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Guys, I have a yard that is not to large...my lot is 75x150. We are looking to have a vegetable garden. I am a zone 6 (I think?!) We will also be doing some landscaping and I love perennials. Where are the best places to get plants, seeds, etc? I have signed up with about a bazillion seed catalogs and flower catalogs. What should I be doing now?
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From: Michigan | Registered: Jan 2004
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For me, when I first started gardening, this time of year, I got a ba~zillion of those books, catalog's, magazine's from the grocery stores even, and read my fool head off. *that's where I put it, I knew I'd put it somewhere's* Just kidding!!! But, I read anything I could get my hands on, #1. to learn all I could #2. to memorize pictures of flowers, leaves, bark, etc. #3. to get my self out of shoveling, dishes, cooking, laundry, and just about anything else I could think of. #4. to be able to sit still, all curled up on my couch with a cup of hot cocoa, tea, hot cinnamin drink, stay in my jammies, or sweats, and slippers, and robe and a soft comfortable blankie. And just read, read, read...
Those mail order catalogs, supply you with alot of good growing information, with out having to buy a really expensive book (although those are wonderful if you do have one) But if you have enough of those catalogs, I guarentee you, if you spend enough time with them, you'll feel more comfortable getting plants. And starting somewhere's. Don't start off tooooooo big... You may end up disappointed, or the task to large and throw your hands up too early before you've been properly bitten by the bug, you never know when or where that bug will get you, and you may swat away at him at first, so you might need a second bitting.
But, once you've gotten the feel of growing something, you'll never turn back. The wonderment of it is amazing!!!
What have you grown, want to grow or which type of items to grow?? What kind of vegetables, do you already have perennials, or annuals???? You mentioned landscaping? A professional coming in (Nikkal does that for as a profession) And what kind of landscaping do you want??????
And you've got a good start on your ba~zillion catalog's *(that's one of my most favoritest words you know) but come spring and summer, start looking at your local nurseries *for plants, not children* J/K but get to know them, or the place.. Read all the tags... and maybe the owners, I know my local ones, and they slide me a plant or two, and give me good deals on flats of flowers.. ('m in a small town, so they do that, it might not be an option for you or your area.) But still each place will carry different items. One may specialize in perennials, one to annuals, each will have their own market...
Also, get to know your own backyard... Have you been where you are for a bit? Do you know the sunniest area's, and shadey spots, or wet areas, or really hot, hot places... maybe wait a season to go full force. Or do containers, we have alot of container gardeners here that can help you.
I'll sign off, you are probably close to sleep now, because I like to talk about gardening, NO, I know you might not believe it, but it's true!!
Anyways, if you've got some of those answers for us, more of us will be through, and we can get you off to a good start!!!
Happy Gardening!!!
Weezie
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
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I'm putting an order in shortly out of the Burpee catalog....I really like the seed selection in there....so many more than I can get at the local walmart.....lots of different choices.....
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loz's blog
From: Beautiful Western Maryland...zone 6 | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Originally posted by AmatureGardener: Guys, I have a yard that is not to large...my lot is 75x150. We are looking to have a vegetable garden. I am a zone 6 (I think?!) We will also be doing some landscaping and I love perennials. Where are the best places to get plants, seeds, etc? I have signed up with about a bazillion seed catalogs and flower catalogs. What should I be doing now?
Hi there! I'm new to gardening but I recently got the Burpees catalogs and really loved the raised beds they had for sale. Like 20 something dollars for a raised bed for veggies. I thought that I might buy one to give raised bed gardening a try. I too signed up for a lot of catalogs!! I'm having a LOT of fun flipping through them. I want at least three of everything!!!!!
I wonder how we'll decide??!?!
Happy gardening!
Barbara GO EAGLES!!!!!
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From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
You have some great nurseries right up there in Michigan. I know because we have visited them when we have gone up to Ludington.
There is a really neat garden in Niles, MI called Fernwood. They have some really neat plant for sale too.
One of my favorite nurseries of all times is up at Spring Lake by Fruitport. I can`t for the life of me think of the name. Oh rats that is going to drive me crazy now!!
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From: IN | Registered: Dec 2003
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AmatureGardener, I"m going to post this one "GlassOnion's" post too, because you both are starting out!!!! So is Barb H., I think all 3 of you came in pretty much at the same time...................
I forgot to tell you that you also want to pay very close attention to your soil....Even if you don't do anything else this year, concentrate on your soil... #1. Where you're going to put veggie beds #2. Where you're going to put perennial beds..
Some plants, have a deep rooting system, and some plants once you plant them, don't like to really be moved again, (ie; peonies) So, you want the soil really ammended around them for a while....
Double digging is what alot of the tv show hosts on the gardening shows suggest for beds, I have seen them do this, (they usually have a crew do it) but about 1/10th of the way thru of just cutting off the top sod/grass on my 60ft bed had me muttering to myself, quite loudly in the back yard....And wanting to immmediately quit gardening, .......er, uh, NAW, but I did think about it for a minute or two...... But if you truely want, no weeds~ (99%), and a healthy rooted plant... You'd do it????? You take the top layer of of grass/with roots/soil or sod, then the size of the garden you're going to have......... Dig down a certain depth, and put all that soil into wheelbarrow or something, and then take the soil under all that, ammend it with peatmoss, compost, etc. and rototill it up....then throw the first soil back in, ammend that too and rototill that as well.... You'll have soil that you're plants will just love you for... Now that is alot of work!!!!!! But as I said the plants will be better for it.. I on the other hand, am very poor, (tight budget, one income let's say) and money to garden is just not in the budget.... I am patient and big hopes, but I know that alot of what I want aren't possible right away.... And I do the work myself and I'm no weightlifter, the hose is too much for me somedays, Haha, so I have to do things within my abilities...... So, what I did, as I've stated in many posts, that I take some of the larger grass or clumps of weeds off the intended area, throw a little bit of compost down, and throw cardboard (size of refrig's and washer/dryers~They have them usually in those types of stores, just go and ask if you can take it off their hands...)or newspaper, lay that down in good size thickeness of them, to choke out weeds from being able to see the sunlight, and then throw on chopped leaves and then layers of compost.... If I'm going to start a new bed, alot of times I do that in the fall time. Good time to start, lot's of leaves and fresh cut grass clippings, to heat up the top of what I'm trying to render down...What you are trying to do is get the worms to come to your spot, and they'll do some of the work for you.. by eating up the dead green grass at the top of the dirt, coming from the bottom and working the soil, while the cardboard, which takes a bit to start to render down, still keeps the weed growth from growing........everything will render down, become worm food, and you'll be left with a bare surface, of good nutrients, under, now, this method is NOT foolproof as far as weeds coming back~teniaous one's will return, you can also rototill the soil, which will work it up very nicely~but will also bring up dormant weed seeds, but with a blank slate on the top, you can ammend with more compost, bags of topsoil, cow manure, peat moss, etc., and thus keeping the regermination down quite a bit, plant your plants and then mulch on top and you should be OKAY with the weeeds... You could do raised beds, taking some type of wood, lumber and such to build up on top of the soil, fill with new top soil, compost, [eatmoss, etc., and plant in that, keep that covered, because if you didn't cover the bottom weeds, they'll grow right up under the dirt to the top, I have 5 raised beds, and we went to the expense of buying the better landscape fabric and putting it under the WHOLE BED, (I am really weed conscious, and will do just about anything to insure "FUN WEEDING" as apposed to "I HATE TO WEED".. I also put the fabric on top.. This is for my veggie garden, and do NOT put anything on top of that fabric... (In a regular flower bed, I am NOT a fan of it, gets in my free spirit ways... But every gardener likes a different style, You have to figure out which you like, or how it feels to you... I am not a crisp and clean type of gardener, (much to the dismay of my husband, who really wishes I was....) Crisp and clean requires ALLLLOTTT of gardening, and time, I'm sort of busy. But, if you have the time, you really like it that way, than that is your forte` and go with it, no two gardening styles are the same...... Find yours... But I'd like you to understand how important soil is, and what you can do for it, and in the end your plants will reward you,.... Not only with beautiful flowers, and green healthy plants, but the ability to ward off pests, most of the time, (NOT ALL) but plants emit an, I don't know, phearomone or something, maybe they sing off key, I don't really know, but I do know that's what happens... and that invites insects and pests, so a healthy plant is best!!
Hope I didn't make you I had always hoped someone would have given me a few pointers in the right the begining for me, Of course, making mistakes are very important, that's how we all learn, how you "grow" *pun intended* from your mistakes, and you quickly learn how to compensate, or do something different.
Happy Gardening! Weezie...
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
Just now read that informative post...sort of goes along the composting lines, which I am interested in. Thanks! I am glad for the information, and you can bet than as it warms up and I'm out and about in the garden I will be coming here to get some help.
I am on a limited gardening budget too, so I don't want to make a costly mistake. I've already asked for gardening $ for my bday and Valentines...no chocolate for me!! I really want to start filling my flower beds this year with some perennials.
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From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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So Weezie, which way do you think would work best, tearing up the existing yucky grass or laying down fabric over the yucky grass then putting in the raised bed? Or a mixture of both? I am planning on doing a veggie garden (hopefully) if I can convice a certain someone I live with . I too, am on a tight budget with Mike in school and hoping to quit work soon (then we'll be down to just me being the bread winner ).
In my other beds, all flowers, we tore up the grass, got it somewhat level, then put in the retaining wall and backfilled it with a 70/30 mix of compost and soil that we bought at the nursery by the truckload. Its probably a good two feet higher than the grass level and so far so good on major weeding.
bbbbbbbbb Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
From: The real OC in sunny So. Cal. | Registered: Aug 2003
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Celebrating 10 years of helping your gardens grow!
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but get to know them, or the place.. Read all the tags... and maybe the owners, I know my local ones, and they slide me a plant or two, and give me good deals on flats of flowers.. ('m in a small town, so they do that, it might not be an option for you or your area.)![[sleepy]](graemlins/sleepy.gif)
because I like to talk about gardening, ![[gabby]](graemlins/gabby.gif)
NO, I know you might not believe it, but it's true!!![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
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make you ![[flower]](graemlins/flower.gif)
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. I too, am on a tight budget with Mike in school and hoping to quit work soon (then we'll be down to just me being the bread winner ![[scaredy]](graemlins/scaredy.gif)
). 
