I am going to start a brand new garden. I have been looking, is there a better place on AMHD to start a discussion about a veggie garden?
I am aware of all the little things, but would sure like some help during the process. Anyone here going to have a great garden this year?? This week end will be the above ground box building!! Anyone have any tips or ideas? Thanks in advance for all your answers!

Clough

I love to garden! Both flowers and vegetables. I have been the secretary and president of the local horticulture club as well as passed the course to be a Master Gardener. I am by no means an expert or at gardening, but I do have some great resources for knowledge now! I do love learning and sharing with others about it!

Thanks for starting this thread! Are you going to be starting seedlings indoors?

startover22

I was just talking about whether I should start them indoors wiht seeds or if I should buy them already started. Aww, Clough, I really want it to be mine as a whole so, I want to start from total scratch. I am going to start them in the house in about a week. We live in western Oregon where everything grows so well. We are on well water, so I was wondering if it would make a difference. I am going to get truck loads of brand new dirt, and would like to add compost to it. Hmmm, so many questions!! We can start there...water and dirt....LOL
I can't wait to hear about everyones experiences, this is not a new hobby, just wanting to get more serious and into it. So everything from keeping the deer that live on our land out and keeping the worms in is where I need to start..!!!

Clough, I am so excited to have your experience here!!

Clough

Like I said, I am by no means an expert. I'm sure that there are others here who know a lot more than I do. But, I do have great resources. The manuals for the Master Gardener course are huge? You're making me want to get them out!

There was one year that I started as many as 1,200 seedlings. Why so many? They make great friendship gifts! As a matter of fact, that's what I call my vegetable garden. It's a "Friendship Garden."

If you (and me, too!) are going to start seedlings, then we had best be getting busy doing that! The time is going by quickly!

The first things that you need to do is decide where your garden is going to be located and plot out the area as far as what you are going to want in it. Some vegetables are going to need more space then others and you are going to need space so that you can move around in it for maintenance.

The next thing to do is figure out which climate zone you are in and see which types of vegetables are going to grow the best where you are located and when you should be planting the seeds and also whether some seeds would do best if just planted right in the garden rather than started indoors.

I am assuming that you have an area picked out that gets a full-day of sun and has good drainage. Correct?

startover22

Yes....and it is a very very open and big area, I plan on starting small this year but with many varieties to see what grows best. Next year will probably be the best. This year I have made a list of things I want to start.
Bell Peppers
chili peppers
snap peas
corn
lettuce (romaine)
carrots
lemon cucumbers
cucumbers
water melon
pumpkins
squash
geen beans
i haven't had melons before or a good crop of carrots yet.
the others seem to grow great here. I want raised beds and I was going to use chicken wire to protect it from the deer, around and a roof of it.
I know I need to get started so next week i am going to start seedlings in the house and wait for them to grow. I love the idea of a friendship garden, seems like we always have left overs for friends, so I love the name you chose. I can share, I love sharing!!
Clough I have a feeling with your help and others this may be the best gardening year ever!!

Clough

For your growing season, the map from the following link should be very helpful to you.

Climate Zones-Washington, Oregon

Attached Images

 

startover22

The peas, tomatoes, and green beans have a spot already they will not be included (so to speak) in the big garden. Oh goodness I am getting so excited!!! Ok, I will quit for tonight, but don't think you have seen the last of me.

EDIT:::::
Thank you Clough. That is helpful!!

Clough

Your vining varieties are going to need the most space, so I would plan accordingly. For Cucumbers, I find that constructing a trellis works well. If you are going to plant corn for consumption, you will need to plant a lot of it to make it worthwhile. Just my opinion...

You haven't seen the last of me, either! I'm going to see if I can find some pictures of gardens and seedlings that I have had in the past.

Which zone on the map do you live in? That's my next question. I have to go for awhile, now... I will return again sometime... Definitely looking forward to this!!!!

startover22

We always plant two or three rows of twelve each row. THAT is a lot of corn and we eat it every night till it's gone for the season. We love it!!
Don't worry I am just thinking here, but I also have pots for herbs and other "smaller" things......I am hoping to make salsa, spaghetti sauce, and I would love to dream to have "fresh" frozen veggies for the winter. That is looking way too far ahead, but that is a sort of goal. I think I am gonna go GROW crazy this year and learn my lesson from up keeping it all up. I am willing to see how it all goes though!
I haven't seen the last of you, you silly, I know that!!

Eugene/Springfield....zone 6 is by Portland and me so I think that is my zone.

MOWERMAN2468

Well startover, I guess you could get a book titled, "Gardening for Dummies". Not calling you a dummy, just a suggestion. I have purchased the book at a book sale, and never even looked at the book. But I have gardened most of my life. And you see I have quite a book collection to the point I have hundreds of books boxed, labeled boxes, and stored. I do plan on building a new home within two years and am going to have to build a library / study room. So even though I have the book, I don't know exactly where it is, but if you could get your hands on a copy it would probably give you some great tips.

One thing we have begin doing with peppers and okra for instance is to vaccum pack these items. Man they are great, the peppers and okra are just like fresh out of the garden and we enjoy them in the winter.