New Veggie Garden

[NicRI]

Hi,

OK, so I'm dreaming of my summer garden already.... We are planning to use a new area of our yard this year. Looking for any info on how to get the new area up and running to have a healthy harvest this year.

Trying to go the organic route, but we've got tons of grubs... Any ideas as how to get rid of them organically?

Thanks, for your input...

 

[amid chaos]

A good way to start is to have your local extension service test your soil. They will let you know what you need to do to amend the soil for veggies.

Then turn the soil...with a shovel or you can even rent a tiller for the day. You will probably need to add some loam and compost...both can be bought by the yard and delivered.

Depending on where you live you can start some cool weather veggies in March....here we plant peas on St patrick's day!

There are some vegetables that are easier just to buy seedlings from your garden store.

As for the grubs...I know there is something we can treat the yard with, but not sure it would be safe for a veggie garden, especially if you want to go organic.

Best of luck to you! Hope this was abit helpful.

 

[mommytotwo]

I would also ask the extension service or your local garden center what types of vegetables work best in your area and when you should plant it. They will have all the information for you of what variety is the best, what bugs you will need to look for, how to care for your plant.... good luck with your garden.

 

[DebºoºS]

Now is a great time to plan your new garden.
How about a raised bed garden?

We did raised beds for our veggies that's worked out well.

 

[NicRI]

Wow, that looks really nice. Yes, we were thinking of a raised bed. We have a 4ft fence in the front, we were thinking along there would be nice. We are going to remove a tree in the middle of the yard, will give that area almost a full day of sun. Is that pressure treated wood? We haven't decided what type of wood to use. DH wants pressure treated.... I don't.

But it's still fun planning.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Don't use pressure-treated wood...it contains an arsenate, which does leach into the soil. Use cedar or redwood or some other naturally rot-resistant wood, or they do have some recycled plastic lumber-looking products.
For organic gardens, treat grubs with Milky Spore. You may have to use it 2 years in a row to get a good population of the bacillus, but once treated, you're good for 20 years. Perfectly safe for humans, can be applied to the ground any time it's not frozen.

Best thing you can do to start is to amend the soil with compost...either bagged or made yourself. Use that pile of leaves you raked up in the fall, run over it a few times with the lawn mower, use your untreated lawn clippings, throw in all your coffee grounds and veggie peelings, stir well, pile in a corner, and let it rot! When it looks like nice rich dirt (may need to turn it a few times to hasten the process), spread it on your garden and turn it in with a fork. Then plant.

 

[NicRI]

Thanks for the tips UrsulasShadow. We've got a compost pile going in the yard already... neighbors don't like it... but then again, we don't like them much either! They are part of the reason we're moving the garden. Caught one jumping over the fence, not sure what they were doing, but I would rather have the garden where I can see it. We'll plant pumpkins in the old garden patch. Started looking at seed magazine last night.

All this warm weather in Jan is getting me worried we'll have a long cold March. Oh well, there's no place like New England!!

Thanks again!

 

[NicRI]

OK, I guess My dreaming of a gardening is a little early... it's a whopping 12 degrees here.... But it's sunny!

We love fresh green beans, and you'll often find me snacking on them while I'm weeding in the garden. What do you prefer? Pole beans or bush beans?

TIA

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Mmmm...I love picking green beans right off the plant and munching them, too! I confess to enjoying pole beans purely for the fun factor. When I was a kid, my dad made a tee-pee of the pole-beans poles and the beans grew right up them into a fun "bean fort"! I used to sit in the bean fort and read in the shadowy summer light and eat all the beans within reach.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

That's funny. I remember the first garden I ever grew for myself, I got an idea to grow sunflowers, with pole beans growing up their stems, to make a tent. It was supposed to be for the kids (they were very small at the time, and I thought it would make for some cute pics), but I ended up spending an awful lot of time inside there, doing the same thing you did...but I was supposedly an adult when I did this!

I have a fondness for bush beans, though, because that was the sort my dad grew. The last thing we did together, before he got too sick to garden, was to go out and pick beans off his bushes and eat them on the way back to the house.

 

[PaMom001]

I like watching HGTV's show, "Paul James, The Garndener Guy". He has some good ideas. He's a master gardener and likes non pesticide gardening. He also has a bit on the website. There should also be a receipe for compost tea.

 

[TnTsParty]

I have a mini garden started right now (but then again I am in south Florida) I have a cherry tomato that has lots of clusters of baby green tomatos and I actually ate the very first ripe tomato today (split it with my DH even though he doesn't like tomatos ~ should have kept it for myself!! LOL) I also have 2 banana pepper plants and a jalepeno pepper plant I keep all of the in seperate pots and I had to bring them in last night as it got a bit chilly.

 

[DebºoºS]

I have a mini garden started right now (but then again I am in south Florida) I have a cherry tomato that has lots of clusters of baby green tomatos and I actually ate the very first ripe tomato today (split it with my DH even though he doesn't like tomatos ~ should have kept it for myself!! LOL) I also have 2 banana pepper plants and a jalepeno pepper plant I keep all of the in seperate pots and I had to bring them in last night as it got a bit chilly.

How fortunate you are Homegrown Cherry tomatoes are the best DS is in Tampa and he too brought his plants in a few nights when the temps dropped.