Your Questions About Gardening

GardenersCardiff answers:

Congratulations!

Since you’re a new gardener, you don’t want to try anything too big. There is a book about a gardening method called Lasagna gardening. Take a look at that: It’s good for building raised beds in small areas, with rich soil.

If the plants you choose produce well, you do indeed get better tasting vegetables than you would from the store, and a lot of them.

This isn’t much I know. But I hope it helps!

GardenersCardiff answers:

Many kinds of vegetables and herbs grow well in containers. You first need to make sure you have a sunny location with 5+ hours of sun. And be sure to water regularly.

I just started experimenting with growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs in a small space and in containers last summer. I found that beans (green and yellow) can be grown much closer together than the packages read. If you like green onions, you can plant a bunch of bulbs close together in pots. Tomatoes such as Roma, grape, and cherry do well in pots. I have also grown strawberries, and different varieties of raspberries.

I did not do as well with lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower in pots.

This year, I read a bunch of labels and did a little research and am trying the herbs (which many people are successful with) and added eggplant to the pots.

Compost works well, mixed in with the soil in your garden. You can also now purchase organic soils by Miracle-Gro and many generic variations, which work quite well in the ground. Use a good potting soil in the containers.

Start with just a few varieties to get yourself started this year. Keep a journal of what worked, and what didn’t work, along with your notes from your research. Ask questions at nurseries/greenhouses and farmers markets. Search online. Experiment and have fun!

GardenersCardiff answers:

It depends on the vegetables and whether or not you have a greenhouse. Broad beans can be planted outside now ready for a crop in June but if we get a severe winter there could be serious losses unless you have a sheltered spot. Otherwise sow under cloches in February. For a greenhouse crop plant sweet and chilli peppers and tomatoes indoors in February/early March.

Most other vegetable seeds you sow in March/April, apart from Runner and dwarf beans, marrows, cucumbers and courgettes which should be started off indoors in May to be transplanted out when the risk of frost is passed. Or you can plant the seeds straight in to the ground in late May.

When you buy seeds it usually tells you on the packet the best time for planting that particular vegetable. You can also do successional planting throughout the spring and summer to extend the picking time. Carrots and peas can be harvested for a longer period this way.