I’m considering altering my garden setup. For reference- the beds are 4×8’, and they are 37” apart. The cattle panel arch is a 16’ piece. The orientation is the short sides run N-S(left to right in pic) and the long sides are W-E. Here’s my concern. I used the arch to trellis some tomatoes on 1 side and green beans on the other. The beans filled the trellis in so heavily, that other things planted in the bed on the backside were too shaded in the afternoon and didn’t grow well. Looking for suggestions on a better orientation. I know it might be a lot of work emptying, and moving the beds. And that I may also need to remove some more of the “woods” (which is actually invasive buckthorn and I have no prob getting rid of more😂). But I’m thinking about doing some of the work now before spring. I’m in NE Wisconsin and we have a couple weeks of decent weather ahead of us. Just looking for ideas for better orientation.
by Robs565
3 Comments
Just get some T posts and erect your cattle panels as a vertical trellis along the north edge of your beds.
I would work with what you have by growing your more cold hardy plants in the afternoon shade of the beans so they don’t suffer from the heat. Salad greens, brassicas, or any root vegetable will do just fine with the shade!
I would get another cattle panel and do two arch walkways at the short end of the raised beds.