How to design annual beds on slope?

Hi Everyone!

I'm new here. I recently got a very small patch of land in a community garden, a 33x33 feet or 10x10 meter rectangle on a slope of 13.3% in USDA hardiness zone 6 in north eastern Hungary.

it is near a straight pawed road which goes down slope and I want to divert some of the runoff from it to the future garden's on contour swale which I have already dug at the top (50 cm wide 30 centimeters deep 2 meters long, or 1'7" wide 1' deep, 6'7" long).

I want to make no dig, mulched garden beds for annuals with a couple of berry bushes here and there. There is plenty of compost, branches, wood  available on the periphery of the community garden and my budget is almost non existent. I made on raised bed but I haven't plated anything in it. After finishing it I thought that I messed up it's dimensions.

I don't know how to design it.

I was thinking about making on contour beds and paths but I don't know how to do them. Do I first make the paths on contour and fill up the space with beds between them?
If I do this the beds will be uneven in width and I might not reach everything in the bed.
How do I go about creating a layout?

What layout should I use in this climate (USDA hardiness zone 6)?

Hi, Zoltan, welcome to the forum!

I can't help you with your question though I found these threads that might help you or other folks with similar questions:

https://permies.com/t/119700/Design-Current-Mature-Forest-Slope

https://permies.com/t/135041/working-slopes-gradient

https://permies.com/t/70509/allotment-weedy-steep-clay-slope

So, the beauty of this project is that you can do it any way that you want to!

Garden design is something that you will always learn from. You can spend endless amounts of time planning and still slap your forehead going "I wish I thought of that in the first place!"

Some ideas of things to consider

1. Which way the sun rises and falls compared to your garden. Where can differencing height plants be placed to grow effectively? Are there things that might want to live in the shade? Will you be placing in vertical trellising anywhere?
2. If you plan on wanting to reach the whole garden bed from one side, I would suggest a 3 foot spacing. 4 foot for me is JUST slightly too long to reach the far sides of the bed when I have access only from one side. I would recommend planning out the beds and let the footpaths follow.
3. Mulch mulch mulch. Thicker the better. I am a mulch-a-holic. I woodchip my pathways and use living mulches as my annual gardens progress. I have had very good luck with annual clovers to help fix nitrogen and so far, anecdotally, I am planning on continuing its usage.

Gardens are exciting! I hope you the best. I would love to hear about developments as you have them.

Also, welcome to the forum!

Timothy Norton wrote:I woodchip my pathways and use living mulches as my annual gardens progress. I have had very good luck with annual clovers to help fix nitrogen and so far, anecdotally, I am planning on continuing its usage.

Reading your comment made me remember that cow pea is a good living mulch, thanks for that! Will read up on annual clovers.

Right now I've cut down most of the weeds growing on my plot and used it to cover the spaces between the potatoes that I've planted. I'll post picture.

I planted garlic and sowed linseed in between and around the potato tubers. I've read that it makes potato taste better.

I'll sow the seeds of a native comfrey variety in the swale next spring, supposedly this plant likes water and shade. I'll be using it as a high nitrogen content mulch.

I acquired this patch of land verey late in the growing season so I don't expect anything at this point to survive except for honeysickle, we'll see.