gardening

I have no idea what I am doing other than what I've gathered on the interweb, but I just started some vegetables, greens and herbs from seed. Anyone else doing this?

 

Every spring. Started my indoor plantings today. The last chance of frost will be April 8 here. They'll go outside into real dirt then.

 

I was just going to do some basic herbs but ended up getting 3 varieties of tomato, bell pepers, jalapenos, green beans and mesclun as well.

 

cucumbers grow really fast too. I can get at least 2 crops. Plant one in April, another in June.

 

wish i had more time to devote to veggies.....flowers for the most part here!

 

I had some real success with the potatoes that I planted last year - well worth doing (even if I just blundered my way through it - it was cool to do it). I have a full herb garden and am growing chillies, spinach and capsicums - all in pots this year - mainly because it's easier to manage in pots and I'm saving the vege patch for some serious tomato plants later on.

I am / was a real amateur at this. The key thing is maintenance and making sure you don't just plant and leave it. You'll need to check on it, make sure it's watered enough, weeded and no ratties are coming out at night and eating your spoils. It's not a huge deal though - and very enjoyable. If you've got an actual patch that you're preparing - weedmat is really helpful and will cut down a lot of your work. Honestly, it's really enjoyable. I've got a greater appreciation for the cost of some veges, knowing the effort that's gone in there to grow them.

My advice would be to grow things that are almost `failsafe' so you don't get discouraged and leave it. Spinach grows like the clappers as do herbs. What you've suggested sounds great. Capsicums (I think you call them `bell peppers'?) grow well and taste just beautiful freshly picked.

Good luck with it Chip - I'd take a photo of me peppers, but the light's fading and it will look knobby.

Have fun! .

 

Wife and I just bought our first house earlier this month, and are looking forward to some REAL gardening, as opposed to tomatoes in a pot while in an apartment!

Chip, it sounds like you have done a good job of doing what Honey had suggested. Starting off with the simpler items will help you build the confidence to branch out from there.

I have done the tomatoes (only cherry/grape variety), bell peppers and jalapenos. You will love making your own homemade salsa from these three alone! Turns out a bit more pinkish in color than the red you are used to seeing in the store, but so, so much better. The only thing missing from this is onions!

Lady who sold the property had a ton of flowers and all. Wife and I agreed to see what blooms where this year and then decide what we like or what we want to get rid of after that.

She did let us know where she did her garden. This year's crops for me will be beefsteak tomato (first time for "real" tomatoes), carrots, some bell peppers and just because it is a tradition and great to eat right off the vine, the cherry tomatoes.

Also, there are some grape vines on the property. Have no idea what type and variety, and they are a bit of a mess. One of the posts that supported the vines and lattice work had fallen and the vines are all tangled amongst each other. Lady didn't do anything after the post fell. Plan on going out in the next week or two to try and take care of all of that before it gets too warm. Already have a new post ready to start this project.

I'd like to branch out to do potatoes, onions, lettuce and even garlic.

 

We have done it the last two years. Usually plant tomatoes, carrotts, squash, cucumbers, green beans, beets. I have gotten a few watermelons and cantalopes. The wife cans the greens beans and squash for the winter. I planted some corn but she hates the worms that get in them. The weeds try and get the best of us. Our pumkins did not do very well last year but the first year the kids had their own pumpkin from our garden. Just don't go to big the first time. MAKE WIDE ROWS.

 

Make sure you get everything to make homemade salsa if you are growing tomatoes. Get some cilantro if you didn't get that with your herbs.

And also get a couple of plants of cherry tomatoes, OMG that makes the very best sauces. I use them for salsa when I have them and just throw them in the food processor and chop roughly.
Sweet, mmmm. I love those things.

Depending on what type of beans you got, you might need to make runners for them. All you do is put little stakes in the ground and tie string between them to run your beans on. If you don't, they will lay on the the ground and rot.

Get some horse shoo shoo for your tomatoes, but use it sparingly. Depending on your soil you could burn them up easily.

It's not time to plant yet, unless you plan on keeping them covered. Yeah, I know you are farther south, but it still isn't time just yet. Couple more weeks and you should be good.

 

I'll be planting everything in planters on the deck so I dont have to worry too much about weeds.

Everyone is starting their seeds down here right now.