Hello, I have a tiny, 3' by 12' raised bed that has been nearly fallow for a few years. It gets good sun 10 hours a day, with trees blocking the sun both early in the morning and late afternoon. There is a 6' fence behind it so it might get a bit hot in August, being that I am in northern VA which is a Burpee zone 7. The soil is decent, but I don't know if it is acidic or what. I am in need of some tips on what I should plant if I want some good producing vegetables. I did 3 cherry tomato plants last year and they did great, producing 8 or 9 tomatoes every other day for months. My neighbors heirloom tomatos got eaten up by the squirrels so I may stick with the cherry tomatos. So I thought I might do 5 cherry tomatoes staked up at the back of the bed, then maybe a cucumber or two below, with 2 or 3 bean plants, a little cilantro, replant my favorite basil plants which I took inside over the winter. But I bet I am missing some productive plants, I like to eat what I grow. I will also probably line the front of the bed with a low standing (so it won't shadow the cucumbers or the beans) flower to give it some color, but I would prefer the color to be edible if possible. Is there a colorful sage?
Also, are there veg's that don't tolerate each other, i.e. will the cuke strangle the tomatoes or suck away their water? I don't know what I don't know, I guess.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!