Gardening

[NewHopePoultry]

Ive been thinking about planting a vegetable garden next year. Ive never planted a garden before.
Ive done a few roses, etc, but never put much work into them.

Does any one else garden? What do you grow?
Any tips/advice?

 

[hcppam]

I have a veg garden every year. Since Ive moved to the mountains it has gotten harder, this year I am planting under plastic to try to get the temperature up.

I only plant the veg's I know I and my family love to eat as I have a small garden space now. if you enjoy the outdoors and work it can be well it. With the price of food going up it can save you some money.

 

[bzbrown]

I also love planting. I had an amazing garden this past spring/summer. Grew just about everything I could plant and get to sprout here in the hot desert. Now that I know what works, I'll be able to make better use of my garden this year. My best advice is to really pay attention to your planting zone, and current climates. I've worked with 115 degree's down to 35 degree's here in the desert this year and still have a couple things coming along (although I lost most to a recent unexpected frost).

 

[wyoDreamer]

My advice would be to start small and start with something easy - like beans or peas. Grow something you know you like to eat. Lettuce in the spring is good - not too hard to grow, but remember that once it starts to get hot out it will bolt and turn bitter.

Here is how I have started gardens in Wisconsin: Remove the sod from the area you want to garden. I usually start with a 3' wide row. Work the soil down about a foot or so and make it loose. Pick out all the roots and stems you can see. Into a compost pile with that stuff. Water it down good and cover with a clear plastic. After about a week or so, remove the plastic and weed it good. Till and water again, cover with plastic again. AFter another week, removed the plastic and weed. Amend the soil if you need to and put a open wire fence down the center of it. Plant the Pea or Bean seeds along the fence and water regularly. The plants will grow up the fence and the pods are easy to pick as long as you can get to both sides of the fence. Maybe a couple of tomato plants at the ends, they love the heat and humidity of summer.

It can take a couple of years to develop a good garden soil. Mix in compost to keep the soil light and to be able to hold moisture, but make sure it can drain also. Standing water can kill your plants.

My new favorite book is "Square Foot Gardening". You can probably get a copy form the library. He has some really good ideas. I don't follow it exactly because of where I now live, but I do like his concepts.

About 4 years ago I moved to the high mountain desert of Wyoming at 7500 feet in elevation. My biggest problems are the dry desert air, it sucks the moisture out of everything and a total lack of anything resembling garden soil. Here is my solution to that issue. It is about 3 1/3 feet tall in front and 4 foot tall in the back.

and
It keeps the drying winds off the plants. I had 6 tomato plants and ended up getting over 4 dozen tomatoes to full size. And many more that were killed by a frost while I was on vacation for a week in October. The structure also stops the jackrabbits and antelope from eating everything. The panals come off so I can work in it, and they are machine fabric to keep out the pests. The original idea was to use the plastic covered panels to start the garden in the spring and extend the growing season in the fall, then change out to just wire covered panels for summer. But, I discovered that I need the plastic year-round to keep the wind out and the humidity up.

Right now I have spinach, onions and garlic in there. And they are still alive and green. We have had a couple of night-time lows down around -5 and it still has some green plants in there.

 

[Baymen Moe]

Here's a great tip, and I'm a long time gardener, visit the BYC sister site http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/

Tons of info from gardeners accross the country.

 

[kennedyscochins]

Quote:
Thank you. I found that site last night! So excited!

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Quote:
I just joined it!

 

[kla37]

I really miss my old yard in my last house! I had plenty of sunshine and could grow so much. I really loved growing a sunflower playhouse for my kids. It was a great place for them to play! Here are some pics of my old garden on my FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1061259385236.11380.1638497473&type=1&l=bc17f54187

Have some neat bug pics too. I love the one of the caterpillar parasitized by parasitic wasps.

 

[Baptist1611]

Here's a great tip, and I'm a long time gardener, visit the BYC sister site http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/

Tons of info from gardeners accross the country.

Great link! Been looking for a gardening forum

We grow corn,potatoes,beans,peas,collards, and love it...