Wanting to start gardening but want your expert advice!

[Jamesthesilkie]

I'm wanting to start a very small garden and I'm looking for some low maintenance plants that will grow all year round. I've looked around but really wanted your advice as it all confuses me. I'm most interested in having stuff to feed the chickens as snacks. I appreciate any advice given! BTW I live in North Carolina

 

[DiYMama540]

Hmmm that's a tough one. The things the chickens like to snack on most aren't really available in the winter. They realllly like my annual flowers You could try some hardy herbs. Yucca, loriope, several shrubs offer winter interest but I've not seen my girls pay much attention to them, other than to hide and scratch.
If you want them to have supplemental greens for winter you could look into growing fodder for them.
Welcome to BYC by the way!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Not exactly sure how cold/hot you get but overall NC looks similar-ish overall to what we've got, so off the top of my head, brassicas are the best option to go year round, with kale and collards being the most cold hardy. My birds will definitely eat kale but it's not their favorite.

Carrots don't handle deep freeze well but I suppose you can mulch around them to keep them going if you do have freeze. My birds like munching on the fronds that they can reach and since most people toss the greens, it's a win-win - you get carrots, the birds get greens.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Winter is kind of a rough spot. Even things that live through the winter tend to lose all their leaves.
I would try kale. red russian holds up to cold well. I'd plant it in a place where it gets shade in the summer to help prevent bolting and mulch it.

 

[Acre4Me]

start a very small garden

stuff to feed the chickens as snacks

Based on these two things: small garden and chicken snacks, I'd go for quicker growth type items or things that will provide benefit. I'd recommend radish and turnip for the greens. Many options for turnips, some are small and some are grown specifically for the greens. Turnips were our surprise crop last year - surprised bc we actually liked them! We picked when they were around 2" diameter, and they were sweet. Can eat fresh or boil for a short bit, steaming can work too. For height, plant some peas. Chickens love them (including stem and leaves when crop is petering out), and you'll be entertained by the chase when you toss a few to the birds. Lastly: Marigolds. They are pretty forgiving of "black thumbs" (people who might not have the gardening knack), they tolerate variable moisture, they love sun, they repel some pests, and *bonus* they will add color to the yolk of the chicken eggs! Look at some chicken feed labels and some include marigold in the ingredients for color of yolk.

Good luck!