First Time Vegetable and Fruit Gardener

13 years ago

I am going to be planting a garden for my mother to give her something to take care of during the day. I have no clue what I am doing and need all the advice I can get. I am interested in growing a garden year round if at all possible.What vegetables and fruit bearing plants are best for the Atlanta area and when is the best time for planting them to have a year round garden? The yard gets full sun pretty much all day and the ground is fairly loose and has pretty good soil. What type of ground prep is needed? What are the best type of fertilizers and weed killers for vegetable and fruit growing?

If you need more information please feel free to ask me for it.....as like I said I am beyond new to gardening.

Thanx for any and all help that you can give.

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Comments (17)

sweetmelon
13 years ago
With lots of sun some of the easiest to grow could be things like watermelons, tomatoes, peaches, and if you are into greens the easiest are lettuce, spinach, beans. Obviously a weed killer would kill your plants also, so what you want instead is a weed preventer type thing. About fertilizers I'll let others talk since I'm still newbie myself so would like to hear what the wise people say.
susancol
13 years ago
SneakyP,

What a nice thing to do for your mother! I'm sure she'll enjoy it. Sounds like you need a lot of basic information to start off with. How about you try doing some reading on Walter Reeve's website and then see what specific questions you have. It's hard for us to tell you everything all at once, so you'll get better responses for specific questions. Also, start reading the vegetable and maybe square foot garden forums. Atlanta has pretty mild climate and most things will grow here. You can plant cool weather vegetables around St. Paddy's day, And Warm Weather vegetables around April 15(tax day). Then for the Fall crop, you'd be back to cool weather vegetables again -and would plant them in Late summer. (no later than Labor Day). These dates are for Transplants. You would start seed indoors about 8 weeks earlier.

Best of Luck,
Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Walter Reeves
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I basically agree with all that has been said above. Here are a couple other things to consider. First, in the Deep South where I live, parsley is strictly a winter herb. It gets too hot for it here in the summer. Oklahoma gets really hot too, right? So, that might explain the parsley death. Second, did you dig the soil underneath your bed? Tomatoes and Peppers like a nice deeply dug bed, and your raised bed doesn't look more than six inches deep. This fall, you might try double digging your little bed and then sowing red clover in it. (If you don't know how, just say so. A lot of us can tell you how.) Allow the clover to grow all winter and then just as it begins to bloom in the spring, go out and turn it under with your spade. Two weeks later, you'll be amazed at the difference in your soil, and the clover roots will have put lots of nitrogen into it too. (This technique is called cover cropping. It's inexpensive, organic, and very effective. Try it.) Don't despair! I had rather similar results my first year with raised beds and I had MANY years of gardening experience. It just takes time to build your soil. If you do the fundamentals, you'll see a big improvement next year, and the next, and the next. It's a good idea to get a soil test since you started with bagged stuff. Look in your yellow pages for your county agriculture extension office. In my state, a soil test is $6.00. You will get a computer report that tells you how much Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, and more your soil has or needs. Why guess? In the meantime, it's a very good idea to go to your public library and check out a couple of basic books on vegetable gardening. Pay very close attention to the "boring" parts about soil preparation, compost, mulching, etc. There's no reason to learn everything the hard way! And if they have a book that is specific to Oklahoma, get that one! This is a big country and the differences in climate from one area to another can be crucial to your success. Here is a simple way to know when it's time to water. Stick your finger down into the soil to the middle knuckle. Then rub that finger together with your thumb. Feel moisture? Don't water. Check tomorrow. Feel dry or very nearly so? Time to water. Pay attention to how much time has passed since the last time and before long you'll get a good idea of how often you need to water. Oh, and if you have mushrooms growing in your soil, that's a pretty good sign that your moisture levels are high. But then, they may be only a little bit high and you just imported mushroom spores in with the straw. Keep an eye on things. Do the finger test. But don't panic.
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Start with the simple jar soil test for texture. With it, you can estimate fairly closely what percentage of your soil is clay, sand and silt. This is VERY important. When we did the jar soil test shortly after building our home here in OK, I was horrified to discover that our red clay in the future garden spot area was almost 100% clay. Up around the house, it still was bad, but parts of the back yard were only 70% clay, and that area has been a lot easier to amend and improve. With the dense red, nearly 100% clay in the garden, we have spent at least 22 years now perpetually adding tons of organic material to break up the clay and turn the dense red clay into a brownish-black loamy soil. It still holds water far too long in wet spells, even in raised beds, but it is a lot better than it used to be. If your soil has a high clay content, you cannot fix all of it the first year, and raised beds likely will be essential. We built about 1 raised bed per year every year for our first 14 or 15 years here. We also grow in containers because no matter how much organic matter you add to the soil, it breaks down and decomposes and the soil fights you....perpetually trying to turn back into dense red clay where you're trying to turn it into a rich, brown or black loamy garden soil. The good news is that red clay tends to be high in minerals, which makes it very fertile, but you have to amend it so it does hold too much moisture in wet periods and bake as hard as concrete in dry periods. Here's a magazine article that tells you how to do the jar soil test: How Is Your Soil Texture? If you find your soil is too high in clay content (some red soil is a lot more sandy), then Google and read about Hugelkultur, which is a great way to fix clay soil, as well as a way to recycle organic matter on your property. Dawn
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girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
Walter Reeves is an excellent place to start. I recommend looking at a garden schedule like the one on the link below, and if you are still unsure, taking an introductory class. Many extension offices (that are still operating) have a class, as does Farmer D organics in Atlanta and Oakhurst Gardens in Decatur. I'm not sure where you are located.
For a first garden, I think annual fruits are the way to go, as well as easy vegetables such as lettuces in the spring. There are many other great spring vegetables too. You might want to try some broccoli and cabbage, and they are great to get starts of. Lettuce is so easy from seed.
For a perennial fruit I recommend blueberries. They do not need spraying of any kind, and I find peaches a challenge, personally as they do not particularly like my Atlanta climate. It takes some good learning to know about spraying peaches in the Atlanta area.
One thing you should decide (with the questions you are asking) are you going to garden traditionally or organically? It makes a huge difference with advice on fertilizers etc.
Walter Reeves has an excellent vegetable book, your local library probably has it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vegetable Gardening in Georgia
lawnranger28
13 years ago
Gardens can be productive in all but the coldest of months. Here in Atlanta, cold crops such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and onion can be planted in February with great results. The cold keeps insects at bay, reducing the need for sprays. As these crops produce and fade away, replace them with summer crops of peppers, tomatoes, beans and squash. After these crops fade, replace them with cool fall plantings of turnip and salad greens along with broccoli and cauliflower for fall.

LawnRanger
SneakyP
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanx for all the advice. Unfortunately I am a everybody in the pool type guy. So far I have planted Yukon Gold Potatoes (they don't seem to be doing very well). Two different onions Texas Sweets and (not sure of the others name). Broccoli (seems to be growing fairly well). Cabbage,Cauliflower,Romaine,head and red curly top(not sure if thats the right name) lettuce. Sweet Peas, Asparagus,Radishes,Basil.

Just planted a row of Bell Pepper,Jalapeno and cayenne pepper, Did a row of Better Boy will be doing five more rows of 8 plants each one at a time and Cherry tomato plants (already have flowers on the cherrys).Also planted some Strawberries in a half whiskey barrel.Also did a mound each for Honey Rock Cantaloupe and Sugar Baby Watermelon (will be trying to grow them up my mothers fence to take up less space) will do more as they start to grow so she can have them throughout the summer. Just planted some seeds for some bush beans.

Just built her a trellis for her Cucumbers will be growing 2 different kinds one for slicing and one for making pickles. Also will be planting some beets and carrots under where i am growing the sweet peas and string beans that I will be trying to grow up strings anybody able to tell me how to train them I would appreciate it (couldnt see leaving that space empty,hope it works).

She had a Bing Cherry tree (I know they arent supposed to do well in Georgia,but has anyone had any luck with them if so I would appreciate any advice you can give. I planted a Gala and Golden Delicious apple trees, a Bartlett Pear,Burbank Plum,Peach( not sure what kind it was grown from a pitt) and a Nectarine tree. I know some of them need another variety of the one I have but am trying to decide what kind to use for cross pollination plus want to see how they do first. Also planted a couple Blue Berry bushes and might get a couple blackberry and raspberry bushes also.

Wish me luck as I will surely need it as the chances of me going down in flames is probably pretty good....LOL.
girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
My garden is super productive all year, including winter in any month! I use tents to cover my beds, and grow all sorts of greens and lettuces. We eat from the garden 12 months a year, and rarely buy vegetables.
Good luck with your new garden SneakyP! I can't wait to get warm weather veggies in the ground, right now I'm just fixing to mow down on the 2nd round of winter/spring lettuces and greens, radishes, carrots, perennial onions and fava beans. The strawberries were fertilized 2 weeks ago and are blooming up a storm, so we should have some fantastic berries this year. I'm going to get a PVC screen dome made soon, to protect 'em from the critters we've seen roaming around in the yard (the fence guy found a den in a neighbors empty tree stump).
seysonn
13 years ago
Op, as a newbie, you want to cover a lot of grounds in your first attempt. You, and any newbie for that matter, need to start small and slow. Plus, your mother also needs to learn how to care for them.
But here are few basic things that I recommend:
some herbs: chives; cilantro, parsley,basil, thyme, oregano,...
some fruiting veggies: Tomatoe , peppers, summer squash
Also , it depend on what you like and prefer and are really into eating/using them. Do you like peas/beans? do you like okra?... with peas/beans, although it is easy to grow them but generally you will need some trellis/support. Okra is even simpler. Just follow the instructions on the seeds package.
SneakyP
Original Author
12 years ago
Okay I guess its time for an update. The lettuces did very well and have been eaten along with the radishes, still have some onions in the ground. I gave up on the potatoes, I think the area I had them in was to wet. The Cauliflower did pretty good although they were on the small side. The fruit trees are coming along and I expect to have some peaches, nectarines and blue berries this year.

For the summer plantings I have really outdone myself and found extra bodies to jump in the pool with me.

I'm Italian and everybody knows we grow tomatoes(yeah right) anyway I find myself with 51 plants in the ground (I just couldn't stop myself)There are Marion,Rutgers,Better Boy,Black Prince,Lemon Boy,Mr Stripey,Pink Girl,Pink Brandywine,Grape Cherry and Plum. I'm really proud of their progress and will be picking the first of them in the next week or two. How are everyone elses doing?

Peppers I have 12 each of Jalapeno, Cayenne, Sweet Bananna and Bell (different colors) 2 Cubanelle 4 Big Bertha and 2 the store calls Luigi The Italian in me made me do it.

I have some Collard greens,Okra, String Beans, Blue Lake Bush beans, Zucchini,Straight and Crooked neck Squash and Black Beauty Eggplant,Sweet Potatoes,Asparagus,8 Sugar Baby and 4 Charleston Grey Watermelon and 8 Cantaloupe plants. I also have 30 cucumber plants divided between Straight Eights, Burpless and Boston Pickling.

There may be something or things I have left out.

Trying to find room for some seedlings I still have to find a home for.

Hi my name is Pete and I have an addiction....I've been told the first step to solving and addiction is to admit you have one.
georgiahomegarden
12 years ago
Sounds like you have the same addiction I have, I got hooked building a small garden for me and my daughter last year. I can think of worse things to grow addicted too. Good luck to you buddy.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Blog
cozy
12 years ago
It is a bad bug indeed. There is no cure and afore long you'll find yourself in deep. Good Luck!

{{gwi:802167}}
georgiahomegarden
12 years ago
LOL, that is too funny! I have been telling my wife that I just want to buy an acre of land somewhere near our house just so I can garden on it. I know that it will be too much for me and that I will have to buy equipment etc. to work that much land and then I always snap back to reality.

I have told her though, if we ever hit the lottery, that would be my dream. To buy a small farm and work on it for the love of it.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog
trivedi_south
12 years ago
chris..good blog. Read few postings. You should really look into vermicomposting and composting (hot or cold), since you have a large space and huge garden.
SneakyP
Original Author
12 years ago
Well its time for another update.

Just got done making some Bread N Butter and Kosher Dill Pickles out of the Boston Pickling cucumbers. That was roughly 15 pounds of cucumbers, hopefully I will be able to make one more batch. The straight 8's and burpless variety are coming on fairly strong now.

I have picked 1 bell pepper so far and a few more are coming. Been picking the Jalapenos and Cayenne peppers for awhile now (anybody have any good salsa recipes also looking for some good things to do with my cayennes already made some pepper sauce with it). Getting ready to start pickling some of the Banana Peppers that have come in so far.

The green beans are coming along quite well and have been picking them for a few weeks now.

The tomato plants have all pretty much overgrown the tops of the cages except for the cherry (but they're trying their hardest). Have gotten some Rutgers and quite a lot of the Black princes picked and eaten. I picked 2 Lemon Boy's and I have to say I really like the taste.

The 2 Zucchini plants went nuts and I must have picked around 25 - 30 so far. The yellow squash (straight and crook neck) have produced pretty good have gotten about the same number from them. I think they are all getting pretty played out now. I may try planting a couple more of each (anybody got any good recipes for them?)

The cantaloupes are doing pretty good and I have several that are getting pretty big.My watermelon is coming right along have the sugar babys on a trellis. Has anybody had any luck growing them that way and not using something to support the melons like stockings? (as I have 12 melon plants and 12 cantaloupe plants and that could get a little on the costly side). The Charleston Grey and Jubilee plants are running right along and are starting to flower up. The pumpkin I planted also seems to be doing quite well.

The Eggplant is coming right along and have lots of flowers and I am getting ready to pick the first one.

There's probably something I've missed but thats all for now. I may take some pics and post them later as I have to say that being a first time gardener I am rather proud of the way its coming along. I hope everyone is having the same luck I am.
buford
12 years ago
Hey fellow Georgia veggie gardeners. I have a question. We are doing veggies in pots. We have a zucchini plant that we bought quite large from Home Depot. It immediately put out some fruit. We had two large zucchinis that we grilled and they were delicious. However, there were two smaller fruit that just shriveled up. I realize now that they were not fertilized. However, I didn't fertilize the ones that did grow! I guess helpful insects did. I have been going out each morning trying to fertilize the female flowers, but they never seem to be open. I also now have a cucumber plant that has plenty of female flowers but hasn't put out any male flowers that I can see. What can I do to make sure I get lots of fruit from these plants?
girlgroupgirl
12 years ago
Buford, you just have to let the bees do their work! Zuccini and summer squashes can be a challenge in Georgia with the vine borers, cucumber beetles and everything else. Hang tight.
buford
12 years ago
I was watering the veggies yesterday and saw a zuke that just wasn't there before ! I know they grow fast, but I had no idea this one was even there. It was on the side in the back and it is very dark (or zuke is black beauty). The color blended in with the pot color and it was almost in the pot next to it.
ally99
12 years ago
Wow SneakyP! It sounds like GREAT success for a first time gardener! Good job!

First Time Vegetable and Fruit Gardener

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