first garden this year

[weav199]

Get a Farmers Almanac or go their website. GREAT info there. Planting dates, soil temps, etc..

 

[OKIE LADY]

Re: first garden this year
Companion planting IS a great way to get the best out of both herbs and vegetables. I've used it for years. Here are a few of the common combinations.


Basil...................................Companion to tomatoes; repels Flies and Mosquitoes
Chamomile...........................Companion to cabbages and onions
Marigolds............................The WORKHORSE of the garden; use next to ALL
Garlic.................................Plant near raspberries and roses; deters Japanese Beetle
Chervil............................... Companion to radishes
Chives................................Companion to carrots
Petunia...............................Companion to beans
Tansy................................Plant under fruit trees, berries; deters Cucumber Beetles, Squash Bugs
Horseradish...................... Plant at corners of potato patch; deters Potato Bug
Borage...............................Companion to tomatoes, squash, strawberries; deters Tomato Worm
Rosemary...........................Companion to cabbage, beans, carrots; deters cabbage moth, carrot fly

Fennel.................................Most other plants dislike it; plant in a separate area from other plants

 

[OKIE LADY]

Vertical growing is a great way to start a garden, especially in an urban environment. Here are a few reasons I've found and used regarding Vertical growing.

1........More air and sunlight reach plants; if plants (like tomatoes) have leaves too close and thick at the base, the leaves tend to turn yellow, rot and cause problems.
2........Yields are generally higher because plant is getting more sun, aeration, and water
3....... Fruit is cleaner and less susceptible to rot, bugs and slugs
4........Cultivating and harvesting are easier
5........Requires less space in garden therefore giving more room for herbs, or other vegetables
6........Provides a framework for plant coverings. This is becoming more and more important in “todays” elevated temps. Getting covers for my vegetables is a main concern now.
7.........Makes watering more efficient
8.........Creates a shady spot for other plants that don't like full sun
9.........Makes managing bugs easier
10.......Gives companion plants more room to “do their job”

 

[SDS]

Not sure what your garden space is but you might want to read up on square foot gardening. It's not the end all be all of gardening but it has helped me plan out my garden and be more purposeful about what and where I plant. It will give you a good idea of how much room you need for each plant or plants.

I'm still learning as I go.

SDS

 

[BadgeBunny]

Here's another "learning as I'm going" post. And gardening is one of the things I've not been very successful with -- so far. Thank goodness I wouldn't have a problem butchering any of "my babies" (that would be the chickens or the rabbits ...). Although I'd probably wind up taking GC to counseling if I killed off any of those chickens ... He's awful fond of them ... Dunno what I'm gonna do when it comes time to "refresh" year after next ...

I've set up a couple of small raised beds and one big one. I'm also gonna try some vertical gardening on the fence line (with some cucumbers and maybe a melon plant or two) and some containers on the patio -- specifically a potato barrel and some self-watering containers.

In the front, if I can get a herb/flower garden off the ground in that front flower bed, and a couple of fig trees to make it through the hottest part of the summer then I'll feel like I've accomplished what I sat out to do this year.

Wish me luck -- Based on past years' experiences I'm gonna need it.

Thanks to Cinaet I am now actually growing sprouts, not just watching them sprout and then wither away and die! Sometimes it's the most obvious things that will get you!

ETA: Oh ... and I almost forgot. I'm gonna give growing some microgreens a try. I figure after I "mow" the greens I can flip the trays over and feed the chickens the roots (maybe some greens too), let them dig through it, walk on it, poo on it, mix it in with the hay real good and then have some killer compost for next year.

 

[Paulinok]

If you're planting seeds directly into the ground, plant 3 in every spot where you want 1 plant. When they start to spout you can choose which (if any) to keep. We buy seed starter kits and start ours inside, and transplant them after the last freeze is supposedly past. Use the internet and plan your spacing of plants ahead of time. For instance don't plant your tomato plants 6 inches apart, you'll need more like 3 feet! EVERYONE can tell you how to best garden, but you should write EVERYTHING down so you'll remember what worked for you and what didnt' next year.

 

[OKIE LADY]

Good idea on the journal keeping; will add that to my agenda. One of the most important things I've learned about seeds, is to use ORGANIC, NON-HYBRID seeds. I used to think the word "organic" was just a fancy way some people ate (like drinking Perrier water). Besides learning what it meant regarding foods, I learned, most importantly, that HYBRID (or ANY seeds that DO NOT SAY "Organic") produce seeds that will either produce smaller and less desirable produce the second year, or be sterile and produce NOTHING at all. I did see in WalMart's inside "seasonal area", some Organic seeds by Ferry Morris. The prices were good, just hope the plants will be. Ferry Morris is pretty reliable though. Worth a try on a smaller basis.

 

[amcardon]

I'll be putting in my first garden this year as well. Was shocked that our landlord approved a 4x8 raised bed in the back-yard. Anyway, started some tomatoes inside and are trying to figure out how to get the most use out of our 32 sq feet. Some good ideas on here that I'll definitely be looking into!

 

[voodoobass]

This will be my third year in trying to grow a veggie garden. Trying is very much an operative word here in the Oklahoma heat! I roll the dice a bit by planting a bit earlier than most. I've always heard that you should wait till after Easter to plant, but I planted about 2 1/2 weeks before that last year, with fairly good results. We had fairly good success, until the heat came, then, it was pretty much game over. Spinach did well for a while, early on, then seemed to just fade away. Tomatos, potatos, peppers, cantalopes, and cukes and zukes seemed to fair the best. Peas, strawberries, broccoli, and carrots have been pretty much a wash. Either bugs or the heat or something I'm doing wrong have resulted in none of them providing so much as a bite of food. Lettuce was another that proved to be pretty hardy. I let a few of those go to seed and now I have romaine lettuce popping up across the yard!
I started doing this after heart surgery to give myself a bit of exercise. I soon learned that it was a LOT more than a bit!!! Between the tilling, planting, bug picking, weeding and all the rest of it, I got PLENTY of exercise! It's actually a lot of fun, as well as hard work, and nothing tastes as good as food you've grown yourself. My best advice is, dive in, have fun, and check your plants every day. You'll be amazed at how quick a couple of tomato worms can strip a whole plant down to sticks and stems. Hey,...wasn't there some old song about that?????

 

[2busy]

My back is killing me! I've been building up 2 rows for potatoes. Several layers of hay and soil. Got that tip from an old small town gardener. My wife and I put in a large garden twice a year. I'll be glad to help if I can.

Did the small town gardener happen to mention hay might contain herbicides? Also that some of the herbicides may stay in the soil for years afterwards and some of them are also in some of the animal feed even after being processed.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/okgard/msg011011573022.html?3
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/herbicide-damage-zmgz13fmzsto.aspx