Beginning veg gardening for cheapos?

Most, maybe all, of the cooking & tea type herbs (and everything else too) that you'd start from seed, then transplant, will do best if started in a warmer spot. Come to think about it, most things won't sprout at all if too cold. Of course, there are some things that won't sprout unless they've been cold (it's called "stratification") and even more things that are best to not start from seed (rosemary, mint & a few others) and some that won't start from seed at all (for example: french tarragon - it's sterile). In fact, there are some seeds that need to be scratched up to get them to germinate, it's called "scarification".

Some key things about germinating: For sprouting, most seeds want warm & moist conditions for germinating. Most sprouts are very tender & weak. Basically, sprouting (germinating) falls into two categories: in "soil" or not. By in "soil" I mean that the seed is put into a pot or the ground. The pot can have soil (you know - dirt) in it or a "soil-less" mix. Whether in the ground or in a pot, I very strongly recommend using the commercial product "Jiffy-Mix" to cover the seeds. It is a very distinct dark color when moist, so you know the seeds aren't dry and you can see where the seeds were put. Also, and very important, it won't crust over. Even good garden soil can crust over when a little dry and it can be enough to prevent a sprouted seed from being able to break the surface... and that ain't good.
That brings me to not in the soil seed germination. This is good for doing germination tests too. Here's the way I do it. Lay out a paper towel. Spray it lightly, I use a small hand pump spray bottle. Place the seeds on half of the towel, an inch or so apart, depending on the size of the seeds. Just give them plenty of room. Carefully fold the paper towel over to cover the seeds, pressing gently to sort of seal it. Then fold the paper towel enough to fit into a sandwich size zip lock bag. In or on the bag, mark it so you'll know what it is. Then I put it into a large zip lock bag with other things being sprouted. Then the large bag is put in a warm place. My refirdgerator is in an alcove type thing, surrounded by cabinates. I put the large bag on top of the fridge & it's always nice and warm... 72 or so degrees. Check the bags a time or two each day to be sure they are moist (NOT WET) and to see if the seeds have germinated. What usually happens is that the first day or two, the seeds soak up a lot of the moisture, so watch out for that. Then in a few more days a couple seeds will germinate, then over the next few days most will germinate, then eventually some more might. Usually you won't get 100% germination, but sometimes you will. Anyway, when the seeds germinate, prepare a small pot. Fill it with soil, but leave a deep enough hole to put the seedling into. Have more soil (or Jiffy-Mix) ready to fill the hole. Have water standing by to give the pot a good watering after the seedling is in it. When, and only when, ALL this is ready, very carefully unfold the paper towel, tearing the towel apart if needed to remove the seedling. It will be very, very, very delicate at this point. The fine little hairs on the root especially so. If you've waited a little too long (or the seedling developed faster than seems possible) handle it by the leafs. Anyhow, put it in the hole in the soil in the pot, fill in the hole, gently firm the soil and water it... just that quick. Give the new plant some, but not too much light the first day, and plenty of light after that.

Cuttings (divisions): Knowing how to propogate by cuttings is of absolute importantance, especially with herbs. Some things, like rosemary, can be grown from seed, but it is very hard to do. Other things, like oragano & thyme, can be grown from seed and do ok, but you're not sure what you'll get. Mint is usually suggested to not be grown from seed, because it cross pollinates so easily, and has been doing that for so long, that you don't know what you'll get. If you've got some time, some space and a little money, someday start a bunch of mint from seed. You'll see that what comes up is a wide variety of sizes, leaf shapes, tastes & fragerances. Pick the ones you like & propogate from cuttings. Somethings, like french tarragon, are sterile & therefore don't produce seeds, and therefore must be propogated by cuttings or dividing the plants. Beware if seed suppliers trying to sell peppermint (or other mint) seeds. If they are selling tarragon seeds, it'll be russian or german tarragon... nice looking plants, but no good for cooking.

No, they are annuals. Basil is particularly tender, more so than tomatoes and peppers. Harvest by picking leaves as you need them then at the end of the year, harvest & dry what's left. Pinch the flowers off all except your best basil plant. Basil is self polinating and one plant will produce a huge amount of seeds (for next year). Cilantro/coriander/chinese parsley is something I don't do much with, haven't found a market for it. It grows easily from seed and is an "aquired taste" kind of thing. It's weird, it's cilantro if you're picking & using the leaves. Coriander if you're using the seeds. It comes from southern Europe & western Asia, but the Chinese and Mexican cooks love & use it a lot. It's not as tender as basil (few things are).

Well, I don't think there's any end to things to know about herbs. I litterly have a bookcase full of books, including two encyclopedias, about herbs. But in general, a couple things to keep in mind are (1) if you buy them at the grocery store they are ounce for ounce much more expensive than veggies. Equal to several dollars per pound to thousands per pound (saffron). That makes them good to grow so you can use as much as you like, give some away, or use as for bartering. Another thing, when using fresh herbs for cooking, use very little. Add only a little, sample, add more if needed, sample, etc. It's easy to add, but you can't take it out. And fresh herbs are much stronger than old, dried, from the store herbs & can easily overwhelm a pasta sauce etc.
Also a word or two about medicinal herbs. I'm not talking about mint grown for teas, or aloe for burns & bug bites and that sort of thing. Here I'm refering to herbs for treating migraine, blood pressure, memory problems, sleeplessness, etc. The flavors and medicinal properties of herbs come from chemicals the plants produce. The amounts and concentrations of these chemicals can and do vary within each individual plant during the growing season. And they will vary from plant to plant within your garden. Correcting for these variations and extracting and formulating medicines, etc., is NOT for the beginner. These are things for the expert gardener and expert herbalist.... what I call the advanced expert. Oh, I grow a lot of them, including vervain, valarian, St. John's wort, Goto Kola, Fo Ti, ashwaganda, goldenseal, gensing, ginko, wormwood, echinaccea, feverfew, among others in my specimen garden. But only to have & look at and learn about, etc., not for use. I also have a section of the specimen garden for herbs used to make dyes.

Planting dates will vary. Some things you maight not transplant until a few weeks after the last frost date, other things you'll want to start pretty soon !!!

Damn, I do go on & on. Well, once again, the poor_old_fingers are tired.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

Wow, lots of really good info in that last post! I definitely want to have as many herbs as I can, both outdoors and in the house. I'll get what I can from friends to start some things from cuttings. And I'll buy small plants or start from seed for the other stuff.

A thought just occurred to me, and it may be totally silly - do you think setting up lights on that table in my sewing room might emit enough heat to make a difference in seed growth? It seems like even a flourescent tube or something emits a bit of heat, so if it's just a few inches above the pots, would it help? The room doesn't have it's own heater, but it gets more sunlight than any other room, and I can close it off from the cats. (And I have to, because my poor houseplants are still recovering from being exposed to the cats) Obviously, the lights wouldn't heat the whole room up to temperature, but it seems like they might do the job for the immediate area? Or are there perhaps special lights made for just this kind of thing?

OR, if a really warm humid environment is needed for germination, but not as much after - could I use the method you described, with the paper towel, in a dark but warm cupboard or something (I'm thinking of the cupboard that the water heater's in) and then transplant them into a little pot with the "Jiffy-Mix" and lights set up to warm them? I'm trying to think of a way that I might be able to start those tomato, pepper and zucchini from seed rather than buying transplants. And the herbs, as well... But while it's still cool - probably within the next couple weeks.

Also, buying seed - besides checking at the co-op, what can I do? How can I know that I'm getting a good, non-chemy, non-gm seed? I've only looked around a little bit so far, but all I seem to see is "RoundUp Ready!" etc.

EDIT: ooh, another possibly silly thought - a heating pad on "low"? It seems like that would be enough to heat one tray... And, btw, I don't plan on doing anything medicinal with these herbs - at least not past the extent of a relaxing mint tea.

 

Yeah, I kind of got carried away with the typing... I do that some times.

But even after all that, I forgot to mention the hot water heater & heating pad. Those both work, work real well. The heating pad can be a bit of a problem, some even on low get too hot & some aren't water proof. Even careful people get them wet & then bad things can happen. The lights would be a lot more difficult.

Got to run for now, more doctor stuff....

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

Okay, groovy, I'll work something out w/my heating pad, or see about getting a hot water heater this weekend along with supplies to start from seed those thing's I'll want to transplant. Shall I start cucumbers indoors as well?

I've just been looking through the information my county agent left me with... It seems I don't have a "last frost date" but instead I have a bunch of charts for Spring-planted cool season, and warm season veggies. It shows a "planting interval" for each vegetable. Is this what I want, or should I call and ask for a frost date as well? I feel silly not knowing it wasn't there - I could have sworn it was, but there you go.

For the cool season veggies - It lists beets at 3/1-3/10, leaf lettuce at Feb.-Apr., Peas (english o snap) at 2/1-3/20, and Radish at 2/15-4/15. Does this mean I want to put the seed in the ground between those dates?

For the warm season stuff I start inside, should I transplant within the dates listed? Like, tomatoes it says 4/10-6/10... So I'll want the seedlings healthy and ready to transplant at, say, the end of April? (Which would mean staring them around the end of Feb?)

I've got a bit of running around to do today... I hope your appointment goes well - take care of yourself and stay healthy!

 

I've had mixed results with starting cucumber indoors, but it can be done, I don't grow them much (not enough market for them).

I'd call and ask about the frost date, you may not need it, but won't hurt. I think I know the type chart you have & they're GREAT, yes on the in the ground date for cool stuff, yes to the transplant dates too. But when you call ask about that too... they know much more than I. And yes to the transplants at the April, but start them about March 15th to 21st. You don't want them too "leggie" (or is it leggy)... Too tall and thin & fall over (especially from wind after transplant) & then they die. More on that later...

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

OK, here we go.....

How to layout a wide row type garden:

First a few basics. There are a few catagories I guess I'll call them of plants based on spacing, how far they need to be apart. Closest together are things like peas that can be planted close together (3 inches). Next are plants that can be planted 1 to 1 1/2 feet apart, like lettuce & peppers. Next are plants 2 feet apart - tomatoes. Then there are veggies that are "broadcast", which means the seeds are simply scattered. Examples are collards, turnip & mustard greens and also cover crops like buckwheat & clover. And then there are veggies that are planted using special techniques, sequentially planted like radishs and lettuce and also trellised(supported) like cucumbers, zucchuni, gourds and climing beans/peas.

I tried to make drawings that were big enough to be readable and still small enough to be able to post here... well, that didn't work. So what I'm going to do is make a seperate post for each catagory, then another one to show how to fit it all together.

First peas & other things that can be planted close together (but not radishs, they'll come later). The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening says to plant peas 1" apart in rows, spaced 2 feet apart, then thin to 2" - 3" apart in the rows after they've sprouted. I don't do that. I plant them 3" apart, and if some don't sprout, I replant in the vacant spots.

Below, the drawing on the right shows how they (and all others) suggest for a conventional garden, with single file rows of plants separated by paths. The drawing on the left shows the wide row way. I think this is dramatic proof in favor of wide rows. Each drawing shows a 4' x 4' patch of ground.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

And now here's the comparison for peppers, lettuce, and similarly spaced plants. Again the drawing on the right is the conventional garden layout & on the left is the wide row layout....

More tomorrow, poor_old_fingers & poor_old_eyes are giving out ...

 

That makes a lot of sense, thank you! When planning out my garden layout, (I'm still planning on the two 4' wide rows, going about 20' long) are there any plants that I should plan to go on the south or north end of the garden? Or specifically in the east or west plot? What about complimentary planting - if the first seeds I put out are for peas, which will be planted close together. Should I leave some space in there for a wider - spaced plant, like a pepper or tomato, to go in with it? Or is that just for the lower-to-the-ground veggies like radish and beets? And I was planning on planting some flowers, mainly marigolds, around there also. Should they just go around the edges of the plot, or spaced every couple feet?

I think I understand the concepts here pretty well, I'm just having a little trouble putting it all together to map out a working garden. It's not how to space plants from each other that is confusing me, as much as it is how to integrate the different varieties of plants with each other. And I want to have everything prepared and figured out very soon, because I'll be needing to get some of those seeds in the ground quite soon.

On that note, I also need to figure out what seeds I'll still be needing - off the top of my head, zucchini, cucumber, potatoes, corn... (do I start corn from seed, outdoors, or do I transplant it? I was planning on dedicating a few feet at one end of a plot just to corn, so it would pollinate - is this right?)... Will I need any additional varieties of lettuce, radish, etc. or will what I have (or will get in the mail in a couple days) be plenty? And how much of the health of a plant is in the seed - for instance, what difference would it make if I bought a few packets of cheapo $.99 seed from a local store, rather than certified organic, non-gmo seed online or something? The difference of a couple dollars doesn't seem like much, but it adds up!

Of all of what I've got planned, should I plan on starting anything indoors besides tomatoes and peppers? You said cucumber can be started outside, but what about zucchini?

Oh goody, I'm so excited! I'll spend at least a couple hours today working out there, and I hope to put a dent in what's cut out for me! Thanks again for everything, you've been so helpful!

 

one thing you might wanna think about is saving seeds,
so if you can swing the extra cash for the good ones now,
you can make it worth your while by not having to buy so
many next year.

plus, by saving the best seeds, youll get plants that are
really tuned in to your microclimate. and its nice to see the
whole cycle at work, it gets you tuned in too!

and if you only buy fancy seed for one kind of plant, make it
heirloom tomatos! theyre amazing, youll fall in love with them@

 

Ok, I'm back... didn't know I was gone? Well I was. I'm now on my 4th modem since Labor Day!!! Did you get the seeds?

The north & south matters, the east & west not so much. Basically put the taller stuff (corn) at the north end of the east & west plots. I wouldn't try to put anything in with the peas. They'll be finished very quickly and then put more tomatoes/peppers where they were. But scattering radishs around where ever you see a little space would give you all the radishs you'd probably need. I'd wait until fall to plant beets. (Beets have the strangest looking seeds!!!)

I'll have a good example later tonight....

[quoye]On that note, I also need to figure out what seeds I'll still be needing - off the top of my head, zucchini, cucumber, potatoes, corn... (do I start corn from seed, outdoors, or do I transplant it? I was planning on dedicating a few feet at one end of a plot just to corn, so it would pollinate - is this right?)... Will I need any additional varieties of lettuce, radish, etc. or will what I have (or will get in the mail in a couple days) be plenty? And how much of the health of a plant is in the seed - for instance, what difference would it make if I bought a few packets of cheapo $.99 seed from a local store, rather than certified organic, non-gmo seed online or something? The difference of a couple dollars doesn't seem like much, but it adds up![/quote]Yeah, you'll still need cucumber, zucchini & corn seeds, more lettuce & radish wouldn't hurt. Remember, store what you don't use in the dry, cool & dark, then use them this fall or next year. Start the corn outside, it won't transplant easily. For the potatos, take some potatoes and cut them up so 3 or 4 "eyes" are on each chunk. Use those chunks as your "seeds" for growing the potatoes.
As to the "cheapo" seeds vs the certified organic seeds.... there are LOTS of opinions on that one... it has been and still is HOTLY debated. I am and always have been an organic gardener. But Organic or not, all gardeners need to be practical. I've never seen anything that makes me believe that non-organic seeds produce unhealthy plants. But what cheap seeds often have is a lower garmination rate, but even then a difference between, for example, 90% and 60% still leaves you with more plants than you have room for. I say go with the cheapo seeds. In coming years, when you're more experienced, maybe splurge on more costly (and maybe rare) seeds.

Actually if you've found a way around the cat issues, it would work fine to start the cucumbers & zucchini inside, like the tomatoes & peppers, keep'em warm.

And a word now about saving seeds. Check this site: http://www.seedsave.org/issi/904/beginner.html#anchor005

Pay special attention to the recommended distance between varities. For example, peppers varities: "Most home gardeners will get satisfactory results if different varieties are separated by 50 feet and another tall, flowering crop." It goes on to say 400 feet is best for purity. No point saving seeds if you don't know what you'll get next year. This is why I save seeds from very few things. Also don't bother at all saving the seeds from hybrids.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

Yay! Welcome back, I did definitely notice your absence, but I thought better than to harass you for it. I was starting to worry though, so I'm glad to see you back! I did get the seeds in the mail and should be starting tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, and zucchini this weekend or next week. We haven't had the spare $$ yet to buy the seeds and other supplies we'll be needing, but my time's officially running short and it's now a higher priority than bills. So one way or another it's coming out of this weekend's paycheck. I'll also see about herbs, try to get at least a couple/few established plants if I can, and set up to propagate from cuttings or seed for other stuff. Of the things I'll be starting indoors from seed, are there any rules of things to definitely NOT have in a tray together (because of cross-pollination or whatever)? I'm so excited...

I have a bunch of sewing and such to get done in the next day or two, but first chance I get I'll get back and read and re-read a bunch of this thread and the links on it to refresh myself!

 

Ok, let me see if this will upload & post ...

 

Ok, good... looks like it's there. It took several tries to get it to scale and as big as possible.

This has been a very interesting project. I've never laid out a garden for any one else and it's really made me think, get back to basics.... and a lot of good stuff. What I finally did was go out to my garden and layout your garden (didn't plant stuff, just laid it out). Then I tried to make a drawing of just where to put each and every plant. Well, that didn't work because it had to be fairly big to be readable & therefore wouldn't post.

Anyway, as you so correctly pointed out, time is growing short & I think doing it this way will work, at least for a rough draft. What I did was divide the two 20 foot areas into 4 foot by 4 foot squares.

These are my starting point suggestions: In squares 1 & 6 plant corn in a pattern shown in post #47 of this thread. Tomatoes in squares 2 & 7. Potatoes in square 3. Cucumber in 4. Cayanne & jalapeno in square 5. Sweet peppers in square 8. Peppers also will be as shown in #47. Zucchini in 9. Peas in 10 as shown in post #46, they'll be finished by late spring/early summer, follow them with basil & sage (you'll soon have sage seeds - mailing soon & some other stuff too.). Layout & mark where you'll be putting the tomatoes , cucumber, zucchini, corn & peppers in the ground. Draw, on the ground, circles around the tomatoes & peppers... 2 foot diameter for the tomatoes & 1 foot for the peppers. That'll give you some idea of the area they'll take up when mature. The spaces in between are where you'll plant radishs & lettuce - but not all at once. Fill in the 1/2 the gaps of one square, then a week later the other half, the next week 1/2 the gaps in the next square, the next week the other half... and so on. Does that make sense? The idea is to use the space between the larger plants to sequentially plant the radish & lettuce. They are both cool weather crops & will be finished by the time the tomatoes & peppers etc., are getting big.

We haven't talked yet about the layout for the tomatoes & how to support the tomatoes, cucumbers & zucchini. That'll come next. Also the exact way to do the potatoes. We'll do those over the next day or so.

As far as the marigolds etc., just put them where ever you see there'll be an empty area.

As to " Of the things I'll be starting indoors from seed, are there any rules of things to definitely NOT have in a tray together (because of cross-pollination or whatever)?" no rules about that. Pollinating won't occure until the plants are mature & flowering. BUT the thing to be careful of - VERY IMPORTANT - find a way to label EACH seedling. All tomato & pepper seedlings look alike... cucumber & zucchini look alike... etc. I use popsicycle sticks. They're sold at Wal-mart and other places as "Craft Sticks". Use a ball point pen that you don't mind distroying and mark the sticks by pressing HARD as you write, so as to carve as you write. Make a list of everything you're growing and number each type & variety, then mark the stick with the number.

More later ..........

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

Oh, wow! That's so helpful, I can just lay it all out that way. I have just a couple quick questions off the top of my head... Snap peas can go early, right (county agent says planting interval is 2/4-3/20) so should I go ahead and put those in the ground while I'm starting the seeds for tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and cucumbers indoors? And what about the lettuce and radish - should I plant some of those first also, or wait until the other stuff gets transplanted? (Do those just not take long to grow?

This weekend - hopefully tomorrow evening after a full day of working out back - I'll head to the store and buy seeds and some potting soil, pots, etc. for starting them. On my list I have zucchini, cucumber, corn, potatoes, lettuce, radish, flowers (marigolds, maybe a couple others for other parts of the yard), and "herbs" (not mint! I'll see what there is and pick out a few things). I'm going with the cheapo seeds, for the most part, in order to get everything I want. Anything I should remember about particular varieties or brands to steer clear of?

I'll also be getting the fertilizer I need, a good long hose (because the only tap here is on the front of the house, jeesh!), lots of pots if I can find them cheap, and "Jiffy Mix" (should I use this when I start all my seeds or just herbs?)

I'm so excited! I can hardly wait to start planting! I guess I should still wait at least a couple weeks before I start the veggie seeds indoors, eh? I could probably start the herbs ahead of them though!

 

Yes, start them (in the ground) now. You'll probably be able to start the lettuce & radishs now or soon. When ever the county agent's planting interval for them is. Just mark off where the other stuff will be. And yes, they don't take long to grow, you'll probably be eating some of them by this time next month.

None I can think of to steer clear of, if you go to Wal-mart they'll probably have "Burpee" seeds. They are a top name brand.

Use the Jiffy Mix to cover all the seeds, indoor & out.

You can go with the suggested dates from the county agent. You might call & double check, but for the things you would normally start indoors, the dates on their planting charts take that into consideration. But really, seedlings can wait a little while (I still have some in small pots I started last year. It's an experiment I'm doing.) If you get the stuff you'll need and start the seeds this coming week, then add 6 to 8 weeks, means they'd be ready somewhere between the last week in April and the middle of May. Here, I'm a gambler, I started some tomatoes in late January & I'll be putting them in the ground next week. A freeze could still come along & kill them... but maybe not, and having the first tomatoes (and peppers) helps get me re-established with the local fruit/veggie stands & small grocery stores. Basically, around here at least, growers (me) have to re-establish themselves each year. It's like... what have you done for me lately?

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

lol... I can see how that could be difficult! OK. that makes sense about starting the veggies. The tomatoes say I can start planting April 10th, but pretty much all the other warm-season stuff says "May or June" so the end of April-early May would be perfect, probably!

One more question I want to straighten out before I get all these supplies... I've been reading on soil pH/fertilizer. I've read that I want a pH of 6-6.8, and my test says I have a 6.7. Now, I understand that I want to put nutrients back with this and not just suck it out with this garden, so I can understand adding some fertilizer (as it said, 6-12-12, two lbs. per row). But I'd really prefer not to have a bunch of chemicals in it either, and (not haing found it in a store yet) I'd imagine there's a big price difference for getting organic fertilizer. What about cmopost - how does that come into all this? Would a bit of extra decomposed organic mater do the job? (The pile's lookin' good!) What about the "sidedressing of ammonium nitrate"? How do organic farmers feel about that?

Bed time for me... More tomorrow, I'm sure!

 

I can't quite understand that. I really think you should the county agent(I get a small lump in my throat every time I mention them), and tell them that you plan to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, & zucchini; that you plan to start them indoors for later transplanting into the garden; then ask when to start them & when to transplant them.

And an important thing I may not have mentioned... start 2 or 3 times as many of everything as you plan to have in your garden. Some seeds won't germinate, some seedlings won't survive, some transplants won't "make it" and will need to be replaced. etc., etc.

Well, here we've come to another area that there are 999999999999999999999 different opinions. That's an estimate, not actual count. As there is debate over the exact answer to the question, "What is a hippie?", so is there debate over "What is 'Organic'?". I could go on & on about the subject, but for once won't. What we need is an answer to, "What is the most practical, realistic, and most organic solution for you?" I mean, I buy blood meal, bone meal, rock phosphate, lime, crushed oyster shells, kelp meal (love that kelp), and alfalfa meal in 50 pound bags. I have a building 15 foot by 25 foot for nothing except composting. But I have been at this for a long time, do it for a living, and I have about 2400 feet of wide rows (and to be fair, some say I'm compulsive, obsessive & totally anal about organic).

Anyhow, old hippie's mind starts to wander as it's getting "fueled up" for today's activities.

Most, some say all, of the chemical harm comes from pesticides, insecticides, herbicides("weed" killers) and various chemicals used to fight plant diseases. Also genitically modified plants, I mean - that ain't natural. Not from PROPERLY USED general purpose fertilizers. And yes there are organic fertilizers but the cost A LOT. Considering that you're somewhat new at this, the size of your garden, no extra $$$ to spend, and mostly being practical & using "common sense", I think you should get (if possible) a 5 pound box of general purpose 6-12-12, and apply two lbs. per row. Then do the "sidedressing of ammonium nitrate".
As to the compost: You need to come up with a way to sift your pile. There are always bigger pieces that take longer to decompose. Use those pieces & start a new pile. Use the sifted compost and spread it on your garden & work it a little into the top couple inches with a rake, hoe or fingers. Compost does many things for your garden. It adds tilth & texture, improves both drainage & water holding, and adds nutrients. I like to think of soil as a medium for life, just as air & water are. Because there are microscopic life forms that live in soil that help in more ways than I can go into here. The healthier and less polluted the soil, the better for those who live there.

And let me here add, when I said "you're somewhat new at this", you're no longer "new at this". Think of all you've learned & all you've done. Like the ad use to say, "You've come a long way, baby". Now come the good part, where you put it all together and start seeing results.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

Right on... Had I not heard from you, that's exactly what I would have bought for fertilizer! I'll think on a way to sift the compost pile... if nothing else, with a garden and pile as small as I've got, a bucket and my hands might do.

Sorry I wasn't clear about the planting dates... I was tired. What I meant was in the literature my county agent left with me, it has "planting intervals" for all the different plants. (It's my understanding that these are the dates within which you can start a seed/seedling outdoors safely?) I don't have it right in front of me at the moment but I was looking at it last night and the interval for planting tomatoes began April 10th (I don't remember the end date on that one, I think it was June though) and most of the others say "May or June". In any case, I've already called my county agent and left a voicemail, I'm just waiting to hear back and clarify it with him.

I know I've "come a long way", and thank you for saying so. I've learned so much over the last couple months planning all this out... I just hope I don't mess it up in the practical stage of actually *doing* all this. The weather's nice today, so I'll be heading outdoors in a short time to work some more on digging. Hopefully in the coming week, I can get some kind of fencing up around the whole garden area to keep the dogs out of it. We'll be doing the shopping for all these supplies either tonight or in the morning, and if I'm unable to set it up myself, Ian will be able to help me when he has Tuesday off. I want to get those peas in the ground, but I can't do it until after it's all blocked off.

That sunny yard is calling to me, so I'll go get to it.

 

News: Just got off the phone with my agent, and he said "now!" Told me to go ahead and start all the veggies (the indoor ones, I mean) right away, and to make sure that the potting soil doesn't fall below 55*. I gave him a rundown of what I was planning, what I had done so far, and what my soil results were. He seemed pretty impressed that I was on top of it and had done my homework. I told him I had help - that this awesome guy who was an organic farmer in Alabama had helped me the whole way through. Needless to say, he had as many wonderful things to say about the "worldwide community of organic gardeners and farmers" as you had to say about County Agents!

In any case, I'll have everything I need and have those seeds started by tomorrow afternoon. Yay!

 

All right, I've finally made it back from all my shopping! We got stuff to set up fencing - I decided to just go with a low chicken-wire fence around the whole garden area (and I should even have enough to go all the way around, including the compost area). We got some two-ft chicken wire and three-ft. metal fence stakes. It'll be tall enough to keep the dogs out, but short enough to where I can climb over it no problem.

I also got some wooden stakes and jute to block out the garden beds for when I'm laying it all out. That way I can block it out just like in your diagrams, and just concentrate on one block at a time.

I got stuff for starting the seeds, and all the seeds I'll need immediately. I ended up spending a whole lotta money, so I'm putting the veg seeds I don't need this minute on hold for a couple weeks (corn, potatoes, garlic, and the extra lettuce and radish I might be needing, plus some more herbs...) I'm also waiting on getting extra pots for herbs... I did get a couple cheapo packets of marigolds, zellias, sunflowers and wildflowers (the latter two will be going elsewhere in the yard, I couldn't resist, but zellias work will within the garden like marigolds, don't they?)

I talked to a friend who's also starting some stuff this week, and she's said she'll share whatever herbs and such I don't have, and I'll do the same for her (though it's doubtful I'll have anything that she doesn't)

SO, I'll be starting the seeds first thing in the morning. Monday afternoon-Tuesday morning we should be able to get the fencing up, and in the day or two following I hope to get the peas and first of the lettuce in the ground.

Oh, almost forgot - I looked and looked through the fertilizers at three different places (I checked the co-op, Home Depot and Wal-Mart) and couldn't find the 6-12-12 that was recommended. The closest I could find was 9-12-12, and marked "tomato and vegetable fertilizer". Will that do?

In the next week or two my yard will look totally different! I'm so excited, I can barely wait to see those little seedling popping up from their pots, and the peas from the ground