GardenersCardiff answers:

While you are tilling up the soil, remove any rocks and break up the clumps. Add some organic compost to the soil…this will provide nutrients that you veggie garden will need. Work it in to the soil.

You’re aware of the health benefits of eating fresh vegetables, you have the space for a small garden, but just don’t know where to start? Look no further. Here’s all you need to know to put fresh, crisp vegetables on your dinner table.

First, think small. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, or hoe. It’s like starting out an exercise program by running five miles the first day. You get tired, sore and you quit. Likewise, if you plant a huge garden the first year, you’ll curse, cuss and turn your sore back on gardening for good. So, if you’re new to gardening, start off with a garden no larger than 8′ X 10.’ You can always expand later if you can’t get enough of those fresh, crispy vegetables.

Choose a location that receives as much sun as possible throughout the day. Northern gardeners should insist on full sun. Now you’re ready to work up the soil. You can rent a rear tine tiller or borrow one from a friend or neighbor for this task. Work the soil up sod and all–in other words don’t remove the sod. Removing the sod creates a recess in the soil, resulting in poor drainage.

Next, examine the soil. Is it predominantly clay, sand or a sandy loam? The latter is the best. You can distinguish a sandy loam from the other two by giving it the squeeze test. If you can take a handful of dirt and squeeze it in a ball then watch it crumble when you let go, you’ve got a sandy loam soil type. If you’re not sure, take a sample down to your local extension office. While you’re there ask them about having your soil tested for proper pH levels and major nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and potash.

If you’re stuck with a predominantly sandy or clay soil it will be worth bringing in some topsoil to get you off on the right foot. If you can’t afford topsoil, you can amend the soil with compost. Compost includes any biodegradable material which can be broken down into a fine, dark humus. Well rotted livestock manure is the best choice for getting a clay or sandy soil into shape. Whatever you use for compost apply it often, like once in the spring and once in the fall. It will take a few seasons to improve a poor soil type.

Another thing you can do is use topsoil to make a raised bed. Landscape timbers or treated 2 X 12’s work best for this. You can stack these about five high. Besides enclosing your garden and making a good growing medium, the raised bed will make it easy to plant and weed your garden, particularly if you’ve got back trouble or have difficulty bending over.

Hey, I think we’re ready to plant! Here’s the fun part. You can purchase seeds from the store or order them through the many catalogs on the market (see below). Whatever you do, buy quality seeds. I hate to see people spend hours preparing a garden and then go out and purchase 10/$1.00 seeds. It would be like buying a new car and replacing the engine oil with a cheap brand of oil. Look for brand name seeds just like you would anything else. What we’re trying to do is maximize our chances of success at this endeavor, not pinch pennies.

In a small garden you may want to avoid some of the space hogs, like corn, squash and pumpkin. However, there are bush type varieties of pumpkin, such as Hybrid Spirit Bush and Autumn Gold that don’t take up much room. Also, summer squashes take up less room then do the winter squash. If you do plant corn, remember to grow this one along the north side of your garden so it doesn’t shade the rest of your crops.

Easy to grow crops include onions, peas, beets, rutabaga and zucchini squash. These can also be planted early.Tomatoes and peppers need to be started from seed indoors about 8 weeks prior to planting time or purchased as transplants. Be sure to space things in your small garden according to the instructions on the packets. And make sure you plant your tender crops (tomatoes, squash, beans and watermelon) after all danger of frost has passed. Ask the old timers in the area when this date is. One common mistake people make, especially in the northern climates, is to plant everything when the weather turns nice only to succumb to a frost a week or two later, thus wiping out all their hard work. Plant by the expected last frost dates, not the weather.

Unfortunately, critters (and children) may take a shine to your new garden. Rabbits, geese and deer can be a problem. For the small garden, a wire mesh surround works well. This will discourage most critters and some people. I’ve seen people take chicken wire and staple it to the top of their landscaping timbers on a raised bed to keep out geese and the like.

Vandals can also attack gardens, especially in conspicuous areas of a city, such as in a community garden. Since things like watermelon and squash are the vandal’s favorite, some folks pl

GardenersCardiff answers:

Http://www.beginner-gardening.com/

I find that Doug Green’s site is my first stop “go-to” place for gardening information. Have a look around by clicking on the above link. He has even made some “how-to” videos.

I find that during the winter months, as the gardening catalogs arrive, I go to web sites to gather further information about specific plants. During those gloomy months, it’s a delight to research, look at photos and dream up plans for the upcoming spring and summer garden.

Hope this is what you are looking for.

GardenersCardiff answers:

If just starting, begin by selecting your favorite plants/foods. Then pick varieties you wont find in the store, this way anything you get from the garden is always special. Next depending on space, pick only 3 or 4 items that will fit in your space, then add more space permitting in the coming seasons. I prefer to choose those items that are the most expensive at stores and grow these first as this helps offset expense. Try tomatoes for example, but always get at least 2 different varieties. Each season is different and sometimes a tomato for example will do better if they can tolerate certain diseases or dry/wet weather. Beginning gardeners need not worry too much about what is what, just buy 2 different types of the same plant and that will increase the odds you get some return and allow you to test and compare what you like if you make some notes along the way.

What grows well, depends on where you are located. First thing first, just get something in the ground. You will learn a lot over a single season. One easy thing to check that will make the whole experience better though is to check the ph of the soil. Either get a soil sample tested or get one of those hand held ph testers at a local garden store ~$10. The ph is easiest to balance with Lime or Gypsum. Grab some time released fertilizer to side dress your plants and you will be set. For a small garden space about $40+ is expected. Mulch with whatever you have on hand to save work and improve the soil. In most areas of the US mid to late March is time for cold weather crops: broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, onions then around mid May begin some of the warm weather: tomatoes, corn, beans, melons. Look for lows on average that don’t go below 50 degrees F before planting warm crops.

Some people like to make certain plants part of their garden which help you know when to plant such as Lilacs, you can do an Internet search and find other examples. The idea is when they bloom you can start planting as plants know best. My experience is its one tool that helps, buts its not fool proof. Happy gardening!

GardenersCardiff answers:

I recommend getting one from your garden supply place such as Home Depot, or Lowes. They are cheaper, and better built. I bought one there, it was great! Really dug down into, and turned the soil breaking it up, and aeriating it quite nicely. All I had to do thereafter, was line up the rows and plant.

GardenersCardiff answers:

The Botanical Gardens in Bermuda are located about a mile from Hamilton, accessable by taxi, scooter, or by the Number 1, 2 or 7 bus. The closest bus stop is at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital stop.

The Botanical Gardens are open 365 days a year, and are 362 of those days are free (the only exception is in April during the Agricultural Exhibition). The 36-acre gardens have a mix of collections, all quite beautiful. Were acquired from the Tucker family.

A new exhibit is the cactus house, which came on board in 2003.

The Gardens are open sunrise to sunset.

GardenersCardiff answers:

I started gardening to create shade on my home. I get blazing hot sun across the back of my house when the temps get into the triple digits and gardening has helped cut my AC bill.

Then I started gardening for privacy. I plant where I need to block my neighbor’s view.

Now it is noise control so I don’t hear my neighbor’s dogs barking incessantly all night and day. And, because friends and neighbors give me cuttings which I propagate in my memory garden. When my husband’s mother passed away, I inherited her roses, her orchids, her succulents and her cactus collection which I planted in a memory garden in her honor. So, that would be gardening in remembrance.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Tips for Small Space Gardening
Having a small garden should not limit your creativity and discourage you from creating a cozy and well-maintained green area. To maximize the limited space, you can try to work in containers, limit colors, focus on angles and other points of interests, use vertical elements, and keep the space open.

Let’s face it, not all of us can afford a sprawling lot with fertile soils suitable for gardening. Many have to settle for a small yard and a bit of vegetation. But that shouldn’t keep you from building a nice garden of your own; if anything, it should help you think more creatively to make use of your available space. Besides, small gardens have their own advantages: they don’t need much maintenance, they’re easier to fill, and it’s easier to view them as a whole.

Small space gardening is all about maximizing space and creating illusions. If you know all the right tricks, you can create an attractive garden with any space, whether it’s two or two hundred square feet. Here are six useful tricks to help you out.

1. Keep it open. Large gardens are often divided into sections, but there’s no room for that in a small space. Instead, do the opposite: treat it as one unit and work from an overall design plan. Free up as much ground space as possible to make it look more open. Avoid anything that disturbs the ground space, such as paths, statues, and stepping stones. You may be able to work in a path behind a cluster, but the general rule is to maximize open space. Blur the boundaries with climbing vines or grass so that the garden appears to stretch further out.

2. Use vertical elements. In a small room, you trick the eye with vertical lines provided by tall shelves, full-length mirrors, and other ‘standing’ elements. The same applies to a small garden, except that you’re limited to plants. Look for vertically pruned shrubs or tall, slim trees. This will direct the viewer’s eye upward, instead of side to side where they’ll notice the boundaries. Also use slim, high-backed chairs and tall furniture. A large, wide entrance can draw attention to the vertical lines and make the place look bigger.

3. Make use of angles. Most people arrange room elements in straight lines or against the wall. This does save space, but it also emphasizes the smallness of the garden. Instead of aligning your plants with the wall, arrange them at an angle so that they don’t form a rigid square area. This leads the viewer’s eye away from the sides and into the center, where the space is wide and open. When designing the corners, arrange them at a 45-degree angle, forming an empty right triangle with the wall. You can fill this space with a tree, statue, or some other vertical element.

4. Find other points of interest. A large garden commands attention with its size alone. If your space is small, you simply have to find something else to grab attention with. It could be an interesting plant arrangement, vivid colors, or a unique architectural feature. Don’t overdo it, though—there should be just one focal point, with the rest of the elements arranged around it. This gives your garden a coherent look, drawing attention to the décor and away from the limited space.

5. Limit your colors. Colorful gardens are attractive, but in a small space, they’ll just look cluttered and messy. Stick to two or three main colors and arrange them neatly around your garden. You can either group similar colors together or distribute each color evenly throughout your space. Don’t stuff too much into your garden—it’s all about saying more with less, making a statement with the little that you have. If you find something you absolutely need to have, see if there’s something you can take away to make room for it.

6. Work in containers. Container gardens are a great way to save space while putting in more. They work best if you’re growing garden herbs and vegetables. Melon, squash, tomato, and pepper all thrive well in containers. You can simply put them on the ground and decorate your containers, or arrange them on a stylish potting bench. You can get special garden containers at supply stores or make your own from used five-gallon water containers (smaller ones won’t support the root system).

GardenersCardiff answers:

1. Have your garden soil tested. Your County Rutgers Agricultural Extension Office is a good place to ask for testing procedures. It is helpful if not important to know what the PH of your garden soil is and also what nutrients it lacks. You can save money in the long run by only adding what is needed in the proper proportions. If the soil is not within a proper PH, the plants may not be able to absorb the nutrients properly and will not grow as well.

2. If lime is needed, adding it several months ahead of time will adjust the PH of your garden when it is needed for planting. Do not add the fertilizer until you are ready to plant as the nutrients will leach away over time and be wasted.

3. Prepare the garden by loosening the soil, hoeing the clumps, raking out the stones and smoothing the top.

4. Many plants can be directly seeded into the garden when the soil warms to the proper temperature. Depending on where you live the time for sowing seeds varies.

5. Some plants like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant need a head start to plant them at the right time when the temperature is above 70 degrees and all danger of frost is past. If you can not start the plants ahead of time indoors in a sunny place buy them from a reputable plant outlet. Check the plants to make sure they are healthy and not aphid or white fly infested.

6. I live in South Jersey and plant my garlic in the fall which has always worked well…even last winter and the one before with all the snow. Garlic needs a long, cool moist growing season. Plant it right away and see what happens.

7. Many herbs are perennials and will winter over. I now plant many in large pots that I can move around and semi protect in the winter (thymes, oreganos, rosemary, marjoram) Sage and Lavender I plant directly although they could also be planted in pots. Basil, dill and cilantro are annuals which I seed directly into the garden.

8. Flowering herbs will attract bees as will most flowers both annuals like marigolds, zinnias and cosmos, all very easy to grow with your vegetables. Nasturtiums are said to deter pests as is garlic. Perennials such as fennel,echinacea and sedum attract bees and butterflies. They will come back each year so choose your planting spot wisely.

Your County Rutgers Extension Office has a wealth of information. Check it out and have a good growing season.

Good luck and have fun!

GardenersCardiff answers:

Welcome to gardening!

Since you are new, you will want things that are easy to care for. I chose a bunch of culinary stuff for my bed: Tomatoes, green peppers, basil, oregano, sage, and lemon balm. You may want to actually put the lemon balm and oregano in containers, because these two plants are related to mints. Which can spread aggressively. I also got marigold seed.

Check at your local nursery: There should be someone who can advise you there. And take a look at the Arbor Day foundation site for planting zones: There has been some change in climate since the zones were first established.

Good luck!

GardenersCardiff answers:

One of the coolest things you can do in a place like london is to grow smaller things, pretty much anything in a hydroponic garden atmosphere. It works so incredibly well. ‘

Also if you want to grow outdoors use low light herbs and things. They are gorgeous to look at and you can use them in your foods or for other things as well.

Amazon has this thing to grow stuff inside that I love. Its pretty expensive but it works. There are also little lights that you can use to grow things inside that don’t take up much space. I live in a cooler climate like you in the winter time so growing things outdoors isn’t always easy but you can do it inside very nicely wtihout much room.

I’ve tried pasting in the link twice but it won’t work to show you teh image so here is the link to the product.
Http://www.amazon.com/AeroGrow-AeroGarden-Gourmet-Herb-Black

GardenersCardiff answers:

Might i suggest walmart? Home depot? Lowes?

GardenersCardiff answers:

Let them dry. Brush off the debris and dirt. Lightly oil blades to discourage rusting.

The Muse