Garden Planning (or a lack thereof) and execution

The garden is in. Shocking isn't it?
I didn't get the plants in until a good week (or two) after the May long weekend, but considering the amount of rain we've had, that may not have been a bad thing. I also couldn't have done it without the help of Megan and Eric, who dug three of the plots in less than an hour.
The garden consists of three 3'x6' plots and one 2'x6' plot. I divided the 3x6 plots into square foot sections as per the 'square foot gardening technique'. You can garden with less space and get more yield - plus, you don't walk on the dirt so you don't get compacted soil. I had read a lot about what plants grow well with others (companion planting) and had intended on sitting down and figuring out what plants should go where but I just wanted to get the plants in so that didn't happen. I made sure to put onions in each plot for pest control - that's as far as I got.
Here is what the garden looks like. Some seeds have finally sprouted!! I'm most excited to see if the carrots are successful. I've been told by many neighbours that since the Peterborough flood, no one has had much success with carrots. I'm trying to prove them wrong.

The garden - or Fort Knox if you will. Protected from the chickens



First plot: tomatoes, peppers, radish, cucumber, snap pea, salad greens, onion, broccoli, carrot, beet



Plot 2: Cucumbers (two of which died - I didn't really harden them off), pepper, bush beans, snap peas, onion and salad greens





Plot 3: Tomatoes, pumpkin and cantaloupe



Plot 4: Raspberries, one red the other yellow



The yellow raspberry starting to fruit!!



Kale



I've also planted potatoes in a garbage can. I read about this technique in Gayla Trail's book "Grow Great Grub" (http://www.yougrowgirl.com/) and wanted to give it a try because I didn't want to dedicate a huge patch of garden for potatoes. They seem to be growing quite well. I've been 'mounding' them as the get taller - which is a little difficult since they are all at different heights. I got the seed potatoes from our co-op but I can't remember the name of them. They are 'blue' something. Suppossed to be good for everything you'd want to do with a potato.



Here's how I planted them:

Tools required: Garbage can, large guage nail and a hammer.

Punched holes in the bottom and around the can, about 6" from the bottom

Put approx 12" or soil into the can, put in seed potatoes, covered with a few inches or soil and watered. This growth took appox. 3 weeks.