First Timer - Garden Location?

15 years ago

(originally posted on another forum, but this one looks much more active/informative!)

Ok, I've decided to take the plunge and start a garden. I have a nice backyard and I'm not doing anything with it, and I love fresh veggies... so it just made sense. I want my focus to be tomatoes. I want so many tomatoes I can't find enough people to give them away to. I also plan to include some squash and herbs (mostly basil). Thanks to Google Maps I attached an aerial photo of my yard, and highlighted some notable features. There are two crape myrtles I drew a blue circle around since they weren't very visible. And the back left corner of the yard is facing due north, for sunlight / shadow considerations. I'm in Marietta, GA which I believe is zone 7.

The interesting thing is that the yard has two very different areas in regards to drainage and moisture. The area indicated by the yellow box seems to retain a LOT more moisture in the soil than the rest of the yard. The weeds absolutely go wild in the yellow zone. My initial thinking was that if the weeds thrive here, maybe veggies would too... but now I read that high moisture isn't as desirable for tomatoes. The rest of the yard drains exceptionally well, which is bad news for my grass during drought conditions / restricted watering! So, my seasoned dirt-ninjas, where do I unleash my tiller?

Garden placement aside, my current progress is that I have some Brandywine red tomato seedlings under grow lights. I'll post some pictures when I get home later. They're looking really nice though! I'm scheduled to get some Stupice, Lillian's Yellow, Cherokee Chocolate, and Aunt Ruby's German Green seeds in this week. I realize I'm a bit late to the game as far as starting my seeds, but the only thing I could find at local nurseries were better boy hybrids, which didn't interest me terribly much. Will I be ok? Or should I just save the seeds for next year, suck it up and buy some plants?

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Comments (6)

dawncols
15 years ago
I'm not an expert, but I think you may be right about the yellow area being a bad spot. Wet soil and wet tomato foliage tends to breed foliage diseases. The advice I've seen has been to pick a spot that gets morning sun and at least 6 hours of sunlight during the day. You can get a pretty good idea by wandering around the yard at several different times of day and seeing where the areas of sun and shade are.

As for your yet-to-arrive seeds--I know that my extension office here in zone 5b says that the last practical planting date for tomatoes here is around June 6. I don't know for your zone when is the "too late" date--your local agricultural extension office might be able to advise you. If you decide to go for it, you can always plant some of your seeds and save some for next year too.

Another option would be to look around for another nursery that has heirlooms. I found one in my area that had Brandywines and Cherokee Purples and Stupice and several other interesting heirlooms.

Congratulations on taking the plunge and enjoy!!

Dawn
dawncols
15 years ago
Oh, I almost forgot--there are also online seed companies that will also sell you tomato plants. So that might be another option if it's too late to start from seed in your area.
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anney
15 years ago
cfed

Boy, you can't get any more precise than GoogleEarth for a property layout!

I'm in Canton, so our weather is pretty similar.

Now, I think I'd aim for the middle of the back yard and put in raised beds so you can mow the grass around them. Are those shrubs around the perimeter? If so, the middle would also be good so you don't have any shading, though with that orientation, you wouldn't have much anyway.

If you put in raised beds and fill them with good compost and you mulch the beds, they should be fine.

I'm going to have some extra heirloom seedlings, though not the ones you list. See if Cuostralee and/or Mortgage Lifter would interest you. I'll also have extra Brandy Boys and Big Beef, both hybrids but absolutely delicious. I'll also have extra New Girls, another hybrid, but early and supposedly much tastier than Early Girl. The former are late or main season tomatoes.

If you'd rather start your own and you've just ordered the seeds, it really isn't too late if they're delivered soon since the growing season is so long. Some of my seedlings have just germinated and have nothing but the cotyledons so far. I probably won't set them out until late April or early May, depending on the weather and their size.

Anyway, let me know if any of these extra seedlings interest you. I'll have to sell or give them away anyway. I can be emailed through Garden Web if you click on my username.
cfed
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the replies guys!

Google just keeps finding ways to make my life easier. :)

Everyone seems sold on the raised bed idea, but I don't have any way to haul the manure, nor do I know of a nearby source (not that I've put much effort into looking just yet). I have a little time to do my homework before it's too critical though. Is it that much better than just laying down a border, tilling the soil and mixing in some organic matter, and dropping the little guys in some holes?

I'll likely do something on the "left" side of the yard, although that will be tricky with the hedge on the border (good eye there, anney!). It's not ideal... I was looking to do something a little bigger than what I'll be able to squeeze in there, but it'll do.

In other news, I got my seeds yesterday! I immediately threw a few of them in peat pellets to get them started. Saving the bulk for next year. Very exciting. anney, I may just take you up on your offer... if you want to trade for a few Brandywine seedlings, I'm certain to have some extras! I'll contact you via email.

And since I promised some pictures of my little guys, here you go:

{{gwi:1316400}}
{{gwi:1316401}}
cfed
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh, I also forgot to ask... is there a drawback to keeping the seedlings under the light all the time? I have a timer I could use, but it's somewhat limited in that the most time it will stay on is 9 hours in a 24-hour period.
hanselmanfarms
15 years ago
i keep the lights on my plants for about 12-14 hrs per day, then shut them off (so the plants and I can sleep/rest). Working well for me.

First Timer - Garden Location?

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