It doesn't take a genius to figure how to get the most out of a small garden space, but it can bumfuzzle the beginner. Draw a diagram of your garden area, one inch equals a garden foot, or something similar. Now, decide what is wanted for vegetables.
a. enough for the year
b. enough for the current growing season
c. the kind of vegetables you want in your garden

If you have enough land to plant for the year then you must check on the quantity you can pretty much expect per plant/ vegetable. For instance, for corn you would plant each seed (put two or three seeds in and when they germinate (show growth) pull out the two weakest shoots). Plant about one foot apart down one row. Corn rows need to be three feet apart and if a good crop is to be expected, don't plant two long rows, better four short rows for good pollination. Each corn stalk will usually yield two cobs. If you expect corn twice a week just double the weeks of the year and that is how many stalks you will need to last for the year (104 stalks). Rounding off that would be about ten rows of ten plants per row (with four stalks left to plant where space permits, but close to the others). That would be a garden space of 30' X 30', and just for the one vegetable PLUS what you could plant BETWEEN THE ROWS!

Tomato plants produce exceptionally well in most parts of the United States. Go to a nursery or grocer that has a display of plants outside or even some of the building supply companies in smaller towns. Buy the strongest looking tomato plants you can find, now in different sizes and colors, as well as earlier to later harvesting. Plant these between the rows of corn, plant enough to supply your family for salads, or just eating whole. If you like to can vegetables plan for how many jars and plant accordingly. Planting between the rows of corn will protect the plants from the vicious heat of the July and August sun of summer. The rows of corn will be growing and shading the tender plants and developing fruit beneath them.Be sure to stake your tomatoes or the vinelike growth will make it nearly impossible to harvest.

Another plant that would love the corn's shading would be the more delicate melons, or lettuce. Lettuce is more of a cool season plant, planted in early spring or early fall, when the temperatures are above freezing yet definitely chilly at night. In fact, peas are the same, as are Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and others, but unlike tomatoes these want out in the sun. They

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