Please help me to arrange what to plant in which pots

[Anonymous]

My composite deck in the back of house has full sun, and my front yard is more shady ( maybe there are a few hours of daily indirect sunlight). My front yard has many earthworm which indicates soils are healthily.

I have all these pots (17” square pot, 20” round pot, 6” pots ( 5 of them), 8” pot, a small strawberry terracotta pot), and a self watered made with breathable material raised garden bed which is 36” x 24” x 27” (27” with legs, depth is 7”).

I have germinated some seeds, I have bought some from stores, and my friends also gives me some plants. In a few weeks, I am planting them all outdoors. I cannot figure out the logic what plants should be planted in which pots, and I need help. And, should I plant some in my shady front yard since soil seems healthy with earthworm? I have cleaned up the weed and put new mulch already.

I have all these plants indoors which are herbs (basil, cilantro, mint etc) and vegetable (scallion, chive, mini bok chop, mini tomato, strawberry, beefsteak tomato, spinach, mini pea plant that is designed for pot without terrace, mini cucumber, mini potatoes). They are growing healthy under grow lights. And, my friend says she can give me more different ones if I want, she has a huge yard of gardening. The biggest question is which plants should go to the self watered raised garden bed, and then those bigger pots ? Should I plant 1 of each or multiple herb/ vegetable in each pots? Should tomato & cucumber put in big pot or raised garden bed with legs? Please recommend a good beginner gardening book or website for me, thank you. I don’t know anything about gardening, and this is my first time ever in my life. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I don't know much about gardening but here's what I did that has worked so far for my deck planting:

in big pots: potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries

on trellis: cucumber and green beans

in small pots: lettuce, basil, thyme, cilantro, and spearmint

The national gardening association website has been good to me so far: https://garden.org/