I'm a total newbie. Mine and my husbands idea of gardening was buy a plant from walmart, stick it in the ground, call it gardening.

But I am having so much more fun doing it this way! And its nice to have people to talk to and ask questions to.

There is nothing wrong at all with buying transplants and sticking them into the ground. That too is gardening!

A lot of us started gardening exactly that same way. I planted tomato and pepper plants from transplants for over a decade before I started raising my own from seed. I just prefer to have specific varieties that you cannot necessarily find in stores, so in order to have those varieties, I had to grow my own.

Also, as my garden got bigger and bigger over the years, it was financially smarter to grow my own transplants from seed. I'd never be able to buy the large quantity of tomato and pepper plants I need as transplants from a store because it would cost too much. For people who need only a few plants for a small garden, buying transplants is a great option and for parents who work full-time and are raising a family, buying transplants often works better than raising their own from seed because they don't have time to raise veggie transplants indoors under lights. That doesn't make them any less of a gardener than someone who raises everything from seed.

Dawn

Dawn- I adore you and don't even know you! I am defiantly not in a brave enough place to start a bunch of seedlings, and since I was already behind, I did buy tomato transplants, and will do the same with my cukes. Peppers on the other hand..well my kids still have those 15 pepper that I don't know where to put!

I have already decided though that I need a bigger garden. My husband is going to fall over when I tell him this!

I find myself in awe of all the help and knowledge on here, and sometimes I feel like I am reading a foreign language trying to figure out what ya'll are saying. I am hoping by hanging around here, I will pick up on the lingo!

I'm a newbie here. I do have a little gardening experience but this year I'm trying to do so much more by expanding the garden, growing much more from seed and trying lots of new vegetables that I've never grown before.

What I've found most helpful is advice to gardening in Oklahoma specifically. Being here and reading previous posts I've realized we can't garden the same way people do in other parts of the country especially those north of us. I definitely think this will help make my garden more successful this year.

Thanks, Jo, for the newbie shout out! I do love how nice everyone is (including you)!

When all else fails googling the topic along with "okie dawn" in the subject search reveals the best advice on the planet.

My opinion, anyways *hearts

bonnie

Thanks, Jo, for the newbie shout out! I have been a GW member for a few years, but kind of fell off the scene a few years back. I'm back now & I have to say, I really missed this group of people on this board. They're amazingly knowledgeable & friendly! Folks on here helped me tremendously when I had a small veggie garden a few years ago. I can't wait until I have the proper fencing to make a new garden in our new yard! :)

Thanks to everyone for being so friendly & accepting of all our newbie questions & sharing your skills with the rest of us poor unfortunate souls who are not so smart about gardening. :)

I hope that maybe next year, I can come to the Spring Fling. It seems like ya'll always have such a blast & while I wouldn't have much to offer in the way of plant swapping, I could always collect my flower seeds to share. If anyone's brave enough to want morning glories or moonflowers, that is! Moving to southern Oklahoma & leaving all my friends & family behind to be a stay-at-home mom for the last 4 years has made for a lonely transition. I picked up gardening as a hobby to share with my son & pass the time & the people on this board made me feel like I belonged, even though I'm a newbie. Thanks a million to ya'll :)

So glad to hear I am not alone. Especially since this is my first attempt at gardening of any kind. My husband and I bought an 100+ old farmhouse with years of yard neglect. So far I have identified bridal wreath spirea that's out of control, irises a previous owner from 20+ years ago planted that are now running amok, and I have nursed what I thought was two twigs two inches tall into a healthy little rose bush.

But I have lots of questions and im sure many people will be shaking their heads to but the only stupid question is the one not asked.

Faerye and other newbies...A lot of what I bring is flowers/plants that have self seeded themselves where I don't want them (usually in my pathway!) or I have split them from a larger plant. I try to dig them up a couple of weeks before the Fling so they have time to settle into the pot and perk up.

Lisa, thanks for the advice! I will keep that in mind this time next year, as I get ready for my first Spring Fling :) I have a good amount of flowers (provided that they all bloom for me this summer; stupid frost & stupid me for planting too early as usual!) & I have a small collection of house plants that I could attempt to propagate.

Thank you to all the welcoming members here! This is my first year I have ever gardened and I have "bitten off" more than any seasoned gardener would recommend for a newbie! lol but when i'm in, I'm All in! So my husband built me (2) 12'x4'x20", (2) 4'x4'x20", and (1) 8'x3'x20" raised beds, I built a compost bin, set up 3 rain barrels, and bought a little greenhouse. I got a little over excited buying seeds, so I now have seedlings of 20 different veggies/varieties and 9 herbs . I had no idea 9 out of 10 seeds would actually sprout Eek!; In hindsight, I planted way too many of everything! :) A month into seedlings, I lost my entire dining area, table and all, and half of my kitchen! But I must say I have never had this much fun or been this stress-free! I am learning more and more, and truly enjoying this groups input and wisdom. I'm sure I'll have questions upon questions but until then, thank you for the warm welcome!

Hello all,

I would like to trade home grown Irish potatoes and green beans for canning services this summer. I will give you more food than you can for me and I will provide my own jars and lids.

I am interested in about thirty (or more) quart jars full.

I live near the OK County and Logan County line.

Please pass this along to any likely candidates.
Johnny8@cox.net

Thanks,

Johnny