Tenn gardening

[avidbowhunter]

All.... my wife and I are moving to Tenn next year and I'm wondering about gardening there. We are looking at central Tenn . How is the soil in that area? Growing season? I currently live in northern Pa. I'm sick of 9 months of winter! I want to start a vegetable retail stand. How long is the growing season there? I'm trying to get as much info as I can. Thanks!

[TNCatHerder]

I'm in E TN but it is way better here than it was in KC. Season starts sooner and ends later. Winter is not as harsh. If you drive around you will see green everywhere so I would say the soil is great but I grow everything in pots and make my own dirt so I can't really say. I have family in middle TN and they have wild blackberries on their property. I am trying to propagate some now.

Welcome to the forum and TN.

[avidbowhunter]

Thanks for the reply! I'm really looking forward to moving there! Longer growing season is a BIG plus. I'm somewhat surprised by the hardiness maps. Where I live now, I'm sure it's in zone 4 but it shows zone 5. Micro climate I guess. This year we had more snow in April and May than we did in Jan, Feb and March. I planted my normal early season veggies in April and lost everything but spinach and onions.

[TNCatHerder]

I have lived here for 3 years now. I think it has snowed a couple of times.

We did have a late season cool wave this year and I had to cover my tomatoes and peppers that were already out.

[Gary350]

I moved to TN 42 years ago and I have a great garden we live 30 miles south/east of Nashville TN on I-24. If you have not picked an exact location to live in TN you have a lot to choose from. If good soil and good garden is a priority don't get in a large city yards are small, lots of trees, lots of rock, lots of hills. We have relatives that moved from Illinois to Manchester TN and more relatives from Michigan planing to move to Manchester TN too this summer. It is a small town with all the big town items, new hospital, Walmart, Lowe's, lots of restaurants, houses cost about 75% less than Nashville TN. Manchester is near some very nice, camping, hiking, picnic, areas. Only 9 hr drive to the Ocean. If you like to fish your 1 hr drive from what many people claim is best fishing in the world many people from foreign countries come to fish the TN river it is about 680 miles long and 5 miles wide in several places. Decide what your priorities are then pick a location. Manchester TN is flat farm land at the bottom of the Monteagle Mountain on I-24 with no big city traffic. Manchester is about 1/2 between Chattanooga & Nashville. Knoxville TN is higher elevation 10 degree cooler weather with snow. It is rare to get snow in Nashville. Chattanooga gets snow too it is higher elevation.

[TNCatHerder]

Gary, my family out your way is in Manchester, Shelbyville and Tullahoma. It is a nice area. Lots of lakes. McMinnville just east of there on 55 is considered the nursery capitol of the world. I drive through there each time I visit and always wish I had time to go through some of them. So many that specialize in things I want to check out.

[Gary350]

I forgot to mention, last frost is about April 15 to 20. First frost is about Nov 7. Lots of rain Dec to May last year we had 5 ft 4 in of rain Jan to May. Summer is hot 98 to 100 June to August and often not much rain for those 3 months about 1" per month. Spring is very short weather goes from winter to summer in a few weeks. When our pantry is full I advertise on FB Market place, tomatoes, beans, peppers, okra, etc, people come to the house, I sell $100 a week sometimes better than letting food go bad. I use to give extra food to homeless shelter but past 6 years they refuse to take it. Soil in town and in subdivisions is not so good they scrap off top soil to build houses but farm land is excellent. If I had a 1 acre garden I would have enough vegetables to have a full time market at the house I could probably sell $2000 ever week. Cash crops here are, tomatoes, corn, beans, melons, okra.

[avidbowhunter]

Thanks for the info. I'm not looking to live in ANY city anywhere! Country boy here. I've looked a houses in the towns you mentioned. We plan on bringing our camper down there next year to stay about 3 weeks and really look around. I'd like to hunt hogs, deer and turkeys. I like to fish too. I like the longer growing season and plan to take advantage of that. We'll see! I really want to have a market garden and love talking gardening with people!

[Gary350]

Thanks for the info. I'm not looking to live in ANY city anywhere! Country boy here. I've looked a houses in the towns you mentioned. We plan on bringing our camper down there next year to stay about 3 weeks and really look around. I'd like to hunt hogs, deer and turkeys. I like to fish too. I like the longer growing season and plan to take advantage of that. We'll see! I really want to have a market garden and love talking gardening with people!

What you describe sounds like Manchester TN. You can shoot or trap wild hogs, hunt deer and turkey. It is a farming community too. Old Stone Fort State Park is there about 5 miles west of town you can camp there 3 weeks if you want, the river runs around the campground you can fish while your camping. They have a large lake, river, several water falls great place to fish. I hear they have a good farmers market but I never been there 45 miles is too far to drive our farmers market is only 2 miles from home. Wild hogs are very good meat. Lots of people around here have a smoke house and make their own, sausage, ham, bacon, chops. Very friendly bunch of folks that never met a stranger they will talk your ear off. Do Google maps earth street view and satellite view look the town over while setting at home. If you see a real estate sign on google maps street view give them a call. Make camping reservations 1 year in advance before camp ground fills up full.

https://tnstateparks.com/parks/campgrou ... stone-fort