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Stratovarius
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 536
Location: Texas
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 Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject: So I wanted to start gardening |
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I'm a total amateur and I've never put a single thing in the ground my whole life. I get out of school in exactly a month (I go to school away from home) and I thought a mini-garden would be a nice addition to my summer. I'll be out May 9th until September 6th, plenty of time yes?
If it matters, our backyard is pretty sh*tty (and somewhat small) the last time I looked so I guess I'll have to clean it up. Also, I live out in the hill country (not in the city) in Texas.
I'll take some before and after pictures when I get home and bump this thread.
Any suggestions? |
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Fishman
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Aug 11, 2005
Posts: 716
Location: Eastern NC
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| Go to the local library or set some info from your county Ag Extension agent. Simple things like adjusting the ph of your soil make big differences. Plant what you like to eat, first rule. |
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Stratovarius
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 536
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| What kind of things do I need to look for in my soil? |
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EnergyUnlimited
Fusion
Joined: May 15, 2006
Posts: 3106
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| Stratovarius wrote: | | What kind of things do I need to look for in my soil? |
What would you like to grow?
Different plants have different requirements, though most of edible ones (but not all!) will like plenty of light, fertile soil with much humus and number of chemical elements like N, P, K + traces of few others and neutral or slightly alkaline pH. |
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eastbay
Moderator
Joined: Dec 18, 2004
Posts: 4364
Location: One Mile From the Columbia River
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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First, find a spot for the garden. You can always enlarge or shrink it later. Just go out and mark off a spot. Go ahead. Walk out and do it. Immediately begin composting into this spot thereby enriching the soil. Compost just about everything. It's really easy. Even a total rookie can do it.
Talk to someone nearby who does garden and see what they do. Every area is somewhat different so pay attention to what they say and do. That's important. Learn from others mistakes and successes.
You will probably need to enrich the soil with more than composting but include composting in whatever you toss into the garden spot.
Oh, and don't get all tangled up in the scientific high-brow soil testing involving ph this and acidic that. Just get out there and garden. As each year passes you'll be so much better.
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Everything is Impermanent. Shakyamuni Buddha |
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BigTex
Moderator
Joined: Aug 03, 2006
Posts: 4261
Location: Graceland
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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My vote for a rookie: CONTAINER GARDENING
It's much less frustrating for the beginner. But there is nothing wrong with going the terra route.
Your first crop is more symbolic than anything. You will enjoy eating it, but only after showing it to a lot of people.
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Homesteader
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Apr 12, 2007
Posts: 1165
Location: Central NC
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| eastbay wrote: | First, find a spot for the garden. You can always enlarge or shrink it later. Just go out and mark off a spot. Go ahead. Walk out and do it. Immediately begin composting into this spot thereby enriching the soil. Compost just about everything. It's really easy. Even a total rookie can do it.
Talk to someone nearby who does garden and see what they do. Every area is somewhat different so pay attention to what they say and do. That's important. Learn from others mistakes and successes.
You will probably need to enrich the soil with more than composting but include composting in whatever you toss into the garden spot.
Oh, and don't get all tangled up in the scientific high-brow soil testing involving ph this and acidic that. Just get out there and garden. As each year passes you'll be so much better. |
Yup, you ain't fishing unless your fly is in the water.
Don't get to wound up in all the minutia. Most of the "must haves" in order to do the "must dos" are created to sell something. |
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JPL
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Mar 18, 2006
Posts: 1195
Location: Last outpost of Civilisation
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| Stratovarius wrote: | | What kind of things do I need to look for in my soil? |
Plants, mainly.
Onions, salads, all that sort of thing. If you don't find any, dig it around a bit & put some in. Then the soil will look exactly right (grin).
JP |
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Ludi
NeoMaster
Joined: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 12472
Location: zombie horde wonderland
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| BigTex wrote: | My vote for a rookie: CONTAINER GARDENING
It's much less frustrating for the beginner. But there is nothing wrong with going the terra route.
Your first crop is more symbolic than anything. You will enjoy eating it, but only after showing it to a lot of people. |
I agree with Big Tex. Start with containers, unless you feel especially ambitious and don't mind being disappointed. The first year garden is usually a bit of a disappointment unless you buy a lot of compost to add. Many soils in the Hill Country are low in organic matter and nitrogen, and are quite alkaline.
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Stratovarius
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 536
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| What do you mean by container gardening? |
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Ludi
NeoMaster
Joined: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 12472
Location: zombie horde wonderland
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PeakOiler
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Nov 18, 2004
Posts: 1082
Location: Central Texas
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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For year one: Find a sunny spot, remove the grasses/weeds, buy a few bags of good soil from the local store and add the good soil, your seeds, (follow the package instructions for depth and spacing.) and mulch to your spot. Try the Three Sisters Garden.
Corn, pole beans, and squash, like pumpkin.
Start a compost pile for next year's soil prep.
Dig dig dig.
Ludi, Patti, WisJim, Pops, FranktheTank, SCF, xerces, Strider3700, to name just a few, and many many others, have been posting their hints for quite awhile now. Pay attention!
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Last edited by PeakOiler on Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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strider3700
Fission
Joined: Apr 17, 2005
Posts: 2717
Location: Vancouver Island
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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My advice is to put together a list of things that you like eating. No point growing eggplant if you never eat the stuff...
Then once you've come up with a list figure out what's easiest to grow or put it up here and someone can tell you.
Next either put some of them in a container or in the ground.
over all gardening is really pretty easy. Getting consistent good results is hard though.
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PeakOiler
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Nov 18, 2004
Posts: 1082
Location: Central Texas
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| strider3700 wrote: | My advice is to put together a list of things that you like eating. No point growing eggplant if you never eat the stuff...
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True enough. This year I'm focusing on the "salsa garden." Tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, and cilantro.
And on the side for that southwest flavor, black beans, pinto beans, and corn.
I still need to plant some red beans for some cajun dishes, too. But I'm not going to try growing rice in this climate.
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eastbay
Moderator
Joined: Dec 18, 2004
Posts: 4364
Location: One Mile From the Columbia River
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| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: So I wanted to start gardening |
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| Ludi wrote: | | BigTex wrote: | My vote for a rookie: CONTAINER GARDENING
It's much less frustrating for the beginner. But there is nothing wrong with going the terra route.
Your first crop is more symbolic than anything. You will enjoy eating it, but only after showing it to a lot of people. |
I agree with Big Tex. Start with containers, unless you feel especially ambitious and don't mind being disappointed. The first year garden is usually a bit of a disappointment unless you buy a lot of compost to add. Many soils in the Hill Country are low in organic matter and nitrogen, and are quite alkaline. |
We started vegetable gardening on a 150 sq ft plot of open hard packed clay-like California desert soil on which only hardy weeds and grasses were growing. We marked off a 10 x 15' area and went at it. We started chopping away at it composting almost everything we could and added some manure. The first year we had a nice crop of peppers, tomato's, zucchini, and a few other nice edibles. By year three we were really harvesting a nice crop and we wish we could have taken our soil with us when we bailed from CA moving north.
Now in Oregon it's much easier because the soil seems to be ready naturally. The point is, we never used containers (too cheap to buy them, mostly) but they seem like a nice idea for anyone with small or large spaces. If we, as complete rookies, could make a garden grow nicely out of that terrible CA soil, anyone can do the same just about anywhere. It's really not that big of a deal.
Just make it happen. Now quit talking about it and get to work!
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Everything is Impermanent. Shakyamuni Buddha |
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