Why Won't My Pumpkin Grow?

Your family wants to feed itself from a quarter acre — about the size of a small backyard. You are the Garden Architect. Design a real raised-bed layout that uses companion planting, gives the family vegetables from spring to fall, and fits the space you actually have.

• EX-01A family of 4 needs about 200 lbs of vegetables per year for full self-sufficiency.
• EX-02Raised beds 4 ft wide x 8 ft long are standard; you can reach the middle from either side.
• EX-03Companion planting examples: tomatoes love basil, carrots love onions, beans love corn, beans HATE onions.
• EX-04Most vegetables need 6+ hours of direct sun.
• EX-05A 1/4 acre is about 10,890 sq ft — but only the sunny, flat portion is usable.
• EX-06Succession planting (replanting after harvest) can double yield in the same bed.

1. Day 1
   Measure the real garden space you have (or pretend space). Sketch its boundaries and mark where the sun hits longest.
2. Day 2
   Make a list of 8 vegetables your family actually eats. Look up how much each plant produces.
3. Day 3
   Sketch the raised beds (4x8 ft) into your sunniest area. Plan paths.
4. Day 4
   Assign vegetables to beds using companion planting rules. Mark spring, summer, and fall crops in each bed.
5. Day 5
   Estimate total pounds your design would produce. Compare to the family's actual need.

Other tracks tackle this same case at their own depth — see the catalog.

Even if you'll never build this garden, the planning is real math, real research, and real decision-making. If you DO build even one bed of it, the lesson lasts the rest of their life.