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Garden Gate:  First Garden EVER!  |
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JessieMae
True Blue Farmgirl
702 Posts
Jessie
Raleigh
North Carolina
USA
702 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 26 2008 : 5:01:16 PM
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| I'm planning on putting in my first garden this year and am looking for any good websites or books you experienced gals can recommend. Garden has to be very modest in size 'cause we have a small yard, and there's only two of us to eat the rewards. |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2008 : 06:59:03 AM
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Jessie, there are so many good gardening books out there, it would be difficult to pick them out. I think most gardening books are good; it all depends on your style. Organic Gardening for Dummies is a good one if you're looking to go organic. Raised Bed Gardening if you have a small space and tenacious weeds. Ladder Gardening, again for a small space where you want lots of food. I have more on my bookshelves in the bedroom, but dh is still sleeping. If you have questions, all the gardening gals here will be able to help you out. Also, there is a website, "Backyard Living; Advice by the Yard" which is a very helpful gardening site http://bbs.reimanpub.com
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4749 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2008 : 08:38:44 AM
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I love the ideas for planning flower beds in "Fine Gardening" magazine. You may want to check at the book store to see if there is a magazine or books for your area or state. I also buy "Chicagoland Gardening" magazine too. It lists all the best annuals and perennials for our part of IL. I like to buy plants that are native to my area & are drought resistant. Have fun planning your first garden! The planning stage can be almost more fun the planting!
Dawn in IL |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2008 : 6:50:26 PM
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Are you vege gardening or flower gardening? For me, flower gardening was simple--native and natural, like a cottage garden, but for whatever reason the vege thing really had me buffaloed. I read TOO many books and got TOO many ideas, until I reached the point that I missed my planting deadline year after year because I was overwhelmed with information. Finally, last year, I just took some ideas from the girls on this forum who had planted raised beds and added good soil and I planted seeds. And...it worked. Tough year for a first garden with the severe drought, but I got enough to freeze and can and I was never more satisfied.
I limit my "intake" now, though there are plenty of good gardening books out there. I bet the girls on this forum can help you just the same 
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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JessieMae
True Blue Farmgirl
702 Posts
Jessie
Raleigh
North Carolina
USA
702 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2008 : 06:15:30 AM
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| I'm putting in a vegetable garden. We've got lots of flowers already, thanks to the people who lived in this house before us. I think I am going to do the raised-bed thing...our yard has lots of pine trees and I've heard that makes the soil too acidic to grow much else. |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2008 : 06:31:52 AM
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That's what we did, Jessie. We have a small side yard that gets all the sun so that's where my husband built my beds for me. I planted 3 types of potatoes, green beans, english peas, carrots, salad greens, black eyed peas and something else. I planted 2 types of garlic in the autumn. I did really well for my first time planting...all you have to do is concentrate on your soil. I had the BEST time and can't wait til I plant again this year. Getting a little more daring with my types. We're all heirloom this time :)
I'll see if I can find my pictures from when I posted earlier in the Spring...maybe it will give you some ideas.
Here it is:
http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10228
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2008 : 07:20:02 AM
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Jessie, you might enjoy spending about an hour or more at the library, pull out the gardening books at random and flip through them; you may end up with a handful that appeal to you. Check those out and take them home to rad and make notes. If there are one or two books that you cannot bear to return, you know that these will be the ones you know you want to for keeps.
Jonni, love the photos; I missed these somehow last year. Love the willow teepees, I think that I am inspired to plant some peas this spring! My new herb garden bed is about the same size as your garden bed, so it was nice to see real plants in a simliar space. I like the stepping stones, too!
Jo
"Wish I had time to work with herbs all day!" |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2008 : 07:23:46 AM
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Thanks, Jo. I loved those teepees, too! I also have fencing made from willow. They came from England via Plow & Hearth (my FAVE catalog). They collapse and fold up for easy storage and they're just lovely to look at to boot. My little stones allowed me into the garden without crushing the soil and I could tend to all the plants that way.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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JessieMae
True Blue Farmgirl
702 Posts
Jessie
Raleigh
North Carolina
USA
702 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2008 : 09:12:34 AM
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| Wow, Jonni! You sure got a lot fit into a small plot! That's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for the ideas! |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2008 : 10:00:24 AM
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Glad to help, Jessie. I know what it's like to be a complete beginner! All I can say is don't overprocess to much like I did. Get it built, fill it and go, girlie!!!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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Garden Gate: First Garden EVER! |
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First Garden EVER!
