Great resource for beginner starting a new garden?
O O (Illinois Zone 5a)
8 years ago
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theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoO O (Illinois Zone 5a) thanked theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)Related Discussions
getting started on a new garden on new piece of land
Comments (2)I remember when I bought my ten acres in Kansas. There were sparse plants scattered throughout, but basically no real layout had ever been planned on the land. I started where people enter, i.e., the long driveway leading up to the house and planted "welcoming plants" (big, bushy roses)up the path. From there, everything was friendly (violets, bluebells and such) and basically gave the impression of "welcome". Eventually, I added cut flowers for Memorial day, birthdays and anniversarys, an herb garden not too far from the house and winding paths leading toward the back of the property, where I put in my fruit orchard, complete with thornless blackberries and such. To enclose the entire thing, I added grapevines. Amend your soil, check it's pH, make sure your compost doesn't contain too many weed seeds and plant things that can survive droughts....See MoreStarting a Garden in San Antonio Brand New to Gardening
Comments (10)Hello Flutterby ! I hope you love gardening as much as the rest of us do ! GardenWeb is a great research tool for you, as there is lots to learn, and plenty of valuable people here who can point you in the right direction. Depending on what part of town you're in, your soil could be different than others. North usually has a lot of rock, while other areas are great blackland. Either way, a raised bed is definitely the way to go. Personally, I don't think that I would grow herbs in pots (unless they are large) because our hot summers just seem to dry out the pots too quickly. That being said, I don't grow herbs, so I really can't say that firsthand. I do grow hundreds in pots though, and water constantly during the hot months. What grows well here ? Well, I'm terribly fond of salvias, and natives. I venture to say that many here will agree with the native side of that. A good way to determine what will do well in your area is a drive around the neighborhood to see what plants are doing nicely in yards and public areas. Starter plants -- one of my favorite nurseries is Rainbow Gardens. There are two locations in SA. Pretty soon (maybe March) they will start running a weekly ad in the Express News with great plants at great prices, and usually a freebie when you make a purchase. They have an awesome choice of herbs, as well. I also like the Antique Rose Emporium. Many of us also drop by Lowes clearance racks now and then for some really good deals ! Some stores are better than others. I prefer plants rather than seeds, just to get a headstart on things. But I don't usually buy large plants, because of the cost. Stick with 4" or 1-gallon and they'll get to that larger size soon enough at a fraction of the cost. Something else you may want to consider is attending our plant swaps. You may find the San Antonio swap post on the first page of GardenWeb, or it may have gotten to the second page by now. Or look for it also listed on the Texas Exchange sub-forum. The spring swap is March 10. You will learn a lot by attending the swaps and no doubt will go home with some plants. I also attend the Buda swap, which is April 17. I've been going to these swaps since the first one for Central Texas was started over 12 years ago. They are awesome ! You go home with all kinds of plants you couldn't find in a local nursery, and you make the best friends ! Please feel free to contact me directly by email if you want more information. Regarding your other questions, I'll let those with more knowledge about the timeline answer those for you. Mainly, you just need to watch out for those late freezes ! patty...See MoreBeginner Gardener needs advice on beets, sugar snap peas & seed starts
Comments (7)Renee- I don't do many vegetables in containers, but what you describe with your beets sounds like damping off- ?fungal thing that can happen when conditions are a little moist. If you look it up and that sounds like what happened, I think they recommend having a fan to keep the air moving around your seedlings can help prevent it. Here is a link to some recommended fall growing dates for Texas. Your local extension office might be able to give information more tailored to your specific area re: growing dates and the best way to amend your soil. You're right though- the time and effort you put into amending your future vegetable beds now will pay off a lot down the road. Texas fall vegetable growing dates Sorry I can't be more help- your area is really different than mine and don't want to lead you down the wrong path. Lisa PS I can't tell from your original post if you direct seeded your beets or if you were planning on transplanting, but as a general rule root crops need to be directed seeded. They don't tolerate being moved. I pretty much direct seed all my fall vegetables. Some spring things I transplant if I want to get a jump on getting them going in before it heats up too much. I would assume it would be similar in your area, but that's an assumption on my part. Lisa...See MoreNew to Tacoma, WA Gardening & Need Resources
Comments (5)I would contact the Tacoma Garden Club. They seem to update their website regularly: http://www.tacomagardenclub.org/ Also, make sure you check the Dirt Alert map to make sure you're soil isn't contaminated with lots of arsenic and lead (my company does a lot of testing in the Puget Sound and your area is quite bad due to the smelter). You may have to used raised beds if you plan to plant leafy or root veggies....See MoreO O (Illinois Zone 5a)
8 years agoO O (Illinois Zone 5a)
8 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years agoO O (Illinois Zone 5a)
8 years ago
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