miniture fruit trees in pots are good, we have peach, nectarine and cherry.

[SammiT]

We are moving in a few weeks too and DH want to start a veggie patch, so I will be keeping an eye on this thread for him

Everything I plant/prune/water seems to end up dead so I might stick to cooking whatever he grows

[kat13]

My dad grafts alot, I have been thinking about our backyard and establishing a veggie patch too...it's coming up to a good season for it, isn't it around Aprilish?
I love love love the fruit salad tree! I think it's a very novel thing to have as well as practical.