Need help with everything

[Keildra]

Does anyone know any good websites or books about gardening, I want to learn a lot by spring. I want to know everything from rotating to partner planting, harvesting and seed saving etc. I want to start an organic garden in the spring and i want to start living off the 8 acres we have. I'm fairly new to gardening, I do remember growing some when I was really little but all that info I had then has left my brain. Any help will be appreciated
Thanks in Advance

[sinopa27]

first of all.....what a wonderful decision. You have come to the right place to get the best help. First thing is to start a compost pile. I have a composter and throw all my veggie scraps, grass clippings, etc into it. Find out what zone you live in. What type of soil do you have? I have that red clay. Do you have equipment like a tractor? I personally don't have a tractor so I do lots of container and soil bag gardening. That will change as I get a chance to do more square foot gardening and amend my soil.
That's just a start.

[Keildra]

I know I live in zone 7 possibly 7b, and I have a lot of clay but there's also a lot of trees. My FIL has a tractor and i know he would be gracious enough to let us borrow it.

[sinopa27]

In my area, in the fall people use a tractor to turn over the land they are going to be using to garden the next spring. So, find your area where you are going to plant. Most people recommend starting off small so that you are not overwhelmed.

[craftypam]

If you do the square foot gardening or raised bed gardening you don't need a tractor to turn over the soil every year. I think one of the most important things to do is get your soil ready by working on compost. I did sq ft gardening for the first time this year; it's expensive the first year making up the soil; but composting will save alot. There is no wasting of seeds. Alot of common sense. If you are interested the book is Square Foot Gardening; Mel Bartholomew is the author.
If you have a library near you go there and pick up some books and start reading because some of what you will do is choice.

[sinopa27]

I like the square foot gardening too. I was trying to remember that guys name....Mel Bartholomew!! He is the king of square foot gardening!
I believe you can grow more that way.

[Russ]

My first tip for a new gardener- Do not go overboard! Don't try to plant enough vegetables to live on for a year.

If your soil is a bad as I think, you will need to amend it with organic matter such as compost. But it sounds like your FIL is a farmer so maybe he can get you some cow manure? Get going on that this fall if possible so it can be ready for next spring.

As for books, Amazon? Local library?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Starter-Vegetable-Gardens-No-Fail-Organic/dp/1603425292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315132984&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens (9781603425292): Barbara Pleasant: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/617SBt2AJuL.@@AMEPARAM@@617SBt2AJuL[/ame]

[vigilant20]

I agree with getting started and beginning to amend the soil now. Don't expect to learn everything you need to know before spring! Gardening is a continual learning process and you'll never know it all. It's probably a good idea to check what classes your extension office is offering between now and then, they do most of their training over winter. It'll also give you the opportunity to meet other gardeners and master gardeners (they attend a lot of the classes since they have training requirements every year). Knowing people who grow in your area is a big help as everywhere is a bit different.

Getting a few books like Seed to Seed and the Ball book of preserving are good to keep around for references when you get to that point. A lot of things like that make sense to learn as you go. I have two general gardening references that are specific to my state: The Handbook for Wisconsin gardeners that the Extension publishes and The Garden Book for Wisconsin which they also recommend. So it may be a good idea to call your extension office and see what they recommend as a reference.

Staying organized is a big help. Once you decide what all you are growing I gather all my seed packets and start making a list of them all with the planting info in excel. That way I can easily sort things so stuff doesn't get missed when it's time to start starting seeds and planting out.

[Contrary Housewife]

Don't go overboard buying expensive tools and gadgets. A shovel, rake, hoe and garden trowel are about all you need.

Gardening, especially a plot large enough to eat off of is hard, heavy, dirty, sweaty, backbreaking work. Get yourself in shape.

Having a garden is like having a baby. You cannot make one and play with it for a week and then leave it alone for a month and expect it to be doing ok. It's a daily commitment to check for bugs, weeds, fungus, watering needs, squirrel damage, etc.

I found a lot of free information on the internet. I just look up the vegetable I want to grow and read multiple websites on the topic.

[Keildra]

Thank you all you've been giving me a lot of information

[craftypam]

My first tip for a new gardener- Do not go overboard! Don't try to plant enough vegetables to live on for a year.

If your soil is a bad as I think, you will need to amend it with organic matter such as compost. But it sounds like your FIL is a farmer so maybe he can get you some cow manure? Get going on that this fall if possible so it can be ready for next spring.

As for books, Amazon? Local library?

Amazon.com: Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens (9781603425292): Barbara Pleasant: Books

Russ;
I have that book out of the library right now. LOL.

[Winkie]

I agree with others about getting your soil in shape. Also use the library. After you look through a few books, you may find one you want to own. Otherwise, like the others said, research the specific veggies you have in mind on the internet. Think now about the wildlife in your area. You probably will need a fence, and the type of fence you choose will depend on where you live & what kind of critters are at large in your area. Fencing can add big bucks to your gardening project.

[frugalfranny]

Yep, like winkie said.............study your sun pattern in the area you plan to plant.............get soil ready.

Use library to see which books you might like to buy and have in your library.

[daylily]

Your state's extension agency should have a wealth of gardening information on it's web site. Most states have that.

[MakeADollarHollar]

The GardenWeb Forums - GardenWeb is a great site. If you go to that link and click on the Regions and Climates link (it's in the upper middle section) you can zone in on your state. I can't vouche for other areas but our Florida section is exceptionally friendly and helpful. Their input has made a big, positive impact on our gardening.

Best wishes on your new garden!