New to Vegetable Gardening

[learningtogrow]

Hi everyone,

I am very new to vegetable gardening, but really want to dive into it this season. So, I need all the advice I can get.

One question I have been thinking about for some time is whether container gardening or just plain old gardening in the yard is better? We do have room for a garden in our backyard, since we live out in the country, but my main concern is that it might be too windy where I am thinking to put the garden. There would be plenty of direct sunlight.

Also, another concern is of course certain animals, like deer, dogs, rabbits, and other animals that could destroy the vegetables. Of course, that's probably everywhere you go though - what are some tips for that?

I have many more questions, but just thought I would start with these.

Thanks, in advance, for your responses

[opabinia51]

Hi learning and welcome to the HG!

So, about container vs ground gardening: it really depends on what your needs are.

If you don't have much space, container gardening works just fine and you can do your best to mimic gardening in the earth and create healthy plants.

If you garden right in the soil you will have the benefits of all the soil organisms that will aid you in creating healthy plants and healthy soil to grow your plants in.

Provided that you have low bearing crops, wind shouldn't be to much of a problem and if you plan on gardening in that spot for a long time, you can plant a windbreak in the form of a hedge to protect the area.


The only thing that seems to work for deer is an 8 foot tall fence that goes right to the ground. That will keep rabbits out as well. However, there are some more green alternatives like planting the sunflower Helianthus maximillani as a hege around your garden that the deer apparently won't cross because of protuberances from the stems. It is a perennial sunflower and you cut it down each year. It is also edible.

You can also buy sprinklers that will shoot a jet of water at invading animals (and humans) if they cross a barrier. Some people spread pepper around their gardens to keep rabbits and other animals away.

The key to having a healthy garden that is disease free and resistant to insect predation is to have healthy vibrant soil which means using nothing with thte suffix -cide and using all the differnt methods of composting that we describe here at the site.

Your soil should be teaming with life in the form of worms, beetles, other insects, fungi and bacteria and of course garter snakes (eat slugs).

and you can use organic fertilizer that are comercially available like kelp meal, blood meal, liquid seaweed and fish fertilzers and so on.

Save fallen leaves in the fall in piles and as sheet compost and trench compost and in compost piles. A wealth of nutrients in these guys. Compost your vegetable wastes and fruit wastes from the kitchen. Buy cheap manure from local farms, save your eggshells and add them to the garden and to the compost pile.

Hope this helps,

Opabinia

[Grey]

Ok I just had to look up an edible, perennial sunflower:

https://michiganbulb.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_09207

I gotta have that! WOW. It's beautiful, a real showstopper.

[opabinia51]

Yes, you eat the shoots that grow off the main stem. They also help to keep the deer away because they irritate the deer's skin when they try to pass through the hedge.

Now, I don't know that this works all the time as I've not tried it (yet) but, this is what I've read.

I want to grow this plant but darned if I can find the seeds around here.

It's common name is the: Maximillian Sunflower.

[learningtogrow]

I would like to do my own compost - but it seems overwhelming, and something that should be done my a more experienced gardener. Would it be alright to just purchase an organic soil compost from the store? Would it be best to go to a greenhouse type store instead of a place like Lowes or Home Depot?

Unless making my own compost would be easy, it's just I want to start a garden this season and not wait until next year, because it seems, from what I have read that compost takes a while to do it's thing...like up to a year or two? Is that right?

[Grey]

I'm wondering if ordering one is enough - surely I can collect enough seeds from that one to really put in more next year? I can be patient when I want to be.

[opabinia51]

You can buy good top soil from a store if you like. But, composting isn't rocket science. You just put layers of leaves then a green like manure, used coffee grounds, grass clippings and so on.

But, yes go ahead; you can purchase compost and top soil from a nursery or from a box store.

Try local farms for manure (if you have any near you) it's usuallly very cheap or even free.

[learningtogrow]

I just finished reading some threads in the Organic gardening section and they are very beneficial, and I am starting to see that it's not difficult at all. Thanks for your help!

I do live in the country and actually we have two local farms right by us that I am sure I could get some manure from - and we already have a compost pile outside in the backyard, but I am not sure if everything in there is suitable for composting. I think we have orange peels and even some cooked food, so that's pretty much not a good pile, but maybe from now on I will take our coffee grounds and other things you mentioned and start that.

How long does it take for composts to be ready to use, I would probably be planting my vegetable garden end of May, early June - seeing as I am in Zone 4, I believe? Should I start a compost pile now? Would it be ready by then?

Thanks so much for your help! I am learning so much!

[opabinia51]

Orange peels are great for the compost pile, if memory serves they are very high in Potassium. Cooked foods (if they contain meat) can get you into trouble as they will attract vermin.

Make sure you add a 50:50 mixture of greens (like veg wastes, manure and so on) to leaves, wood chips and so on.

Wood has a very high C:N ratio so it is very slow to break down but, provides structure to your soil . I like to add saw dust to my garden when it is available.

If you use Hot composting (a 50:50 mixture) and turn the pile daily (a must) it will be ready in a month. Corn husks are great for creating a hot compost pile.

If you do a cold compost pile (40:60 or less green to browns) then it can take from 6 months to a year.

In the fall lay down the layers over your beds and over the winter and early spring things will compost away and you won't have to spread compost in the spring.

[learningtogrow]

If you use Hot composting (a 50:50 mixture) and turn the pile daily (a must) it will be ready in a month. Corn husks are great for creating a hot compost pile.

If you do a cold compost pile (40:60 or less green to browns) then it can take from 6 months to a year.

In the fall lay down the layers over your beds and over the winter and early spring things will compost away and you won't have to spread compost in the spring.

So, it would be best to start a compost pile in fall, rather than now? Or, would I still be okay starting one now with coffee grounds, egg shells, and getting some manure, grass, things like that? I know we have plenty of coffee grounds - and I could even go to the starbucks in our area, like I saw on another thread in the organic section - boy, I didn't know anything about this until now - and I am very excited to get started!

[opabinia51]

Sure, you can start one now. I'm just telling you about the sheet composting method to use in the fall.

But yes, by all means start one now. Start five now!

Also, if you have access to unraked leaves, start a few leaf mold piles as well.

That is just a pile of mulched leaves, very useful. I'll you more about it later if you ask.

[learningtogrow]

Sure, you can start one now. I'm just telling you about the sheet composting method to use in the fall.

But yes, by all means start one now. Start five now!

Also, if you have access to unraked leaves, start a few leaf mold piles as well.

That is just a pile of mulched leaves, very useful. I'll you more about it later if you ask.

Thanks again, I will be getting started this weekend, hopefully on Saturday

[opabinia51]

Not a problem, happy to help. Have fun gardening and don't get upset when you things other than worms and fungi in your compost. You'll probably end up with a lot of larvae and other critters as well, it's all good.

[learningtogrow]

I am so excited - yesterday some of my seeds started to sprout in the little greenhouse I have indoors. It's only been about five days since I planted them, and already I am seeing some progress!

Just thought I would share. Hopefully things continue to go well, and pretty soon I can get these seedlings outside, probably won't be until early June though.

[opabinia51]

Thanks for sharing, I am so happy to hear about your successes! Hooray for you!

[Reptilicus]

Congrats.

Don't feel bad about being 'behind schedule' on the seedlings... I have to plant my seedlings this weekend... so I'm in the same boat.

[learningtogrow]

With how cold our temps are lately, I won't be getting the seedlings outside until early June. Last night we were down to 25 degrees. A little too cold I would say. But, it's sunny and it will warm up to 50 or so, that's not too bad.

So far, I have tomato plants sprouting, some peppers, and also basil. I planted the basil in a separate pot, and it's starting to sprout as well! So happy, and kind of nervous about having living plants in my care, hopefully I can continue to keep them growing and produce fruit