Mark asks…
How to start a Vegetable Garden?
Hey! I plan on starting a vegetable garden soon, I’ve never done any gardening before. Would an experience gardener like to offer some advice? I’ve got a few basic questions!
1) Do you test pH levels of the dirt in your garden? If so, can you have different pH levels in each row of plants?
2) I read that you can’t plant strawberries close to peppers because they spread diseases. Have you tried this before? Is it better to have 2 gardens?
3) What do I need to do to the soil beforehand? Obviously I need to loosen it up a bit, maybe get some nice healthy dirt in there. Make it moist. Anything else?
4) What tools should I buy to start off with? I’m thinking a shovel, a trowel, some gloves, and a cultivator.Would you suggest anything else?
5) I know I’m a bit late on the spring season. What are good items to plant at this time? (I live in Tallahassee, FL) I would really like peppers, strawberries, spinach, and butternut squash (or pumpkin). Possibly blueberries or raspberries. Are these ok to plant at this time of the year?
6) Where is a good, local, informative place to shop for plants, seeds, tools, etc? I’d like an organic garden.
Any other advice you’d like to offer? Thanks a bunch for any help!!! I really appreciate it!!!
Any other advice???
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Veggies need at least 6 hours of sun per day. And lots and lots of water everyday if you do not get rain.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about home gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com (vegetables and flowers)
http://www.burpee.com (vegetables and flowers)
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com (pests and insects)
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can grow vegetables in large containers too.
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Vegetable potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for veggies, OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
William asks…
I want to plant a flower garden im SE Missouri.?
I just need some help picking the best ones to stay around all spring and into fall… Are there any like that? Or you can just tell me some good flowers for SouthEast Missouri.
GardenersCardiff answers:
Checkout Springhill Nurseries. Their catalogs have “planned gardens” that are designed to compliment each other in color and bloom, with plants that bloom continually with plants that bloom at different times.
I don’t know if their website offers the same feature — but they’ll be more than happy to send you a catalog and a discount coupon.
These planned gardens — some for shade, some for sun, some for around a fence, next to the house, etc. Etc., will give you lots of info and inspiration. The catalog — as well as the site — will indicate the zone-hardiness for the plants they sell.
Your local garden center will also be helpful, as they will carry plants that are suitable for your locale.
Perennials will offer blooms only once, unfortunately. Annuals will continue to bloom through a season. The ideal is to create a garden with a mix of perennials and easy-to-deal-with annuals. The “exception” to this rule are roses. Hybrid bush roses will bloom intermittently from early summer to the first frost, but rarely will they have blooms continually.
All that aside, look into Columbines. They are billed as “biennials,” but are actually perennials — blooming their second or third year after planting from seed. You can get mature plants from the garden center, and they will reseed themselves, often creating offspring of unusual color. Generally, Columbines start blooming early-to-mid-May and continue through mid-to-late June. Columbines are beautiful, graceful, medium tall, and attract butterflies and humming birds, so I am always eager to suggest a gardener to get a few established in their yard.
Good luck and happy gardening.
ADDED: Laney made a good suggestion, but they are called Purple Cone Flowers, otherwise known as Echinacea. They are perennials, medium tall, and bloom from mid-summer to mid-to-late fall, so they do have a long blooming season. Another is bee balm. This is a perennial that spreads rapidly and comes in various purple to red flowers, is very aromatic, and true to its name, attracts bees and often hummingbirds. This also blooms from early-to-mid summer to late-fall. (Makes great potpourri also).
Http://springhillnursery.com/default.asp?t=xx&eid=081506&sid=411065&gclid=CNTH0aKUxZECFQUolgodJDiJ3Q
Chris asks…
where can i buy some decollete snails for my garden ?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Http://gardeningzone.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=64&osCsid=2dbabafdee18f0c0b17cccea0265601c
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Helen asks…
Where can I purchase a rare Parrot Plant?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi
http://www.growbyseed.com/Tropicals.html
Sharon asks…
praying mantises?
i live in taylor michigan, i want a praying mantis, i dont nowwere to look,please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GardenersCardiff answers:
Many garden Catalogs sell Praying Mantises in the spring. Try a farm and garden supply store, they will be able to help you.
Carol asks…
Brand new to gardening…Help!?
I am brand new to gardening. My husband rented a tiller and tilled up a spot to put our veggie garden. We bought seeds for bell peppers, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, cucumber, and yellow squash. I call my mother to tell her about it and she said we need to start it inside first, then move it outside to the garden. My hubby says we can plant the seeds directly in the garden. Can we? Any other advice to help our garden? Thanks!
GardenersCardiff answers:
Yes, you can plant outside once the weather has warmed. It is best to wait until the night temperatures are in the 60’s every night. We usually wait till the temps are between 68 and 70 degrees. Lots of people wait until after Mother’s Day to plant seeds. Your packets will have all the information on the back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Joseph asks…
ANSWER URGENT EDIBLE GARDEN QUESTIONS?
yoyoyo
okay well i have to find 3 images of different landscape designs for gardens that include edible plants such as watermelon,tomatoes,pears,strawberries,parsley
If you find any images can you write down the link
thaaaanks
x
miley cyrus is cool
GardenersCardiff answers:
Search your garden catalog sites.
Daniel asks…
Where can I buy red, blue or colored Calla Lilies bulbs other than the white variety?
I hope I can order here in Canada some of the bulbs.
GardenersCardiff answers:
Most gardening catalogs sell them as bulbs: springhill, parkseed, burpee, etc. You can often buy them potted at Lowes, Home Depot or other such garden shops. Walmart often sells the bulbs in their garden shop.
Callas don’ t come in either blue or true red. They come in yellows, pinks, lavenders, burgandy’s & shades of orange and there is one called a “black calla,” which is a darker color than the color of an eggplant. (Not actually black-black. Super dark purple almost black.)
Sandy asks…
My first garden – help please!?
I am looking for help with my very first garden. I just rented an entire house in Northwestern NJ with a large property. I’ll be moving there in about a month but I will have full access so I can start as early as this week. There’s no garden currently established but I’m sure the soil will grow things just fine – the property is right in the middle of good ole Jersey farmland – I just need to dig up an area and get to work!
I’d like to plant some vegetables (thinking maybe tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, peppers and green beans), some herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, parsley), and I would love it if I could have flowers that attract butterflies and maybe even some hummingbirds.
What is the best and most cost efficient way to do this? Am I too late in the season to start? I’m so excited and really want to do this but unfortunately don’t know the first thing about it. Thanks in advance for any and all help – I really appreciate it!
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
James asks…
Starting a garden,,,what are the easiest flowers to begin with?
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Thomas asks…
Ok is there an easy way to garden ???
Ok I want to plant a garden (never done it before) I want both Veggie and flower garden how hard is it and what is the easiest things to take care and hard to kill I am afraid I will kill everything but I love the looks and I really want to have a sucessful couple gardens (flowers and veggies)
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Sharon asks…
English Flower Garden?
I’m interested in creating an authentic English garden, and I was wondering if anyone knows of any English seed catalogs that I can order through the mail? Thanks…
I’m zone 5, and where I’m at gets a good amount of rainfall all year…
GardenersCardiff answers:
You will need Thompson and Morgan, and Sutton’s seed catalogues, they have the finest varieties (possibly too many) that you can grow. Both are English companies and will send postal. Where are you ? Climate plays are large part in the `English` garden, and if you are in any of the arrid Southern States you may need to be very selective. If you care to post again with US zone or climate description before you buy seed, I can advise.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Donald asks…
What should I plant in my garden?
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Daniel asks…
designing a garden?
are there any cd’s that will help me design a garden or is ther any free website that would help me
thanks
GardenersCardiff answers:
Try BHG.com, gardengatemagazine.com, or finegardening.com. They have garden plans as do the flower supplier catalogs like DirectGardening.com.
Helen asks…
How Many People Actually Enjoy Getting Catalogs Door-To-Door vs. How Many Do Not?
Now, no one get angry or hostile..lol. I’m not looking to annoy anyone with leaving my home decor catalogs on peoples door to door, but I did want to know how many of you have actually enjoyed a catalog left at your door, how many actually bought from that catalog, and how many threw it away. Thanks ya’ll!
GardenersCardiff answers:
I love receiving my garden catalogs. In fact I order them directly from the companies.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Nancy asks…
starting a garden?
i want to start a garden in my backyard. i’m not sure what we’re going to plant yet, but i really want a garden! are there any websites that anyone knows that is like gardening for beginners? i need to figure out how to do the soil, fertilizers, get the ground ready, basically everything to start a garden. thanks!
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
William asks…
So, who else has started to plan their garden?
I received my favorite gardening catalog in the mail the other day, and now I’m planning my garden. Are there any other gardeners out there who have started planning their gardens already? What do you plan to put in them? Just curious… :o)
Oops! I guess I should mention what I’m planting, eh? :o)
Seeds of Change is the only catalog I order from, and, boy, do they have some cool varieties this year! I may even try amaranth or quinoa if I can find space for them. Otherwise, I always plant tomatoes, potatoes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, sunflowers, squash, corn, basil, and I need to replant strawberries… that’s where I’m at, for now. I have asperagus and blueberries plus catnip, beebalm, and chives (assuming they make it through winter) already in the garden. My daughter has her own garden, though I don’t think she’s planned it, yet.. I have grapevines, but I neglected them last year. I’ll be busy trimming them and installing trellises this spring. Fun, fun, fun! :o)
GardenersCardiff answers:
Yes, that’s me 
I always plan my garden for the coming year in winter time. It’s nice to look at flower catalogs and try to match them together (growing conditions, colors, etc), it’s a good way to be active during winter.
Mostly I grow my plants from seeds except perennials that only available as potted plants or slow growing. I already got 12 catalogs: Burpee, Parkseed, Jungseed, etc and with that many catalogs to look at, it’s hard to choose which ones I’m gonna try
Here is my list so far:
Begonia Queen White, Petunia Avalanche, Aster Bouquet Powderpuff, Baptisia Australis, Miss Lucy (Double) Oriental Lily, Rudbeckia Prairie Sun, Echinecia Baby Swan, Laurentia and some bicolor gladiolus (Flaming Meteor, Blue Frost)
Donald asks…
i need catalog suggestions?
i shop at lilian vernon and fingerhut….but are there any other catalogs that offer that type of stuff for your home,car and garden?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Lakeside Collection has a nice variety and low, low prices on home and garden , gadgets and other stuff. I always enjoy looking through this catalog, although I don’t always buy.
Ginny’s is mostly home and garden and has an easy-to-get choose and charge plan.
Seventh Avenue is affiliated with Ginny’s and has similar items.
Collections Etc. Has a lot of fun, seasonal items, most things are less than $20.
There are tons more catalogs available but these are some of the ones that I enjoy. Google ‘catalogs’ for lots more choices.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Laura asks…
I need so much help with what to plan outside. I do not have a green thumb when it comes to outside plants.?
Anyway, I need some help in figuring out which shrubs I should plant to border my lower deck. the shrubs will be in a rock garden. I need a shrub that grows quickly and is hardy. Also, something that isn’t toxic to my dog. Please help!
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Jenny asks…
Why are some knives banned while others, bigger and just as sharp, are sold for kitchen use? Or garden use?
I see catalog descriptions of knives, both folding and fixed blade, various lengths and materials, there seems to be no consistency as to why some are forbidden in certain states.
GardenersCardiff answers:
The “why” might be lost to the whims of history, but there probably is some consistency. You can look up individual states’ statutes regarding knives to find the restrictions.
_
Maria asks…
Does any one know a garden center, nursey, or other place that has alot of different seeds, in Greenwood IN?
I’m starting a garden and I wanted some strawberries seeds or a little strawberry plant. My garden will have flowers and vegtables in it. I have enough flower seeds, but I want vegtables seeds too. I know that I want to grow strawberries, blue berries, lettace, tomatoes, and other vegtables. I also wanted some other vegtable plants.
GardenersCardiff answers:
You can buy seeds online. This nursery sells hundreds of different seeds: http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/Seeds.aspx
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
George asks…
Can I plant shrubs of flowers in late summer/ early fall?
Hello, new to gardening and have a new house with no landscaping. I live in the midwest.
-I want to plant some shrubs (maybe flowering shrubs) but I want to know I can do this in the fall. If not, what CAN I plant in last summer/early fall?
-What is the difference between Deciduous Shrubs and Evergreen Shrubs?
– Can I plant flowers in late summer/early fall? The kind that come up every year? (I think these are called Perennials?) Any recommendations?
Thanks so much in advance!
GardenersCardiff answers:
Hi there, fellow new gardener.
Most of us are closing down our gardens for the fall and winter months. Cleaning up the areas. There are still a few things you can plant for next spring. It would be best to go to your local nursery and talk to the owner or a clerk to find out what to plant in your cold mid-west area this time of year.
Print out the following and have fun during the winter:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc. My sweet hubby and I have always liked the Dummies series, but there are many, many good books to buy, or visit your local library.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more. You do not have to buy from them:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Robert asks…
What kind of fruits and vegatables can I grow in Nebraska in my garden?
I live in Omaha and I would like to know what fruits and veggies to plant in my garden. my parents always say how lucky they are to have a daughter who was born loving fruits and veggies. and please don’t say corn.
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are in zone 5. You can plan almost any vegetable you want but you have to be careful as to the fruits you would like to plant. Here are a few links that will give you some fruit tree and small fruit suggestions:
http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/fruit_trees.aspx?&e=Full%20Sun&zone=5
http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/small_fruits.aspx?&e=Full%20Sun&zone=5
http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/edible_plants.aspx
http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/organic_plants.aspx
http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/Seeds/Vegetable_Seeds.aspx
Nancy asks…
Someone answered this already, but what is the best plant catalog?
I found this info here, but now I can’t find it again. There is a charge for the catalog. $15, I think.
GardenersCardiff answers:
I like the ,New Western Garden Book.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Joseph asks…
What are your favorite catalogs you receive in the mail during the holidays?
I’ve been getting all kinds of catalogs lately. They’re gearing up for Christmas. I look most foward to the cheese gift baskets and cool gadgets catalogs. I’m just wondering what some of your favorites are.
GardenersCardiff answers:
I like the Figis catalog, Harry & David, Lillian Vernon for personalized gifts, Bloomingdales, Sharper Image (but I don’t think they are still in business), Smith & Hawkins garden tool and stuff, Spiegel, Brylane Home and Home Decorators.
Lizzie asks…
How do I determine if the plants in my garden are weeds?
Is there an online picture gallery of weeds so that I can look at the plant in my garden and compare it with the pictures? I think I know what some weeds look like, but I don’t want to pull a good plant accidentally. Yes, I forgot what I planted in my garden.
GardenersCardiff answers:
That happens to a lot of us!
Go to this link and you will find several website to check out:
http://www.google.com/search?q=flower+photos&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7
You can also send for free gardening catalogs:
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
William asks…
Can you give me some tips on how to keep a small garden neat, tidy and presentable?
I’m hoping to get the garden in order as we come into spring, anything you can share? I’d like to have a small vegetable plot or some flower beds but any advice would be very helpful.
Thanks a lot.
I’m certainly not a “dole dosser” as you put it Malcolm.
GardenersCardiff answers:
You are gonna love gardening, don’t try to do it all in one year. Get to know where the sun shines the most, and where the shaded areas are. Because you will need flowers for the sun areas, and flowers for the shaded areas.
Since you are a beginner, this year start your garden with plants that you get from a garden center or nursery. They are called bedding plants and come in a six pack. Look for a little tag sticking in the six pact showing directions on how to grow the plants. If the tag is not there, ask for one or buy something else. Directions are VERY important.
Seeds are not always easy to grow. And wildflowers are the hardest so don’t be disappointed if they don’t show up.
Two good things to do for yourself is to call your local County Extension Service and ask for all the information that they have about gardening in your area. They usually have a packet/kit of things for the home gardener.
And number two would be to pick up a couple of beginner books. You really do need to know about soil, compost, mulch and etc.
To keep from over watering or not watering enough, buy a water analyzer from a nursery or garden center. Be sure to read the directions. This will be one of your best tools.
Send for some free gardening catalogs and get use to the different types of plants, colors, and when to plant. They are filled with good informtion and pictures. And they will keep you company during the long winter months. Here is a list of just a very few. There are hundreds more:
http://www.waysidegardens.com
http://www.dutchbulbs.com
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com (Roses)
http://www.parkseed.com
http://www.burpee.com
Other catalogs:
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.gardeners.com
http://www.GardensAlive.com
http://www.deerbusters.com (all types of animal control)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Container/pots/window boxes needs:
All need holes in the bottem for water drainage,
Potting soil that comes in bags,
Slow release fertilizer for flowers (not for green plants), OR liquid fertilizer that will need to be used more often-read directions,
Water crystals to be mixed into the soil for holding water,
Bedding plants or full grown plants.
Here is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>
Joseph asks…
Anyone have good tips for an indoor herb garden?
I have never even had a real plant, but I’m interested in growing my own herbs indoors. Where is a good place to purchase what is needed for one? What are some helpful tips in growing and maintaining?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Lack of sufficient light is the main problem that most people have with regards to growing herbs indoors. Be sure to keep them in a sunny window or provide supplimental artificial light for them. Also try using a top quality potting soil, I use Miracle Gro because of the slow release fertilizer which lasts about 3 months. The easiest way to have a good start to your garden is to get small plants/seedlings from a nursery or garden shop.Their knowledgeable employees can be a great resource for growing any type of plant, indoors or out.
Ruth asks…
where can i buy a chia herb garden or something similar in a store, not online please?
i am looking to grow my own herbs the only problem is that i don’t have alot of room to grow them. i heard that the chia herb garden is good and that it doesnt take up much space. thanks all.
GardenersCardiff answers:
I usually see them advertised or available in stores around Christmas. Sometimes, however, you can find a few left on the shelves in discount stores like Wal-Mart, Target, or K-Mart. Drugstores may have them–the Walgreens in my area practically has a monopoly on them at Christmas so I’d bet that they have them year-round–especially something like the herbs. Have you tried the close-out type of stores–Big Lots,for instance?
Sandy asks…
I want to try and start an herb garden?
I really like cooking, and it’d be a lot more convenient and cheaper if I grew my own herbs.
I want to do it indoors though.
I live in northern Indiana, so in the winter it gets reallllllly cold.
But would putting them in a window still work?
I get that they’d be getting sunlight, but it’s still cold next to a window.
And what would be some good herbs to start with?
And how much and how often should I water them?
Do you think the library would have books about it too?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Hi growing your own herbs is a fantastic idea, some herbs that do good indoors are lavender, basil, oregano, rosemary, chamomile, and mint.
Putting them in a window sill would be a good idea preferably a window facing south it will provide the best sunlight. Most herbs require a moderate amount of sunlight but if they don’t get enough sunlight you can supplement by using a “grow lamp” or fluorescent lighting.
When watering over watering can be bad you just need to keep the soil moist all you need to do is keep an eye on your herbs not let the soil dry.
Water about once a week should be ample. A sign of over watering is yellowing of the leaves.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>