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What are some tips for a beginner gardener like me?

In summary, the speaker is discussing their plans for their garden this year. They have already started planting radishes, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, basil, oregano, parsley, dill, cucumbers, chives, and strawberries. They also plan to plant corn and wildflowers. The speaker also mentions that they will be borrowing a rototiller and making compost to improve their garden. They are also excited to learn from a friend who is a "Master Gardener" and they hope to expand their garden space using hanging containers and pots.
janetupnorth
Gold Member
14,905
What are you planting this year?

I just started...(inside)

Radishes
Tomatoes
Green Peppers
Hot Peppers (variety)
Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Dill
Cucumbers (pickling variety)
Chives and Strawberries (coming back up from previous years)

I also have corn and wildflowers to try to start...

I'm borrowing a rototiller soon and having DH make a spot for me...we have some compost from last year to hopefully help...

DH and I are also mentoring a couple and she just happens to have about an acre garden! She's also has tons of lilac bushes so I'm going to get some lilacs and rhubarb from her to plant. (Unfortunately that means I can't really harvest the rhubarb this year...)

A lot for me to learn...we'll see how this rookie does!
 
Whooo Hoooo! It's Garden Time!Let's see,From last year, this is what survived the winter:Blackberries
Rhubarb
Chives
Rosemary
Thyme
Parsley
the herbs were all in pots and sitting inside the sunporch for the winter - they did GREAT!What I have started (inside):Watermelon
10 Tomato Plants (5 varieties)
6 Pepper Plants (Red, Yellow, and Chili)
Basil (in a pot)
Cilantro (which I failed at last year, so I've been studying! Also in a pot)
Lavendar (in a pot)To Plant This Week:Sugar Snap Peas
Spinach
Swiss ChardTo Plant Memorial Day Weekend:Butternut Squash
Pumpkin
Green Beans
Yellow Beans
Tomatoes (transplant)
Peppers (transplant)
Watermelon (transplant)I WANT LILACS!!! Every Mother's Day and Birthday, I ask for them...haven't gotten them yet though. :( My SIL is going to give me parts of a bunch of her perennials. I'm so geeked about that! She has Day Lilies, and Hostas, and Ferns....and various other perennials that I'm not sure what they are called, but I want them! :)I'm in a never-ending quest to figure out a way to expand my garden space. Didn't you do the hanging tomatoes last year? How did that work out? I'm thinking I have laundry line posts I never use, and I could hang tomatoes and peppers from there, if that would work....We just finished our green beans from last year, and have a couple packages of squash, and yellow beans left, and about 6 jars of salsa...I love that what I harvested last year brought us through the winter this year! Saving money, teaching Micah important life lessons, and having fun! I LOVE GARDENING!
 
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  • #3
Yes, they did decent, but could have done better. They were on a old wood swingset frame. They got overwatered by the kids once though which hindered them a little.I just learned that by me peppers do MUCH better in containers so I'm going to maybe try that this year. They can sit by the garden or other places if need be...The person I'm talking with has taken all the UW-Extension courses and is classified as a "Master Gardener" so I'm hoping she can teach me a lot. She said the basics are make sure you weed, water consistently and compost...
 
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  • #4
Oh, my herbs are in an old sherbert container or little pots...I started seeds in paper dixie cups to go outside later...
 
janetupnorth said:
Yes, they did decent, but could have done better. They were on a old wood swingset frame. They got overwatered by the kids once though which hindered them a little.I just learned that by me peppers do MUCH better in containers so I'm going to maybe try that this year. They can sit by the garden or other places if need be...The person I'm talking with has taken all the UW-Extension courses and is classified as a "Master Gardener" so I'm hoping she can teach me a lot. She said the basics are make sure you weed, water consistently and compost...
My peppers didn't do well last year at all - it took them FOREVER to mature. I was wondering if they'd do better in pots, which is why I wondered about hanging them. Rick just added full length steps to the back deck he built, so I have room for pots...I am going to put herbs there, but I think I could put peppers there too.You are going to have to update me on everything you are learning from your Master Gardener! How exciting to have that opportunity! YEA!
 
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  • #6
...and anyone else can feel free to jump in here... :)
 
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  • #7
If you go to my blog and go to July of 2008, you'll see the plants there a little from last year...
 
janetupnorth said:
...and anyone else can feel free to jump in here... :)

Yes - I know that there are other gardeners here!
 
I'm a wanna-be gardner. I have three tomato plants on the deck, we'll see how those do. I have a fenced off section of my back yard that I'd love to convert into a garden (with three dogs, that's the only place it'd survive), but it would need a lot of work to get to that point. There is a pond in there that needs to come out, and there are too many trees shading it. There's a big butterfly bush that I love, but would have to come out. I wonder if I could transplant a piece of it...

Maybe I'll work on clearing it this year, and actually plant some things next year.
 
  • #10
I'm so jealous, I don't have the room for a big garden!!! We are getting crates from a local farm weekly from May to October :)

But this year I have/growing at home:

Rosemary
Chives
Cilantro
basil
Strawberries
Parsley
Rhubarb
Tomatoes
hot peppers (3 kinds)
 
  • #11
I forgot to add that we have a ton of flowers and different plants on the deck and around the yard. We are having a real bad deer problem though. As much as I love wild life I don't enjoy them eating all my Spring time bulbs :(
 
  • #12
We are changing our garden this year which I am super happy about it cause we can't seem to grow anything in it except corn really well we think this women who we bought the house from just dumped anything and everything there in the garden so my family got me a book called the Vegetable Garden Bible and it talks about raised beds and for our growning area it is better for us change the garden over to raised beds cause our growning season here isn't very long. So this is what we are going to plant this year:

From Last year:
Blackberry
Strawberry
Raspberry
Rhurbarb

New this year:
Garlic
Yellow Pear Tomatoe
Cherry Tomato
Celebrity Tomato
Beets
Pumpink
Carrots
Yellow Crookneck Squash
Sweet Corn
Bush Beans
Sugar Snap Peas
Red Potatoes
Walla Walla Sweet Onions
Cucumbers
Zuccinni
Green, Red, & Yellow Sweet Peppers

Gosh I think that is it but I have misplaced my list of what we are doing lol but I am glad to see a gardening thread I love gardening :)
 
  • #13
Love this gardening thread! We are garden freaks .. we built a greenhouse this spring at the end of our house, and now have over 300 plants that we started from seed. We have various gardens, including raised beds, vegetable gardens, fruits and flower gardens. Last year we built a Japanese raked gravel garden. This is my favorite time of year.
 
  • #14
That is great I love gardening as well I have flower beds all over the yard and my rose bushes as well and then with the way our veggie garden has been going the last few summers we decided to cover it all and start over with fresh new raised beds cause they will hold the heat in and we could actually plant more things faster then if we wait and put them in the ground around here our growing season is so weird sometimes we get snow clear into june so normally we can't even plant our seeds till then cause the ground freezes but hubby been talking to some of the people around town who switched over to raised beds and they have been able to plant mid may to late may which is earlier then we normally get to with us putting them directly in the ground.
 
  • #15
I've always wanted to do some raised bed gardening...just need to convince DH that he needs to build the bed frames. :D
 
  • #16
I haven't even started my herb garden, yet (I do herbs, hubby does the rest). Last year I had:
Rosemary
Lavendar
Oregano
Basil
Purple Basil
Spearmint
Thyme

Everything grew pretty well, and I loved using fresh herbs (as well as, of course, my Herb Keeper and Kitchen Shears), but the Lavendar never blossomed. Left the plants outside during the winter, because there's no place to keep them in the house, so I have to start all over again this year. Mentioned it to DH yesterday, and he made a snide remark about not wanting to bother planting since I never take care of the plants. I told him, excuse me, MY plants did wonderfully last year, and I was out there all the time snipping fresh herbs to use in my cooking. His tomatoes, peppers, etc., however, were so bug-ridden, I didn't want to use them for anything!
 
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  • #17
ChefBeckyD said:
I've always wanted to do some raised bed gardening...just need to convince DH that he needs to build the bed frames. :D

Ditto here...but I'm just happy he'll run the rototiller to clear a spot...
 
  • #18
janetupnorth said:
Ditto here...but I'm just happy he'll run the rototiller to clear a spot...

LOL - same here. Especially since he's been so busy doing the addition on the house. He told me he would make time to use the rototiller this week though.
 
  • #19
In a copper washtub I planted all my herbs
cilantro
2 kinds of basil
rosemary
chives
dill
sage
parsley
2 types of oregano
thymeIn the garden
mesculin lettuce
lettuce
habeneros
jalepenos
bell peppers
tabasco peppers
cucumbers
squash
zucchini
potatoes
onions
asparagus
garlic
tomatoes all varieties roma, cherry, regular
peas
green beans
spinach
 
  • #20
My garden this year is in and I am loving that !!!

I planted:

from last year:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Oregano

this year:
grape tomatoes
plum tomatoes
beefsteak tomatoes
green beans
eggplant
zuccini
cucumbers
red,yellow and green peppers
coriander
basil
broccolli
celery

Every year I try something new and this year it is celery. Last year it was 2 different kinds of lettuce, but it seems that one night a verrrry hungry bunny had a feast. I woke up the morning of a family party at my house (which was supposed to include the lettuce for a salad) and just the stalks that the lettuce grows on where left there!!!!:mad:
 
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  • #21
I heard blood meal works well as a rabbit repellent...
 
  • #22
ChefBeckyD said:
LOL - same here. Especially since he's been so busy doing the addition on the house. He told me he would make time to use the rototiller this week though.

We are doing an addition on to our house as well this summer we are building me an office and laundry room and 3/4 bath so it should be fun
 
  • #23
christinaspc said:
We are doing an addition on to our house as well this summer we are building me an office and laundry room and 3/4 bath so it should be fun

LOL - we actually started it last summer, but since DH is working on it nights and weekends...and during the winter it was many times too cold to work on it, the project is still in progress.
We have a new roof, and new siding, a new 1/2 length covered front porch, a new 4 seasons sunroom, and a new back deck. The roof is completely done. The back deck is completely done (at least, it looks like it to me!) the siding, the front porch, and the sunroom are all still in progress.
 
  • #24
I'm so very envious of ya'll that are able to grow Rhubarb, growing conditions for it here are not very good.

So far in the garden this year I have:

Tomatoes (23 plants, 4 varieties)
Cucumbers (19 plants/burpless and pickling)
Okra
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Carrots
Sweet Onions
Scallions
Radishes
Cantelopes
Sugar Baby Watermelons
Carolina Cross Watermelons
Pumpkins

I had the same last year with the addition of corn, but the worms made quite the mess of the corn and they ultimately became deer food.
 
  • #25
I have my garden already to go but the weather needs to warm up a little bit. I will be planting;

Cherry Tomato
Grape Tomato
Plum Tomato
Beef Stake Tomato
String Beans
Cucumbers
Zuccinni
Green Peppers
Egg Plant
Basil
 
  • #26
Cool thread!!!

Our garden is bigger in square footage than our house. LOL
We planted two weekend ago:
Corn
Pumpkins
Watermelon
Cantalope
Zuccinie (yeah, I can spell)
Squash
Peas
Green Beans
Peppers
Cucumbers
Radishes
Lettus
Carrots
Tomatoes

I CAN'T wait!!! I have been on the road with DH for the last two summers - no garden.
 
  • #27
SPVA said:
I'm so very envious of ya'll that are able to grow Rhubarb, growing conditions for it here are not very good.

So far in the garden this year I have:

Tomatoes (23 plants, 4 varieties)
Cucumbers (19 plants/burpless and pickling)
Okra
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Carrots
Sweet Onions
Scallions
Radishes
Cantelopes
Sugar Baby Watermelons
Carolina Cross Watermelons
Pumpkins

I had the same last year with the addition of corn, but the worms made quite the mess of the corn and they ultimately became deer food.


I refuse to ever grow corn again! A few years back, I had a bumper crop. It was BEAUTIFUL! I could hardly wait until I could harvest it. I woke up one morning, and told DH that today was the day, and we'd have fresh sweet corn from the garden for dinner. I went out that morning, and apparently, the raccoons also knew that today was the day, and they had stripped and eaten parts of almost every single stalk of corn. they must have called all of their coon friends and had a corn-pickin' party. :cry::grumpy::cry: They left just enough for us to have dinner that night. I'll never grow corn again, just to supply the raccoon population with party food.
 
  • #28
We're not planning a garden, but DH found a morel mushroom in the yard tonight when he was pre-mow cleaning up.
 
  • #29
chefann said:
We're not planning a garden, but DH found a morel mushroom in the yard tonight when he was pre-mow cleaning up.

LOL - that's like finding gold!
 
  • #30
My DH does the gardening but we are planning

Tomatoes
strawberries
cucumbers
broccli
lettuce

Dont know what else he usually does the picking of the plants

Although we are getting rid of our rubarb.
 
  • #31
ChefBeckyD said:
LOL - that's like finding gold!

It was just one. There was a second, but he said there were critter bites out of it. We haven't cooked the one yet because we were checking various mushroom sites online to see if it was an actual morel, and not one of the really nasty look-alikes.
 
  • #32
my garden is loving all the rain we have been getting here & is growing like crazy! I have
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
cucumbers
green peppers
banana peppers
radishes
lettuce mix
green beans
corn
okra
zuchinni
yellow squash
eggplant
cantaloupedill
oregano
parsley
bee balm
basilwe hope to add fruit trees in the fall!
 
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  • #33
luvmytees said:
my garden is loving all the rain we have been getting here & is growing like crazy! I have
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
cucumbers
green peppers
banana peppers
radishes
lettuce mix
green beans
corn
okra
zuchinni
yellow squash
eggplant
cantaloupe

dill
oregano
parsley
bee balm
basil

we hope to add fruit trees in the fall!

I'm jealous...I can't get things in the ground for another 2 weeks... :(
 
  • #34
janetupnorth said:
I'm jealous...I can't get things in the ground for another 2 weeks... :(

Looks like we won't be able to get anything into the ground this week either. Frost warnings...and then RAIN! :(

I'm getting impatient!
 
  • #35
my garden is in too..

planted my sweet potatoes and tomatoes last weekend.. :)
will be picking kale and lettuce within the next week or so... pea's in about 2 weeks. they are blooming now...
 
  • #36
colegrovet said:
my garden is in too..

planted my sweet potatoes and tomatoes last weekend.. :)
will be picking kale and lettuce within the next week or so... pea's in about 2 weeks. they are blooming now...

Terry - tell me how you did your sweet potatoes!
 
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  • #37
Radishes sprouting up...cucumbers starting to pop up...
 
  • #38
Dh just got our garden planted today. We also added some canatlope and watermelon. We will see how well it grows.
 
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  • #39
I actually had a little dill sprouting this a.m. - that is early since I started everything the same day...dill usually takes longer...Considering it is currently 38 degrees out now and supposed to be freezing at night the next two days, my stuff won't get outside for a few more weeks.
 
  • #40
Geeze.. I hate to say it..but I am already eating tomatoes and jalapeno peppers out of my garden.. I even had tomato plants and one jalapeno plant thriving from last year ( we never really got a freeze snap this year) I planted months ago and already getting tomatoes. Raised beds are the best way to grow veges. They use new soil (more weed free) and the sides act as a barrier for more weeds.. so it is easiest to keep weeded. Love the stories!!! Keep us posted on the results!! We now need a post for best canning recipes.. I have a KILLER
Hot Green Bean Crispy Pickles recipe... my kids can't get enough!!!! and you heat them according to preference.(with pepper or not) I would love to know some of your recipes
 
  • #41
gingertannery said:
Geeze.. I hate to say it..but I am already eating tomatoes and jalapeno peppers out of my garden.. I even had tomato plants and one jalapeno plant thriving from last year ( we never really got a freeze snap this year) I planted months ago and already getting tomatoes. Raised beds are the best way to grow veges. They use new soil (more weed free) and the sides act as a barrier for more weeds.. so it is easiest to keep weeded. Love the stories!!! Keep us posted on the results!! We now need a post for best canning recipes.. I have a KILLER
Hot Green Bean Crispy Pickles recipe... my kids can't get enough!!!!
and you heat them according to preference.(with pepper or not) I would love to know some of your recipes

I NEED that recipe! (pretty please?:blushing:)


And I'm jealous....waiting for the time when it's safe to plant here...
 
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  • #42
How can it be 85 degrees at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and 30 degrees at 7 p.m. on Thursday - UGH!!!!!!!!!!!My cucumber plants are doing well, dill is looking weak..., tomatoes starting good and my first pepper plant popped up today. I can't wait to get things in the ground though!
 
  • #43
We have a garden this year for the first time in years. My dh says he is not sure if we can call it a garden because I have more flowers for cutting than vegetables but that really isn't true, well, maybe it is. Anyway we have

radishes we are eating these and going to plant more
red, yellow and green peppers
zuccinni
yellow squash
tomatoes 3 varieties
cilantro picked that several times already
basil picked this too... yum
sunflowers
zinnias
LOADS of Cosmos my favorite
asters
watermelon
cucumbers
cantelope

seems like there is more but I can't recall right now. I can't wait to
start cutting the flowers.
People are finishing up cutting their broccoli
here and sugar snap peas will be done soon too.
We didn't begin any where near early enough for those!
 

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