mrazikmommy's Blog
mrazikmommy's Blog
NEED HELP STARTING FROM SCRATCH!
Mar 10, 2008 | 11:29 AM PST
Tag: need help starting from scratch!
I'm LOST. Gardening is something i've never really done before. i'm REALLY excited for this coming spring, because i'm not working and i'll have tons of time on my hands. well as much time as you can get with a 2 year old in tow, and our next little one due in september. but being pregnant doesn't make me invalid, and i need to find ways to get outside and enjoy the weather. I LOVE making things and so this year i intend to take up gardening. Now i just have to figure out where to start. i suppose i should make out a plan. i'm a good planner, and researcher. i'll have to get some tools-- i already asked my hubby for some for my birthday and mothers day- both are in may so not too late in the season. I already have one things figured out, i AM NOT starting from seeds. as cheap as it would be we had too much trouble with that last year. i attempted seedlings last year and had to leave for 3-4 days, they got too heated and dried up. i tried salvaging them, but they were too far gone. so we're starting from plants, preferably easy to tend plants--forgiving plants, as i don't ALWAYS make it out to water. i have at least 4 small bed areas that are marked off and sort of started. the previous owners of my home had garden beds, but not much in them. mostly just bushes and mulch. at least thats about all that survived the 2 year house vacancy. i desperately need to up heave the mulch still laid down and lay fresh mulch down. i also have this big rock area that i want to do something with. i think i might take out the brick border they had laid out and replace them with the rocks. i do have a brick home so the bricks match, but i prefer the rocks. we'll see. maybe i can have a rock garden, if i ever figure out what a rock garden is.. lol. i have a LOT of learning to do. I did figure out i live in ZONE 5. so there's something. at least i'll know if the plants i buy will last in my area. i think i might start with bulbs in some areas, and plants in others. but where to start what to choose. how do i make a plan? ugggg.
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Mar 10, 2008 | 11:29 AM PST
Tag: need help starting from scratch!
I'm LOST. Gardening is something i've never really done before. i'm REALLY excited for this coming spring, because i'm not working and i'll have tons of time on my hands. well as much time as you can get with a 2 year old in tow, and our next little one due in september. but being pregnant doesn't make me invalid, and i need to find ways to get outside and enjoy the weather. I LOVE making things and so this year i intend to take up gardening. Now i just have to figure out where to start. i suppose i should make out a plan. i'm a good planner, and researcher. i'll have to get some tools-- i already asked my hubby for some for my birthday and mothers day- both are in may so not too late in the season. I already have one things figured out, i AM NOT starting from seeds. as cheap as it would be we had too much trouble with that last year. i attempted seedlings last year and had to leave for 3-4 days, they got too heated and dried up. i tried salvaging them, but they were too far gone. so we're starting from plants, preferably easy to tend plants--forgiving plants, as i don't ALWAYS make it out to water. i have at least 4 small bed areas that are marked off and sort of started. the previous owners of my home had garden beds, but not much in them. mostly just bushes and mulch. at least thats about all that survived the 2 year house vacancy. i desperately need to up heave the mulch still laid down and lay fresh mulch down. i also have this big rock area that i want to do something with. i think i might take out the brick border they had laid out and replace them with the rocks. i do have a brick home so the bricks match, but i prefer the rocks. we'll see. maybe i can have a rock garden, if i ever figure out what a rock garden is.. lol. i have a LOT of learning to do. I did figure out i live in ZONE 5. so there's something. at least i'll know if the plants i buy will last in my area. i think i might start with bulbs in some areas, and plants in others. but where to start what to choose. how do i make a plan? ugggg.
6 Member Comments
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Mar 10, 2008 | 12:10 PM PST
It sounds like you have a great basic area to start with. For the first year, I would buy flowering perennials and annuals to get something rewarding quickly. Then I would think about shrubs and trees later. Bulbs are generally planted in the fall. Rhizomes like irises, cannas, daylilies are planted in the spring. Remember, I'm not an expert, there are many more members here at GG who know much more then I do. You have a great day and happy gardening. Bill Mitchell Last edited by bsmitch on March 10th at 1:08 PM. |
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Mar 10, 2008 | 1:57 PM PST
oooohhhh A new gardener, just what we like on the GG site. Just start poking around looking into all the forums, picking and choosing and asking lots of questions. Bill has a good thought for you to start with annuals which only live one year and perennials which come back again and again. Be sure to look at plant labels when you shop for plants, they have valuable information on them. Then if you can download some pictures into your photo album feature so we can see what you have to work with. How exciting, can't wait to see how you and your garden blossom this year. Welcome to GG, Linda B from SC |
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Mar 10, 2008 | 3:51 PM PST
I got a GREAT book recently called "Care Free Plants. There is a picture of it in one of my blogs. You may want to see if you can find it. Its a guide to 200 of the hardiest, low maintenance, long living plants. I LOVE THE BOOK. Good luck with your garden this year. You should post some "before" pics so we can all oooh and aahhh at the "after" pics!! |
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Mar 10, 2008 | 4:49 PM PST
Welcome & Congrats on the babies .. they will be great helpers some day :-) I am in zone 5 also & have more veggie gardening experience but have quite a few flower seedlings in the works for this year - marigolds & zinnias are very easy - these are among the flowers that are good for companion gardening (planting veggies & flowers all together to ward off insects). Companion gardening is new to me so I will be posting pictures & blog entries as I go. I will watch for your questions and hopefully be able to help. I learned alot from reading, but more from just doing & I Love to Garden! Debbie in IL :-) |
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Mar 11, 2008 | 7:58 AM PST
Happy gardening! Yes! Marigolds and zinnias are easy, and pretty, too. Another couple of annuals that are life-savers for me are vinca for the sun, and impatiens for the shade. Tons of blooms, pretty much take care of themselves (no deadheading, which I hate to do) except remember that the impatiens like plenty of water. |
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Mar 11, 2008 | 1:01 PM PST
Hi there, Everyone here is really friendly and helpful too. So don't be afraid to throw those questions out there! I have a favorite book for vegetable gardening anyways it is called 'Square foot Gardening' by Mel Bartholomew. I found it very helpful. Also my suggestion would be to start a compost pile. Ask any gardener and I'll betcha they can never get enough good soil to work with. I also love lasagna gardening as well. I have some favorite annuals, and perennials as well. One of my favorite annual flower to grow because it is a very easy to grow annual, is Cosmos. I like how tall it gets, and all the interesting color stages the flower goes through as it matures. Besides the multitude of flowers it produces as well, and also petunias for the same reason. One of my all time favorite perennials is purple coneflower, and I like Shasta Daisy's as well. (Can you tell I love daisy's?!) I know that you are "anti-seed" right now however, with a little winter sowing you can just about grow anything from seed very easily. (Really, I had tomato seedlings last year the 2nd week of January they were started from seed and everything was grown outdoors as well. (I had so many I gave a lot of them away to friends.) So any questions just shout em' out and I am sure that everyone will be happy to answer them. The only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask!! Happy gardening and a warm welcome Barb |
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