Your Questions About Gardening

GardenersCardiff answers:

I was fascinated when I first heard of this…. So I tried it… I hate to till!!…. I did a large bed in my backyard…. Covered it first with newspaper and compost, then started building my layers…. Started early fall….. Built layers until the weather turned really cold, then covered it all up with mulch and waited till spring….. When I started planting, there were already changes to my red clay soil.. And more worms than I’d ever seen in there before!…. It’s now a happy and great-growing part of my garden….

For layers, I used anything and everything EXCEPT the listed peat moss…. Here in the south, that’s not used much since when we dry out, the peat dries out, too and it’s miserable to try to rewet that mess…… So in mine there was
compost, shredded newspaper, soil, fall leaves (shredded or whole) …old potting soil, straw, grass clippings from the neighbors….coffee grounds, egg shells, black cow bagged manure, soil conditioner (bagged, shredded fine, pine bark and additives)… Leftover granulated fertilzers…. Kitchen goodies… Etc…

Every time I went to Lowe’s I grabbed a bag of something to take home and spread on it…. That way it didn’t cost me much at one time….. And the layers don’t have to be THICK, just ‘there’…. So coffee ground were broadcast each day…. And anything that showed up like grass clippings and bags of leaves , same deal….

This is basically just ‘sheet composting’… So to keep it working, add water when it’s dry outside… Rain usually takes care of it, but it will ‘cook’ best if kept on the moist side…. Just like a compost pile…..

Since learning of this, I’ll never dig and till again…. And no more scraping off grass, either!!… I’m hooked!…

GardenersCardiff answers:

I suggest finding some basic gardening books you like the looks of and reading them. If you’re short on funds, try the library or thrift stores, which are an abundant source of cheap books.

I specifically suggest as a beginner you do some of your reading on companion planting, some plants like each other and some plants don’t. Some plants have beneficial effects for other plants. For instance, you’ll want to put your marigolds near your tomato, as marigolds exude something that nematodes (microscopic worms that are a scourge of tomato plants) don’t like. Other plants, like the onion family, are disliked by many other plants and plants planted near or with onions will often do poorly.

Also, if you plant to plant them in the ground, it will be helpful for you to read up on building your soil with compost, mulching the top of the soil, pest protection. Asiatic lily’s are especially attractive to gophers, so I’d keep those in a pot, although if you have gophers, they’ll eat almost anything if they’re really hungry.

If you plant to keep your garden in pots, which is not a bad idea for a beginner, read up on container gardening. It’s basic but knowing that black plastic pots can absorb enough direct sun on a hot day to effectively cook and kill a plant, and that you’ll want a loose soil that retains water are among necessary tips you’ll get in a container gardening book.

I’m in California, and for me the Sunset Western Garden Book is a bible. It’s specifically written for the western states, if you are outside that area I’m sure Sunset has a publication that covers your area. Use it and read it and explore it, it will have pretty much everything you will need to know, although if you are really interested in gardening there are lots of other wonderful books as well.

Above all, don’t be afraid to try new things, to learn from your mistakes and don’t give up if something dies or fails, you can always start again. Have fun!

Oh, and a wonderful way to learn about gardening as well as gourmet cooking is to have some potted herbs. Herbs started a lifelong interest for me in gardening and also in cooking! Even if you don’t have the room or inclination ro grow your own food, growing your own herbs to use as seasoning is very rewarding. Basic herbs you’ll want to start would be rosemary, oregano, tarragon, thyme. Those are all perennials, meaning they live through the year. Your annual herbs would be basil and chive. There are lots more, be sure to taste a leaf of the plant before you buy, I find some oregano and marjorams much more tasty than others. As 4″ pottted herbs will take a while to get to where you can regularly take cuttings, you might want to start with a larger plant. I won’t usually take cuttings from any herbs til they’ve been in my garden getting overhead water for a couple of months, that way I know any junk on them from the growers has washed off.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Water early in the morning. Avoid strong fertilizers until your plants are mature. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I’ve personally murdered many a good plant through neglect, ignorance, and stupidity.
Read the little cards that come with the plants, there is a lot of use-full information there.