Welcome, Kelli. I can remember way back when taking my first baby out in a playpen while I gardened. That was over 40 years ago!

I hope we can share some of our experience with you that will help make your gardening easier and more fun. The Ozarks does have its little peculiarities!

Welcome Kelli,
Glad you found us.
If you have any questions about gardening. Be it vegetables or flowers. someone around here will more than likely have a good answer for you.
Glad you are here an welcome to the Ozarks.
Bonnie

Welcome, Kelli. Starting from scratch is good; that means you have room for anything that attracts you. Your first step will be to make a bed. Some of us like some variations of the lasagna method which is similar to Ruth Stout's idea. That is to smother an area in your lawn and use mulch and organic materials that you scrounge. You have a nice park not far away in Springfield - Nathaniel Greene Park and Master Gardeners demonstration garden.

Welcome, Kelli. You've come to the right place for encouragement and information. Lots of longtime gardeners here. I too used to take my children to the garden in a playpen almost 40 years ago.

Welcome Kelli! - When you mentioned rocks in the vegetable forum, I suspected that you might be in the Ozarks. lol

hmmm 40 years ago, I had no front teeth, was riding a banana-seat bicycle, and wore cat eye glasses and pigtails and I have a photo to prove it. lol

I found time to garden even when my twins were little (they're 11 now) and the time outside was like therapy for me. It was hard to pack up the twins and go anywhere so I enjoyed my little trips outside to check on my flowers.

Kelli, you're just going to love this Ozarks forum! And probably appreciate Gardenweb in general, because there is so much to read/learn -- just anything you've ever wanted to know. I've been here on GW for awhile, but just recently checked into the Ozarks section and I'm really glad I did. It seems like "home."
Welcome!
Sunny

Thank you so much for the kind welcomes. After reading a few threads here, this seems like such a friendly group. I would love to join you all in calling this section "home".

I've been on the garden junk forum for quite a while (mostly a lurker) and just love their creativity.

I know I'm going to learn so much here and just can't wait!

Kel

Kelli, She's not very near to you, but a gardener named Okiedawn over on the Oklahoma forum is a deep well of gardening info. You might want to look at some of her posts, but you will have to make some adjustments for your area. She is very far south in Ok and has more alkaline soil, more heat and less rainfall, but she sure knows how to get around the web and is willing to share her knowledge, as well as her extra tomato seeds. And if you want to learn about open pollinated seeds, check out Baker's Creek Heirloom Seeds. They're up in Missouri somewhere, as well as online.

I will do that Mulberryknob...thank you!

Hi Kelli~A few years ago I found these folks and they helped me along the way as I planned my Ozarks gardens...still have so much to learn, but one thing you can count on ...they are always there for you and they are the most encouraging and supportive group on the Gardenweb! I had to to move away for a while and spent some time in the northeast and tried to hook up with those folks, but is just wasn't the same...now I am in the Pacific and where do I still go?? Back to the Ozarks (where I hope to return one day)...and I am still drawing on their sense of family and knowledge... You'll love it here and will learn a lot ...