10' x 50' planting area: what can I plant (growing, cilantro, strawberries)

[Yuptag]

I'm in a cold zone. I have a 10' x 50' planting area in the suburbs. Would like suggestions for planting veggies that I just wouldn't find at a good farmer's market.

(emojis requested by a 5 yr old.)

[Hemlock140]

We have a great Farmer's market, but some things just taste better when you pick and eat, which is why I grow in a greenhouse to get some extra time in our short growing season. For me, those that taste best right off the vive are greenbeans, tomatoes, cucumbers and corn. This is the first year I have dared to try corn, with a new Burpee variety called "On Deck Hybrid" that only gets 4-5' tall, and you can plant 9 in a 24" pot supposed to be ready in just 60 days.For tomatoes, keep to Early Girl or smaller and cherry tomatoes. If you can find it, we had a very productive small one last year called "Ozark Sunset" that's red and blue, and delicious. For the green beans I like pole, they are easier to pick, and french filet that are round and thinner. I like the burpless cucs, and with the earlier start (May 1st) was picking almost daily with just 6 plants by July. Use bone meal in the soil for the tomatoes, it will make a huge difference. I gave up on peppers, eggplant and others that take longer to ripen and need more heat, zuccini is cheap to buy but I do plant yellow crookneck squash.

[ocngypz]

Peas!!!!!!

I shell and cook mine right after I pick them.

From garden to plate in less than 1/2 hour.

[gunslinger256]

You can try asparagus and it doesn't even need to be in the garden bed.

Put some asparagus crowns on the borders. You'll get some fern like growth. It will come in year after year as long as you know when to stop harvesting and Asparagus is reported to be sweeter when you eat it very shortly after picking it.

Plant a fruit tree or a fruiting bush simply because it will always be there for you.

Orange flesh watermelon: it usually has a thin rind which makes it fragile so watermelon and farmer's market vendors don't usually carry them. Reported to be very sweet.

My plot is roughly 20X75 and I'm using square foot gardening (this is my first year) to try to grow alot of stuff.

[charlygal]

What is your hardiness zone? Just google "hardiness zone" and your zip code.

I'd suggest strawberries, melons, hot peppers, and some type of special tomato. If your area is really moderate, you can grow all types of leaf & head lettuce or greens.

[Yuptag]

Originally Posted by charlygal

What is your hardiness zone? Just google "hardiness zone" and your zip code.

I'd suggest strawberries, melons, hot peppers, and some type of special tomato. If your area is really moderate, you can grow all types of leaf & head lettuce or greens.

USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to 0F

[Yuptag]

Originally Posted by gunslinger256

You can try asparagus and it doesn't even need to be in the garden bed.

Put some asparagus crowns on the borders. You'll get some fern like growth. It will come in year after year as long as you know when to stop harvesting and Asparagus is reported to be sweeter when you eat it very shortly after picking it.

Plant a fruit tree or a fruiting bush simply because it will always be there for you.

Orange flesh watermelon: it usually has a thin rind which makes it fragile so watermelon and farmer's market vendors don't usually carry them. Reported to be very sweet.

My plot is roughly 20X75 and I'm using square foot gardening (this is my first year) to try to grow alot of stuff.

Square foot gardening - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Very interesting.

Orange flesh watermelon sounds like the kind of thing that makes sense to have.

[arctic_gardener]

6b isn't cold! I live in zone 2B

OTOH, zone doesn't tell you much about summer temperatures. Are you inland or near the ocean? What are your frost-free dates?

Temperature-wise, there are four groups of veggies. Pick from this list depending on when you intend to plant, your season's length, and how warm your summers are. In your zone, you can easily plant some crops from groups 1 or 2 now, and follow them with crops from groups 2, 3 or 4 for the rest of the season.

1. Cool-weather veggies, highly frost-tolerant and are best in a range of 20 to 70 degrees F: Peas, radishes, carrots, dill, parsley, cilantro, spinach, broccoli, kale, onions, garlic, turnips, rutabagas
2. Mild-weather veggies, somewhat frost-tolerant, best in a range of 30 to 80 degrees: Beets, chard, cauliflower, potatoes
3. Warm-weather veggies, frost-sensitive but also dislike intense heat, range of 60 to 90 degrees is best: Tomatoes, beans, corn, squash/zucchini of any kind, peppers
4. Hot-weather veggies, frost-sensitive and prefer hot weather, dislike anything below 60 degrees, best range is 75 to 95: Eggplant, okra, melons, watermelons

Despite being in 2B, our summers are warm and sunny enough that we can grow peppers and eggplants as opposed to someone living in foggy San Fran, so zone tells you only part of the story.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Yuptag

I'm in a cold zone. I have a 10' x 50' planting area in the suburbs. Would like suggestions for planting veggies that I just wouldn't find at a good farmer's market.

Nice work space!

In time you will find some stuff are pointless to do. I guess best thing to recommend is grow what you eat or what you might want to give to family/friends. I know someone who hates Eggplants....so they don't grow it.

On the topic of pointless....... I tried Broccoli, Strawberries, Corn, and Pumpkin. No point.

First ... sure the taste is unbelievable, but the space wasted is not worth it for the amount of yields.

Secondly.. soil types, too many varieties will mean you need to make sure the soil type is right for each one for success.

Thirdly... You have to make sure you don't plant enemies nearby. (ie: Potatoes and Cucumbers) So more figuring out on the layout which is no big deal.

Forthly(lol) .... I have a fresh farm nearby I can get a bunch of corn for a couple bucks. Same great Fresh taste and double the size I can grow them at.

Don't let my reasons discourage you from trying though. Go for it all and see what works for you.

[Yuptag]

Originally Posted by Cambium

Forthly(lol) .... I have a fresh farm nearby I can get a bunch of corn for a couple bucks. Same great Fresh taste and double the size I can grow them at.

Don't let my reasons discourage you from trying though. Go for it all and see what works for you.

If I can buy it a farmer's market locally, I am not planning on growing the exact same produce or fruit.

Will probably get 1 or 2 apple trees and pear trees that fell out of favor for having non-transportable fruit.