Starting a garden from scratch

[theuglychick]

Gardening newbie here.

A few years ago I attempted to grow a vegetable garden.

It was small, about 10x8'. I started with corn, okra, Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, zucchini, and crook-neck squash.

My corn grew into balls, my okra was raided by ants, and I somehow ended up with crook-neck cucumbers. Surprisingly, the zucchini flourished.

It was a fun, kind of expensive failure.

I want to try again for spring and I want to do it right. I'm thinking of just starting with one or two vegetables, mastering it, then adding more vegetables each year as I learn.

Can y'all suggest some good veggies to start with that are complimentary and can be grown together? I'm in southeast Louisiana.

Any help is most appreciated!

 

[R2elk]

Gardening newbie here.

A few years ago I attempted to grow a vegetable garden.

It was small, about 10x8'. I started with corn, okra, Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, zucchini, and crook-neck squash.

My corn grew into balls, my okra was raided by ants, and I somehow ended up with crook-neck cucumbers. Surprisingly, the zucchini flourished.

It was a fun, kind of expensive failure.

I want to try again for spring and I want to do it right. I'm thinking of just starting with one or two vegetables, mastering it, then adding more vegetables each year as I learn.

Can y'all suggest some good veggies to start with that are complimentary and can be grown together? I'm in southeast Louisiana.

Any help is most appreciated!

I highly do not recommend growing corn in such a small garden. If you like cherry tomatoes, I have not found one better than Gold Nugget. It is a highly productive determinate yellow/orange cherry tomato that thrives in heat. It is the only tomato plant that I have found that will not only bloom but will also set fruit in my greenhouse which during the summer months reaches temperatures over 100°F daily. Of course because it loves heat, it will die at the first sign of frost.

 

[theuglychick]

I highly do not recommend growing corn in such a small garden. If you like cherry tomatoes, I have not found one better than Gold Nugget. It is a highly productive determinate yellow/orange cherry tomato that thrives in heat. It is the only tomato plant that I have found that will not only bloom but will also set fruit in my greenhouse which during the summer months reaches temperatures over 100°F daily. Of course because it loves heat, it will die at the first sign of frost.

Yea, I don't recommend it either, lol! I had one row and it was an epic fail. I'd like to grow some corn, but I need to hone my gardening skills. What size area would you recommend?

Can cherry tomatoes be used for canning and stews?

 

[R2elk]

Yea, I don't recommend it either, lol! I had one row and it was an epic fail. I'd like to grow some corn, but I need to hone my gardening skills. What size area would you recommend?

Can cherry tomatoes be used for canning and stews?

Cherry tomatoes can be used for canning but I would not recommend it. Far too much work to peel so many tomatoes. The Gold Nugget tomatoes I recommend for snacking right off the vine or for use in salads.

For canning tomatoes use any of the large size varieties. You are in a warm enough zone that you can grow any of the long season tomatoes and heirloom varieties.

Way back when I grew corn, we grew it in minimum 1/2 acre sections and bigger areas. There are new varieties that have been designed for smaller spaces. Any of the large online or catalog seed companies have good descriptions of varieties available.

 

[theuglychick]

Cherry tomatoes can be used for canning but I would not recommend it. Far too much work to peel so many tomatoes. The Gold Nugget tomatoes I recommend for snacking right off the vine or for use in salads.

For canning tomatoes use any of the large size varieties. You are in a warm enough zone that you can grow any of the long season tomatoes and heirloom varieties.

Way back when I grew corn, we grew it in minimum 1/2 acre sections and bigger areas. There are new varieties that have been designed for smaller spaces. Any of the large online or catalog seed companies have good descriptions of varieties available.

Thanks for all the advice!

I like white shoe peg corn, so I guess I'll start looking into what I need to do for that for next year.

 

[RUNuts]

Peppers. Hot Jalapeno or mild banana. Not only to the bugs not over whelm them, the birds only attack when they are red. This is from my SW Louisiana and SE Texas attempts. We started again this year.

The butternut squash did well one year until the house painters mauled the garden. Didn't see that one coming.

I love tomatoes but the bugs win. The beefsteaks just don't survive without pesticides. The cherry tomatoes did well. The kids took care of those off the vines. Just planted another set for a fall crop.