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mom_of_3

New to Gardening

mom_of_3
15 years ago

I want to start a vegetable garden for the first time. I have helped my mom previously plant things in her garden but it was always being told exactly what to do. Now that I am a mom and get to stay at home with the kids I would love to start one. I want to start small with just a few things. But I don't even know which ones I should do. I have a book called Gardening in AL by Bob Polomski. It's a month by month and says for Jan to start by planning what you want in your garden. I live in Mobile and just wondering from those with experience what are some easy vegetables to start with? Of those should I begin with seeds or small plants. Should I go ahead and start preparing my soil?

Thank you in advance for any and all help.

Danielle

Comments (7)

  • circlew
    15 years ago

    Hi Danielle,

    I also live in Mobile and am (relatively) new to gardening. I'm mainly dealing with flowers right now, but I just clipped a posting that deals with your question. If you click on "my page" and look at the clippings you can find the link. I'll probably do some veggies later in the year once I figure out where to put everything. Good luck with your garden.

    nadine

  • mom_of_3
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you so much. I am hoping this goes well. Good luck with yours.

  • micrideblois
    15 years ago

    I also live in Mobile and love organic gardening. It is not
    easy, and i wonder if there is anyone around who would like to share some knowledge...

  • breauxbrat
    15 years ago

    You might want to check your local library for a book called Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew or check out his web site http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ it is great for new and old gardeners alike that want to start small or downsize what they have already. I am into my second year using this method and love it. It is really basic and can work for all areas and it is great for kids too.
    Good Luck, Tammy

    Here is a link that might be useful: Square Foot Garden

  • magnoliasouth
    14 years ago

    I too am in Mobile. The Square Foot Gardening book is great and I even own the book. However, it doesn't work for me. At the time, I only had one very obedient dog and now I have three, two of which are not. It turned out to be much easier for me to make a large garden plot and fence it off.

    I've tried to do gardening before, but something always went wrong. We're trying again this year and so far so good.

    I don't have any tips to share, because I too am looking for those. I did however lay out newspaper several weeks prior to planting. That helped kill off weeds so that when we tilled, it was so much easier.

  • matprice
    14 years ago

    Hello! I live over in waveland Ms, and am a second generation gardener my parents have always had an enormous yard perfectly gardened and landscaped and been doing it since I was kid. I just rebuilt my home after Katrina and here is my first year flowers.

    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72958&id=525799374&l=70565f44f6

    I just built this sitting area today.
    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=75621&id=525799374&l=335c86fb53

    Please excuse the lack of grass I have been having trouble getting my St Augustine growing again since the storm then construction.

    I am happy to share all the ideas and knowledge I got. I am always on yahoo msngr gator21475 is my handle hit me up anytime!

    I also went to South to i lived in mobile as well

    Mat

  • jessejr
    13 years ago

    Mom of 3

    Take these suggestions for a new beginner garden

    1) Send your soil to the County agricultural extension service which may send it to a state lab. They will tell you what your soil is deficient

    2) Till into your garden what ever your local garden store tells you is necessary to to either acidify or alkalinize your soil.

    3) Till in Miracle Gro Garden Soil that provides many micronutrients/Nitrogen.

    4) Till in top soil

    5) Make small furrows length-wise so that you can irrigate your plants from below and NOT ABOVE (watering from above frequently causes a fungus to grow on the leaves and you lose plants)

    6) Plant BIG seeds directly into the garden soil but leave about 1 to 2 feet apart from. Plant 2 seeds per small hole and cover with SMALL amount of dirt...and water with slow small stream of water....

    7) Fertilize with Miracle Gro Liquid fertilizer about every 3 weeks or when leaves begin to look brownish

    8) You may need to spray Liquid Sevin on plant leaves and stems when they are grown and you see signs of holes in leaves from invading insects.

    9) Be sure to chose a location that gives east to west sun exposure so that your plants/veggies get maximal sun exposure. and that the soil gets hot enough to "pop" open your seeds and make then grow...

    1. Always use Open-Pollinated Seeds so that you can use the same seeds the following year to re-grow veggies year after year. (also called "Heirloom" seeds or "OP" seeds or "Heritage" Seeds)

    2. Make sure you do not plant similar plants next to each other or they will cross pollinate.

    3. Recommend you plant easy to grow plants like: Tomatoes, Corn, Squash, Cantaloupes, Watermelon, Cucumbers and Lettuce or Cabbage but not both together.

    4. Learn how to transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers, or anthers to tassels on corn or to gently shake tomato blossoms so they self pollinate... from 10 am to 4 pm

    All the best,
    Jesse Jr.

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