Newbie gardener qustions.

10 years ago

My raised bed is off and running like a champ but this is my first year doing this and I have questions.

Here's the plot. It was a pretty useless part of the yard and south facing so it was the only logical course of action....!!!

The tomatoes, cauliflower and broccoli were purchased as little seedlings and the cucumbers, carrots, beans, eggplant, onions and peppers were sown directly into the garden/pot from the seed bag.

We went from this on the 14th of this month...

To this as of today...

Im sure yor thinking my questions are about spacing but they are not. I KNOW my garden is crowded and plan to thin the tomato plants here shortly.

Any tips on the eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli... well any of my plants really.

Thus looks like insect damage but its the only plant to exhibit this. A lone bean plant...

What kind of weeds are these???

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Comments (6)

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
Great job getting started!

Your 2nd to last 2 plant looks like weedy morning glory. Not a good companion to veggies.

I would put tall cages on the tomatoes and leave them how they are, unless you don't think you'll continue to be able to reach everything well. When left to sprawl, so many more critters find the fruits before you're ready to pick them, and they are just hard to see/find in general.

Besides toms, I'm not much of a veggie growing expert, so will leave the giving of advice on that to those better qualified.
Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
It would be great if I didn't have to pull any of the tomato plants. I'm working on getting some cages for them from my sis-in law.

Thank you!
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calliope
10 years ago
Well, for a 'newbie' gardener, that's not only a nice set-up but your plants look very healthy. Cute pup as well. Yes, in a small raised bed like that, you can often squeeze in some very tight plantings and get away with it.
Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
I researched the youknowwhat out of this before I did anything. I'm thinking that's what has allowed such an easy time thus far. But thank you, your words made me feel quite good!

FYI, incase anyone wants to know I filled the bed (8'x3'x14") with a yard of topsoil, 3 big ole' bags of organic compost and a big cube of peat it was mounded over the edge after the initial fill but a long light rain the next day or two allowed it to compact a bit to a perfect hight, almost to the top edge!

Where can I get a good net that will not only keep pests out but also serve other duties garden coverings can be asked to perform? I'm not sure what I might need one to do but the prospect of buying multiple nests just sounds kinda silly to me.
calliope
10 years ago
Depends on what you are trying to keep out with the netting. If it's stuff like birds, then an easy way to go would be to someplace with pond supplies and buy pond netting. It comes in a wide enough width it would fit right over those hoops. If you need it for insect control then you'd want something akin to floating row cover and rhizo has suggested tulle from a fabric store works great and is cheaper.
Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
I wasn't even sure what tulle was! :)

Both of those would allow enough sun to pass through them and would the tulle for example, work on birds and insects?

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Newbie gardener qustions.

Comments (6)

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

Brandon Smith
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calliope

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Newbie gardener qustions.

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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

Brandon SmithOriginal Author

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calliope

Brandon SmithOriginal Author

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