First Time Veggie Garden

**TryTryAgain** · 03-07-2009, 03:55 PM

For several years I've wanted to not only to live a more frugal life, but a simpler one. I live way out in the country, in a community called Hard Times (really!). Our house has about 2 acres of land, surrounded by soy bean fields and rice fields (although my husband's family has a small farm with a around 200 acres about 8 min from us).
I would like to have my own garden this year, instead of having to rely on Chuck's mom. However, I really know nothing about this. I know dh will help me as much as possible, but he is extremely busy. Is it too late to start my garden? I think that I like the idea of starting the plants indoors because occasionally we get a late freeze (I live in Arkansas about 46 miles due east of Memphis, TN).
I would like to plant enough to hopefully sustain my family of 3 through the winter with the basics. My thoughts were to plant:
Tomatoes, Green beans, ok....I'm stumped after that....
Could I get some help on:
What to plant
When to plant
How much to plant
Tips and Tricks

I have helped dh's mom for the past 4 years or so so I do have a basic idea of what to do, but I've never planted one on my own before.

**rockhound** · 03-07-2009, 09:46 PM

"(I live in Arkansas about 46 miles due east of Memphis, TN). "
I know you probably meant due west of memphis, unless you're out there in some alternate Universe, lol.
OK, serious now. I would say start some tomatoes and peppers (if you eat them) now, and put them out in the ground after the middle of April. Around that time you can plant yellow squash and zuchini and pole beans out in the ground too. For the first year, don't try to do too much. Pay close attention to the plant spacings recommended on the seed pack. New gardeners often plant too many, too close and don't want to thin them.

**Debbie-cat** · 03-07-2009, 10:07 PM

Your area is really different from mine but I wish you the best of luck and you won't regret planting your own.

**mzpepper** · 03-07-2009, 11:10 PM

I wish you much luck with your garden. It is so exciting to grow things yourself to eat. I also live in an area much different than yours but you are so lucky to have a long growing season. That will really give you lots of options. You could contact the Master Gardeners in your county for suggestions on what to plant and dates to plant. I have always found them really helpful. It really depends on what your family likes to eat. I grow what I want to have on hand and have faith that it will grow. That is a big part of it.

My biggest mistake in my garden is planting things too close together. I cannot seem to visualize that the tiny seedlings coming up will get SO big and then whenever they grow too close together I always try to transplant them because I can't seem to just throw them out. I've had good luck transplanting but I think better planning is the answer.

Have fun in your garden. I really enjoy mine.

**mauimagic** · 03-07-2009, 11:16 PM

Good Luck with your garden!!

I too would like to have a (really) small garden, but never seem to get past just buying seeds. Then I think that I will do container gardening and never do that either. Go figure.

I did much better with my rosemary plants, so that's a start!!

Keep us informed as to the success of your garden!!

**fixer** · 03-07-2009, 11:45 PM

Whatever your success, make sure you enjoy the process. No one does well all of the time so don't get discouraged. Do your research, talk to people in your area that garden and make use of the Cooperative Extension Service. All of these are valuable resources. I wish you good luck and lots of enjoyment.

**Janbee** · 03-08-2009, 05:22 AM

Here is some reading that may help.

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/11564885/Vegetable-Garden-Encyclopedia"]Vegetable Garden Encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/11564885?access_key=key-yjco2hj07yiy5g01poo@@AMEPARAM@@11564885@@AMEPARAM@@key-yjco2hj07yiy5g01poo[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/11052037/Care-of-the-Vegetable-Garden"]Care of the Vegetable Garden@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/11052037?access_key=key-1oi68igh6ngqjpuds5lu@@AMEPARAM@@11052037@@AMEPARAM@@key-1oi68igh6ngqjpuds5lu[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/8103864/The-City-Peoples-Book-Of-Raising-Food"]The City People's Book Of Raising Food@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/8103864?access_key=key-1n5qehnf6yk2w6459ji8@@AMEPARAM@@8103864@@AMEPARAM@@key-1n5qehnf6yk2w6459ji8[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/11054549/Where-to-Put-Your-Vegetable-Garden"]Where to Put Your Vegetable Garden@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/11054549?access_key=key-1is50jui1vo77xgwfsy6@@AMEPARAM@@11054549@@AMEPARAM@@key-1is50jui1vo77xgwfsy6[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/8301731/Intensive-Gardening-For-Profit-And-Self-Sufficiency"]Intensive Gardening For Profit And Self Sufficiency@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/8301731?access_key=key-2btbfj204slsqptkxgny@@AMEPARAM@@8301731@@AMEPARAM@@key-2btbfj204slsqptkxgny[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/2296631/Joy-of-Gardening"]Joy of Gardening@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/2296631?access_key=key-4rzlk36oa6bx0tfy736@@AMEPARAM@@2296631@@AMEPARAM@@key-4rzlk36oa6bx0tfy736[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/11053089/Planning-the-Vegetable-Garden"]Planning the Vegetable Garden@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/11053089?access_key=key-opll18b4o27swe9pdqw@@AMEPARAM@@11053089@@AMEPARAM@@key-opll18b4o27swe9pdqw[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/11053087/Planning-and-Preparing-the-Vegetable-Garden"]Planning and Preparing the Vegetable Garden@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/11053087?access_key=key-1oumnfjhvt51b59ww2ex@@AMEPARAM@@11053087@@AMEPARAM@@key-1oumnfjhvt51b59ww2ex[/ame]

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/2395987/Home-Vegetable-Gardening-a-Complete-and-Practical-Guide-to-the-Planting-and-Care-of-All-Vegetables-Fruits-and-Berries-Worth-Growing-for-Home-Use-by"]Home Vegetable Gardening â€” a Complete and Practical Guide to the Planting and Care of All Vegetables, Fruits and Berries Worth Growing for Home Use by Rockwell, F. F. (Frederick Frye), 1884-1976@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/2395987?access_key=key-ngmzeamq7cl84ai9ukc@@AMEPARAM@@2395987@@AMEPARAM@@key-ngmzeamq7cl84ai9ukc[/ame]

Hope there is info you can use in there.
I love to read about things.
Some of these I am downloading in pdf or text and saving.

**TryTryAgain** · 03-08-2009, 11:06 AM

Rockhound: LOL, yes I did mean due west. I guess this sinus medicine has scrambled my brain up more than I realize!
Wow ya'll are so sweet! Thank you! Most of my seeds I'll be getting from my mil, so I won't have instructions as to how far to plant them apart, advice on that would be good.
JanBee: Thank you so much for the links. I'm home sick from church so I'm going to busy myself looking them up! I'm super excited about my garden! Ya'lls enthusiasm only helped to egg it on! Thanx!

**RetiredVeryEarly** · 03-08-2009, 08:35 PM

An excellent web site is GardenWeb, they have different forums on any gardening topic. They have a specific one about tomatoes, another about vegetable gardening http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/cornucop/ and so on. Excellent place to read and learn and ask questions.

I would recommend you grow radishes, unless everyone in your family hates them. They grow easily and very fast and help you feel like a successful gardener. It is important to have some early successes, to keep you going! Good luck, you won't regret it.

**rockhound** · 03-08-2009, 09:34 PM

TryTryagain~Onion sets! I forgot about onion sets, how could that happen? Just get yourself a pound or so and stick them in the ground. Before you know it, you'll have "green onions" to eat, or as some call them, scallions. Put the ones you'll pull green about 2-3 inches apart, the ones you want to leave for big slicing onions maybe 5 or 6 inches apart. Onions are heavy feeders.
On the subject of odd-sounding directions, Kentucky is north of Tennessee, right? There is one spot in TN tho, that if you're there and you leave, you end up in Ky no matter which way you go, north, south, east or west! It's up by "Land-Between-The-Lakes".

**hestlauss** · 03-08-2009, 09:55 PM

If you are new to gardening or have a small gardening space I recommend Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. I used it when we first moved to our home and am still using it after 15 years (I like the less weeding/higher production that I get from using raised beds but I am in a much different climate than where you live). It looks like you are off to a great start on choosing what to plant. I agree with Fixer. don't be afraid to ask local gardeners, ag advisers or nurseries what works well in your area. I hope you have a fantastic garden this year!

**TryTryAgain** · 03-08-2009, 10:50 PM

Retired: Thank you very much! I will be sure to check out that website!
Rock: yes, Ky is north of Tennessee and I'm familiar with the area you're talkin' bout. I love onions! Can I put them in the ground already or start them inside with the tomatoes?
hestlauss: I will go to the library this week (this is the converted me, I am an avid reader and used to have over 300 books till I ran out of room for everything

) and check it out this week.

**hestlauss** · 03-09-2009, 08:54 PM

I too am a read-a-holic book fiend if you are going to the library you might try How to Grow More Vegetables: And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine By John Jeavons and The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour and The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook by Andrea Chesman.

**TryTryAgain** · 03-09-2009, 08:57 PM

Wow! Those look like great reads!

**suki** · 03-10-2009, 01:17 PM

Hey... also in Arkansas. Probably 100 miles north-east of you.

No, it's not too late to start gardening. The only things we have out right now are onions and garlic. In the house, we have started from seed our tomatoes (it is too late to start from seed, so buy these as ready to plant)... and I'm not sure what else. We will plant potatoes the day after St. Patrick's Day (my dad set that rule and it's always worked for us).

The first thing you should do is go to your county Ag Extension agency and get the stuff for a free soil test. Have your soil tested to see what you need to do to amend it. Based on those recommendations you will know if you need to add anything to the soil and while they recommend chemicals, you can achieve the same thing using organic matter.

Turn over the soil in the area where you want to plant a garden now. Use a tiller or double dig with a shovel. Do not be over ambitious your first year or you will be overwhelmed. Start small. We currently have 1800 sq feet of garden (that's planted space, not including walkways), but we started with two rows about 12 years ago and have added on each year.

Plant only what you eat the most this first year. Keep track of where you plant things, so that next spring you can rotate crops. Think of a year round garden... plant a fall crop and a winter cover crop... this will create less work and more food.

Enjoy!