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Garden Gate:  How to start?  |
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Sitnalta
True Blue Farmgirl
4208 Posts
Jessica
NJ
USA
4208 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 04 2012 : 4:11:52 PM
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We just moved into a new place and there are wanna be flower beds all over the place. The people before us didn't give a hoot about the flowers nor other beds and let them all go. So, it's been about 5 years since it has really had any love put into it. Now, for my question. What do I do to get this wilderness tamed? I have two little flowerbeds right out front that the children and I weeded today. What things are good to put there? Do I get seeds to start them this late in the year? Live plants are kinda expensive for me. How do I know which seeds are actually going to produce. I am an almost total garden newbie but would love to make this new place look beautiful and inviting. HELP?? :D
hugs
Jessie
"Wonder Woman hasn't got a cape, she just turned her apron around"
Farmgirl Sister #235 |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2012 : 6:25:41 PM
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It is a little late in the year to start flowers from seed. You can start some next spring. Right now I would work on getting the soil good by adding compost. You can find perennial flowers on sale this time of year and plant them. They will come back every year. Annuals won't, so you have to plant them in the spring. Some of my favorite perennials are cone flower (echinacea), lily of the valley and black eyed susans. You can also plant bulbs later this fall for spring and summer blooms. Tulips, daffodils, lillies and iris' are just a few of the bulb flowers. It would be good to start reading up on the different types of flowers or plants that you like over the winter and you will be blooming before you know it!
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farmgirl sister #922
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2012 : 7:10:31 PM
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Congratulations Jess!
I agree with Diane, its a bit late to put annuals in. One thing you can put in are Pansies. Before you know it you will see them in your local garden centers. They will bring instant color and will bloom until frost, and then will re-bloom again in the spring. You can usually get a flat of them for about $12-15 and they will go a long way towards beautifying your little gardens.
Also- I see that you are in NJ. Check your local Lowes- head straight for the clearance carts/sections, and you will find an abundance of perrenials. They might look like heck right now, but if you plant them now, come next spring/summer they will be beautiful and will continue to bring you beauty for years and years! You can filter them in along with pansies, and later in the fall maybe purchase some small "mums". the mums will bring great fall color and will also come back year after year.
good luck to you!
Hugs,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2012 : 8:05:17 PM
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I would start with cleaning the beds and amending the soil, before I put anything in them. You may want to start slow and figure out just what plants you want and where they will do best. Color, height, sun, shade all have to be taken into account.
I would start by figuring out what kind of flowers you want. You may want to do a bed just for cutting flowers, you may want one with roses, or herbs, maybe start by picking a color, pink, yellow, white, red ... your choices are endless. But unless you have a good healthy ground to put them in, you will bewasting your money.
Good luck. I'd love to see photos of before and after.
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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rphelps4
True Blue Farmgirl
620 Posts
roxanna
westport
indiana
USA
620 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2012 : 8:49:51 PM
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| You never know when you start cleaning up the beds there may be hidden treasurers in there, if you get some areas clean a lot of place have everything super cheap since it is close to the end of the season. |
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Sitnalta
True Blue Farmgirl
4208 Posts
Jessica
NJ
USA
4208 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2012 : 10:51:50 AM
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Thanks ladies! This has been a huge help to get me started. I think I'll start looking into gardening books and compost wont be too hard. I live in the state park, so most of the soil is just beautiful, its just so many part are this wicked Jersey clay. :)
I know Irises, and lillies grow great around here as the last place had just tons of them.I am hoping to have as much luck.
Are there any flowers or plants that I could be starting inside over Fall in winter so they will be ready to go come Spring? :)
hugs
Jessie
"Wonder Woman hasn't got a cape, she just turned her apron around"
Farmgirl Sister #235 |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2012 : 11:22:15 AM
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you can pick up seeds this time of year pretty cheap. And start them this winter, if you have the place and space. Just remmeber perennials usually don't flower their first season when grown from seed. Which is really okay, they put their energy into their roots.
The great thing about starting a plant from seed is ... you did it, if you are in no hurry to have established beds and want the hands on, starting from seeds is a GREAT way to go.
Just have fun with it.
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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Garden Gate: How to start? |
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How to start?
