This year we started a new side vegetable garden. After demolishing the old sheds, the space was filled with new beds, vegetable spaces, and a small garden. The garden is making nice progress every month, and this year we’re learning which plants grow best in which area.

The mini vegetable side garden

The new mini vegetable garden has been falling behind the main garden for almost a month. The plants here are growing much slower due to the lack of sun, but also, the plants look much healthier than in the main garden. The bean bushes grew much bigger, the peppers are much taller, and the biggest winner in this garden is the chard, which is growing like mad here.

This garden gets only a couple of morning hours of sun. During the hottest part of the day, it’s in the shade. This is why this place will not be suitable for plants that need a lot of sun. I’m thinking of growing chard, beets, and some late peppers here next year. I will probably also grow some lettuce seedlings, but what I’m definitely not growing is tomatoes and carrots, which grow very poorly.

Beans are still a big question for this garden. Due to the lots of shade, the foliage is huge here, but there are very few pods. There are more pods in the main garden than in the side garden, so I’ll probably be against growing the beans here. Maybe I will try to grow some pole beans here.

Brassicas

The brassicas are still doing well. The high temperatures have slowed down the growth, but still, both old brassicas and the newly grown ones are growing healthy leaves. I will start the third batch of brassicas, mainly cabbages and kale for winter here since I’m not sure I will get any leaves from the oldest crates during the winter.

Brassicas in plastic bottles are one of the biggest winners this year. I haven’t harvested so many leaves in many years. The dehydrated leaves will be enough for the whole winter, and there will still be plenty more to harvest. I will definitely grow even more brassicas this way next year.

Almost greenhouse

The almost greenhouse, which was supposed to be a lettuce and onion bed is now turning into a real greenhouse. I’ve sown here some lettuce, tatsoi, parsley, onions, and even a couple of cucumber seedlings, just to see how they will like this spot. The tatsoi really seems to enjoy the covered place. The plants are almost ready for a first harvest.

I’m planning to use this spot to grow seedlings in spring and probably even summer seedlings next year. With changing the varieties I’ve managed to grow lettuce all over the garden, so I don’t need the special covered bed for the lettuce. This is why this part will be repurposed for seedling production. However, I will need to add some compost on top next year as the soil in the box is a bit too rough for more delicate plants.

The shaded beds

I will need to find a new use for the two most shaded beds on the first terrace. I’m thinking of converting them to bulb beds and growing some nice flowers here. I have plenty of different options now, and I will not miss those two beds.

Right now, I have here some pole beans. They will probably not have the time to grow pods, but I don’t expect them to. I’ve sown them here just to fill up the empty beds.

All in all the new side garden is working well. There will be some adjustments in the varieties and purpose of some beds, but that’s expected when you start a new garden. You can’t be sure of the conditions until you try something new.