A raised bed full of healthy soil is a great starting point. But once it's time to plant, the question changes: which vegetables should go where? A tomato that looks tiny today could be six feet tall in a few months. A zucchini that fits neatly into a corner can spread across much of the bed. And a climbing cucumber needs somewhere to go.
In Episode 5 of our Carpark to Edible Garden series, we're finally planting the raised beds at Birdies headquarters on Australia's Gold Coast. We're working with a real garden built on a former concrete parking area, not an idealized drawing. That means making decisions about sunlight, mature plant size, irrigation and even changing our plan when an arbor doesn't fit as expected.
We're planting tomatoes, sweet corn, zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, basil and flowering companions, plus a cucumber and tromboncino squash that will climb over a new arch. Follow along for a practical look at how we arrange the crops and why.
Before You Plant: Choose Crops for Your Local Season
Michael starts by choosing seedlings for the season. Here on the Gold Coast, our warm, humid climate shapes what we can grow comfortably at different times of year. We're in a climate broadly comparable in some respects to the warmer parts of Florida, but gardening calendars vary even between places with similar winter temperatures.
For gardeners in the United States, the important lesson is to follow your own conditions rather than our Australian planting dates. Check your local last-frost date, nighttime temperatures, humidity and the growing requirements on each seedling label. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, corn and zucchini are warm-season crops in many parts of the US, but their best planting windows differ by state and season.
For this episode, we visit a local garden center and select a mixture of food crops and flowers. The shopping basket includes slicing and Roma tomatoes, sweet corn, bell peppers, chili peppers, eggplant, zucchini, Swiss chard, basil, dwarf zinnias, marigolds and sweet alyssum.
Start With the Sun, Not an Empty Gap
Before the first tomato goes in, Michael looks at how sunlight crosses the site. The garden gets morning sunshine, while a nearby building creates shade later in the day. He also thinks about the shadows that the crops themselves will cast as they grow.
This is the key to a useful vegetable planting layout: don't position plants only according to how large they are today. Consider their mature height and spread. Some of our tomatoes can grow to around six feet tall. Put them in the wrong position and they may shade another bed that needs the light.
We place the taller tomato varieties where their future height is less likely to reduce the sunlight reaching nearby vegetables. In many US gardens, tall crops are commonly positioned toward the northern side of the growing area when practical, but surrounding buildings, local sun angles and the shape of the site matter more than any one rule.
If you're new to growing food, start with our beginner's vegetable gardening guide. If you're designing your own space, use the Birdies Garden Planner to test bed positions and consider the shade from buildings before planting. It's much easier to experiment with the layout on screen than after every bed is full.
Planting Tomatoes: Make Room for Their Mature Height
The first bed is set aside for taller tomatoes, including the variety Michael calls Gross Lisse. We also plant Roma tomatoes in a different bed. Michael expects the Roma plants to stay shorter, around four feet for the plants he's using, while the larger tomatoes may approach six feet.
That difference matters when deciding which bed each variety should occupy. It also helps us choose support before the plants grow too tall.
We plan to install irrigation lines in the beds, so Michael aligns the tomato positions with the expected watering coverage. In the wider bed, the planned line sits about 12 inches from the edge. That measurement is specific to our irrigation layout, not a universal recommended spacing between tomato plants.
The general rule is to give each tomato the space recommended for its variety and support system, with enough airflow around the foliage. Put stakes or cages in place at planting time so you don't have to disturb a much larger root system later.
Why We Plant Tomato Seedlings Deeply
Here's one of Michael's favorite tomato tips. Unlike many other vegetables, tomatoes can produce new roots from sections of stem buried beneath the soil. We use this to our advantage by planting the seedlings deeper than they were growing in their original punnet.
Remove leaves that would sit below the soil line and bury a suitable section of the stem, keeping the remaining leaves above ground. This can encourage additional roots and help establish the plant. Handle the seedlings gently and use the technique on tomatoes rather than assuming every vegetable should be planted deeply.
Michael also finds a punnet containing more seedlings than the advertised number. He carefully separates the small plants to make better use of them. If your seedlings have intertwined roots, separate them gently, keeping as much of each root system intact as possible, and avoid forcing tightly tangled plants apart.
Tomatoes, Basil and Marigolds: Companion Planting in Practice
Alongside the tomatoes, we're adding sweet basil and flowering plants such as marigolds. It's a combination many vegetable gardeners enjoy because the plants offer different benefits within the same growing area.
Basil is handy to harvest with tomatoes, and flowers can provide color and forage for pollinators and other beneficial insects. We also chose sweet alyssum and dwarf zinnias for the edible garden to bring more flowers into the space.
Companion planting is worth exploring, but it's best not to think of basil or marigolds as a guaranteed way to repel pests. Their effects depend on the plant variety, insects present and local conditions. The reliable benefits here are a more diverse planting scheme, useful herbs and additional flowers around the vegetables.
Give Eggplants Their Own Growing Space
Next, Michael positions two eggplant seedlings in a raised bed close to the planned climbing arbor. He's looking for a crop that will grow upright and still leave room for the vines that will eventually climb overhead.
Eggplants can become sizable, productive bushes, so the final spacing depends on the variety. We make sure the plants have sunlight, access to water and enough room for their mature leaves rather than packing them tightly against the arbor.
This is one of the advantages of separate raised beds: different areas can be planned for crops with different shapes, heights and support needs.
How Much Space Do Zucchini Plants Need?
For the zucchini bed, Michael decides that two plants will be enough, one toward each end. Young zucchini plants don't look particularly large, but their leaves can spread widely once they get established.
Spacing zucchini around its mature footprint gives the leaves room to grow and makes it easier to reach the fruit without pushing through a crowded bed. For home gardeners, always check whether your variety is compact or spreading, and allow for its mature size.
Zucchini flowers also rely on pollinators for good fruit development, another reason we're happy to bring flowers and beneficial insects into the wider garden.
Plant Sweet Corn in a Block for Better Pollination
Our sweet corn goes into its own raised bed. Michael arranges 12 seedlings into a compact three-by-four grid rather than one long row. The reason is pollination: corn relies on wind to move pollen from the tassels at the top of the plants to the silks on the developing ears.
A block planting can help pollen reach more of the silks than a single narrow row. Our three-by-four arrangement shows the principle, but it's a small planting, and it may need additional attention. For more reliable pollination, many US extension services recommend larger blocks of at least four short rows. Small groups may benefit from hand pollination.
Before planting corn, check the expected mature height and how the bed will be watered. Corn is tall, and a block of plants can cast quite a shadow over neighboring vegetables. Choose a position that works with your sunlight and the available bed space.
Bell Peppers and Chili Peppers: Leave Space for Growth
In another bed, we plant four bell pepper seedlings in a staggered pattern. Rather than creating a straight, crowded line, Michael places them to make use of the growing space while still leaving room around each plant.
Bell peppers are the US name for the capsicums shown in the Australian video. We also picked up chili pepper seedlings, although the video doesn't show the final position of every chili plant, so we won't suggest a specific location that wasn't demonstrated.
Peppers need warmth and appropriate spacing for their variety. Aim for a layout that keeps plants accessible for watering, checking for pests and harvesting as the peppers develop.
Add Irrigation With the Finished Planting Layout in Mind
Throughout the planting, Michael refers back to the irrigation system that will serve the beds. The wider bed is planned to have two irrigation lines; the narrower beds will have a single line. The small sprinkler heads are intended to create an umbrella-shaped spray pattern over the soil.
The important lesson is not that every raised bed needs the same number of irrigation lines. It's to choose the crop positions and watering arrangement together so the plants are covered without leaving dry corners or wasting water.
Once installed, check the actual spray pattern, water distribution and soil moisture rather than relying only on the planned design. In humid climates like ours, umbrella irrigation spray heads deliver water beneath the foliage, helping keep leaves dry and reducing the risk of fungal diseases.
Go Vertical: Build a Climbing Arbor Between Beds
One of the most interesting parts of Episode 5 is our attempt to create an arbor between two raised garden beds. The goal is to use the space above the walkway for climbing crops, rather than using more valuable bed area on the ground.
Michael starts with steel posts and a section of metal mesh, bending the mesh into an arch. But the first attempt doesn't work as expected: the beds are too close together for the curve he wants, and the arch puts too much pressure against them.
Instead of forcing it, he moves the supports and changes the shape of the arbor to create a better arch with less sideways pressure. It's a useful real-world reminder that garden structures need to work with the space and be properly supported, not simply look good in a plan.
If you're building your own arbor, use materials and fixings suitable for the load, remove or cover sharp edges, and make sure the structure is stable in wind and when the vines are heavy with fruit. Don't assume a raised bed wall can safely carry the outward pressure of a large metal arch without suitable support.
What Will Grow Over the Arbor? Cucumber and Tromboncino
With the new arbor in place, we add a cucumber and a tromboncino squash. The cucumber will climb partway up one side; the vigorous tromboncino is intended to grow farther over the top, with the long fruits hanging down underneath the arch.
Tromboncino is a long, curved squash that can be used in some of the same dishes as zucchini when harvested young. Training it upward is an interesting way to turn a pathway into additional growing space.
Keep in mind that climbing crops need room for their roots as well as their vines. Check how much space your varieties need, and provide support strong enough for the mature plants and fruit. For more general ideas, explore our guide to vertical vegetable gardens.
Give New Seedlings a Good Start
As the planting continues, Michael gently waters in the new seedlings with a diluted liquid seaweed solution and amino-acid product. That's his preferred routine for establishing plants in this garden.
The essential step for any new transplant is watering the root zone thoroughly and keeping soil moisture consistent while the plant settles in. Supplements are optional but recommended for optimal plant health and growth. Always follow the label instructions and remember that supplements complement, rather than replace, healthy soil, proper watering and suitable growing conditions.
Finally, we add plant labels so it's easy to remember which varieties are where. This is especially useful once the plants have grown and it becomes harder to tell one tomato or pepper variety from another.
What We Learned From Planting the First Raised Beds
The best planting layout is not always the one that fits the greatest number of seedlings into a small space. Our first planting stage has taught us to think ahead.
- Give tall crops the right position. Tomatoes and corn will change the shade in the garden as they grow.
- Leave space for spreading plants. A pair of zucchini plants can occupy more room than their young size suggests.
- Think about pollination. Corn benefits from block planting, while zucchini and other flowering crops depend on insect visits.
- Plan irrigation and support before plants get large. It's easier to place stakes, adjust a trellis and check watering coverage at the start.
- Be willing to change the plan. Our arbor needed a different shape once we tested it against the real beds.
These practical decisions are what turn a collection of raised beds into a garden that's easier to maintain and more enjoyable to harvest.
Plan Your Own Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
You don't need an old parking lot to put these ideas into practice. Start with the space you have, choose vegetables that suit your season and experiment with a layout that leaves room for plants to reach their mature size.
The Birdies Garden Planner lets you explore raised bed positions on your actual property, consider sun and shade using satellite imagery, compare bed configurations and build a shopping list. It's now available for mobile as well as desktop.
Try the Birdies Garden Planner
Explore Birdies Raised Garden Beds
Follow the Carpark to Edible Garden series to see how our Gold Coast garden develops, from bare concrete to its first growing season.
Raised Bed Vegetable Planting FAQs
What should I plant first in a raised garden bed?
Start with crops you enjoy eating that suit your local season, sunlight and bed dimensions. For a warm-season garden, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini and herbs can be options where temperatures are suitable. Follow the specific spacing and timing guidance for each variety.
Can I grow tomatoes and basil together?
Yes, provided both have enough room, light and water. Basil is useful to harvest alongside tomatoes, while the effects of companion planting on pest control are not guaranteed.
Should corn be planted in rows or a block?
Planting corn in a block generally improves the chances of wind-borne pollen reaching the silks. A small three-by-four grid like ours may still be insufficient for reliable pollination; larger blocks, often at least four short rows, are preferred.
How many zucchini plants should I put in a raised bed?
That depends on the dimensions of the bed and the growth habit of the variety. Our garden starts with two plants in a dedicated bed because zucchini can produce large leaves and take up substantial space.
Should tall vegetables go on the north side of a raised bed?
In many Northern Hemisphere gardens, positioning tall plants toward the north can help reduce shading on shorter crops, but nearby buildings, local sun exposure and season can change what works. Observe your actual site before planting.
Can I grow cucumbers or squash on an arbor?
Many vining cucumbers and squash varieties can be trained over strong trellises or arbors. Make sure the structure is securely supported and capable of carrying the vines and developing fruit.
Watch the Garden Come to Life
In Episode 5, the Birdies factory garden goes from carefully prepared raised beds to the first real planting. We now have tomatoes climbing toward their supports, corn grouped for wind pollination, zucchini spreading into its own bed and vines ready to grow over the arch.
Catch up on the full Carpark to Edible Garden project, then use what you've learned to plan the next growing season in your own raised garden beds.
