What are you growing?

I am planing my first garden for next year. I have a lot of room, so space isnot a problem. What have you all grown? What does well? What is hard to grow? Any other tips for a first garden? Thanks.

Start small even if you have a lot of space. Weeding can take up a lot of time in the summer and with a big garden it is very easy to let it go too long.

For a first garden, grow the vegetables you like. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, squash are all easy. A little basil for your tomatoes is nice. Lettuce is always good and is best planted several times. Plant a small row every other week and you will have lettuce from early spring until the weather gets real hot. Plant it again in August for fall lettuce.

By starting small you'll probably have more fun with the garden and learn more about gardening than if you start with a big garden. You'll also be surprised at the amount of produce you get. 3 or 4 tomato plants will easily keep a small family in fresh tomatoes with extras to give away. If you plan to can some tomatoes, 15-20 plants will give you enough for canning.

If you want to till up a big patch, put the unused portion in a green manure and start conditioning the soil so that when you do expand the garden you'll have well prepared ground for the garden.

You might also want to put in a few raspberries. They are relatively easy to care for - just keep them weeded, mulched and watered and by the third year you'll be surprised at the number of berries produced.

Good idea. Iam also thinking of corn. I hear that you have to plant a lot to get a good yeald. I was planing on part of the garden being big, and growing corn, and the rest have a smaller aera for the rest of the plants.

If you grow corn make sure you plant several rows next to each other so it can pollinate. It is better to grow several shorter rows than to grow one or two long ones. 'Course if you want a lot of corn then grow several long rows!

Okra is also easy to grow. Here in the south it takes the summer heat well and produces into the fall months. Just be aware that okra plants have "pickeries" and will sting you if you don't wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt when harvesting.

If you grow cucumbers, you must not put them anywhere near squash, zuchini, or any kind of melon. They cross-pollinate somehow and will make the aforementioned taste of cukes. I always forget and I like my melons so much I just swore off cucumbers altogether. Better Boy tomatoes and Kentucky Wonder greenbeans are staples in my garden.

For your corn either get several varieties with different maturity dates or plant just a few rows at a time over several weeks, otherwise all of your corn will come in at the same time.

<font color="red"> For your corn either get several varieties with different maturity dates or plant just a few rows at a time over several weeks, otherwise all of your corn will come in at the same time.
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Good point. Thanks.

Don't plant all your greenbeans at the same time either, whew. I planted 1.5 pounds of greenbeans at the same time and they were coming out my ears. 1.5 pounds of greenbeans is a lot of greenbeans. My first garden has been a learning experience.
Next year, lots more corn. I'll wait til late June for pumpkins, and I'll put out a few more cucumbers.
My tomatoes were awesome but I over did those too with 29 plants that did wonderfully (not because of me).
The squash was pretty good and leaf lettuce was the same.
If we had any rain in July to amount to anything I'd still be gettin' beans and maters.

Rocks. See attachment.

Pete

Paul,

Based on the responses to your question and your own ideas, what did you decide you would try to grow next spring besides corn? How big of a garden plot do you think you will attempt?

Well, after all that. I don't know. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Corn for sure, and tomatos. My wife makes her own sauce, so I want to get her stocked op with tomatos. Thinking of garlic, and potaos also. As for size, I dont know yet. I am going to start with a fence around the garden,[lots of deer] so we will see how much fence I have. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Other than that, I am still open.

We grow tomatoes, onions, leeks, zuchini, carrots, and lettuce. In September we plant rapini (broccoli rob?) for an early winter harvest. We also grow parsley, basil, rosemary, and chives.

We don't grow corn because there are roadside stands every 2 miles that sell it freshly picked for 1$/dozen and it's excellent. Also, our current plot is only about 8' X 20'. Our intentions are to master this superfice before enlarging it.

<font color="red"> We also grow parsley, basil, rosemary, and chives.
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I have been thinking of a herb garden, but that will be a seprit one.

<font color="red">We don't grow corn because there are roadside stands every 2 miles that sell it freshly picked for 1$/dozen and it's excellent. </font color>

Ya me also, but its not my own. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

<font color="blue"> &gt;&gt; Thinking of garlic </font color>
If you're planning to grow garlic, you should plant it now. Garlic is planted in the fall for harvest the next year.

<font color="red">If you're planning to grow garlic, you should plant it now. Garlic is planted in the fall for harvest the next year.
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Ya I know, just that the house is not done yet, and I don't know where the garden will be going. Or the septic tank. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Paul,

When you get around to planting next spring, one good trick is to grab a couple of packs of marigold seed and use them as a border all the way around the garden. Helps keep bugs out cause they don't like 'em.

You also might want to consider "companion planting". Seems that some plants like or don't like each other.