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Message
I have a lot of questions about a new backyard veggie garden
Posted on 1/19/14 at 7:56 pm
Posted on 1/19/14 at 7:56 pm
I live in New Orleans and want to have a small garden in my backyard. I was thinking about tomatoes and cucumbers.
Should I start with seeds, stems, or plants?
If seeds what are some online stores you would suggest, when to plant, what soil to start in seedling pots?
What other veggies can I try?
Should I start with seeds, stems, or plants?
If seeds what are some online stores you would suggest, when to plant, what soil to start in seedling pots?
What other veggies can I try?
7
Posted on 1/19/14 at 7:59 pm to CorgiRed44
Mirlitons
Posted on 1/19/14 at 8:00 pm to CorgiRed44
quote:
I live in New Orleans and want to have a small garden in my backyard. I was thinking about tomatoes and cucumbers.
I hope you get a lot of sunlight throughout the day.
Posted on 1/19/14 at 8:33 pm to VOR
Get 24 cinder blocks
Make a 4x8 rectangle (with openings up to use to grow herbs and green onions) with them
Fill it will good quality top soil mixed with some cow manure.
Go to a local farm market feed store and ask if they have any "damaged cattle fence panels and use that for a trellis if your growing cucumbers. ( I grow mine from seeds in the ground right before lent each year)
I plant 2 plants every 3 weeks so all of cucumbers don't come in at the same time
I grow tomatos from plants that I buy from a local farmer and use tomato cages.
Make a 4x8 rectangle (with openings up to use to grow herbs and green onions) with them
Fill it will good quality top soil mixed with some cow manure.
Go to a local farm market feed store and ask if they have any "damaged cattle fence panels and use that for a trellis if your growing cucumbers. ( I grow mine from seeds in the ground right before lent each year)
I plant 2 plants every 3 weeks so all of cucumbers don't come in at the same time
I grow tomatos from plants that I buy from a local farmer and use tomato cages.
Posted on 1/19/14 at 9:13 pm to CorgiRed44
quote:
I have a lot of questions about a new backyard veggie garden
I live in New Orleans and want to have a small garden in my backyard. I was thinking about tomatoes and cucumbers.
Should I start with seeds, stems, or plants?
If seeds what are some online stores you would suggest, when to plant, what soil to start in seedling pots?
What other veggies can I try?
I'm a fan of raised beds. I built mine out of composite decking so it will last for a long time.
I'd start with plants your first go-round. Don't make it more difficult than need be.
Take notes every step of the way if you plan on doing a garden every year. Dates you do everything. Any abnormal weather. Plants you go with, and where you bought them. You will not remember all that stuff next year, and especially not the year after.
If you do go with starting from seed, you can start right about now. I start mine in moist paper towels placed in a ziplock and stored on top of the refrigerator until they germinate. Then, I transfer them into styrofoam cups (holes punched in the bottom) filled with fresh seed starting medium and place them under grow lights.
I grow lots of peppers, a few tomatoes, yardlong beans and cantaloupe.
Try to find a good local nursery to buy plants from. I'd avoid your big-box stores and have personally had very bad results with "Bonnie" plants. I now start all of mine from seed because I can then grow anything the internet offers vs the seedlings my local nursery has.
Posted on 1/19/14 at 11:06 pm to CorgiRed44
You've gotten a lot of good advice already. Here's my thoughts.
- make sure your spot gets plenty of sunlight
- raised beds are preferred but not necessary
- tomatoes and cucumbers are great, try different varieties
- learn about potential pests, mine are horn worms and mockingbirds for tomatoes and mold for cucumbers
- buy plants from a local nursery (try to avoid box stores)
- don't be tempted to plant too soon, rule of thumb is to wait until you see leaves on the pecan trees
- check the LSU Ag Center website for tons of info
- in addition to tomatoes and cucumbers i usually also plant peppers (all kinds), cantaloupe, sugar snap peas, and basil
- make sure your spot gets plenty of sunlight
- raised beds are preferred but not necessary
- tomatoes and cucumbers are great, try different varieties
- learn about potential pests, mine are horn worms and mockingbirds for tomatoes and mold for cucumbers
- buy plants from a local nursery (try to avoid box stores)
- don't be tempted to plant too soon, rule of thumb is to wait until you see leaves on the pecan trees
- check the LSU Ag Center website for tons of info
- in addition to tomatoes and cucumbers i usually also plant peppers (all kinds), cantaloupe, sugar snap peas, and basil
Posted on 1/20/14 at 6:44 am to CorgiRed44
Tomatoes plants. Cucumbers seeds. I don't know the size of your yard but any one should be able to support more than just two types of veggies easily. Squash, Zucchinni, as noted above merliton watermelons and cantaloupes for easy fruits, potatoes and onions(green and Spanish) are just a few items to consider.
ETA peppers, lots of peppers. Do a rainbow collage of bell peppers, green yellow orange red purple. Hot peppers treat the same way there is a bunch to pick from to plant. In the tomato category try to use different strains and plant them at different times for different ripening times. Another thing is eggplant, they come in different varieties too. Green beans and field peas do well.
ETA peppers, lots of peppers. Do a rainbow collage of bell peppers, green yellow orange red purple. Hot peppers treat the same way there is a bunch to pick from to plant. In the tomato category try to use different strains and plant them at different times for different ripening times. Another thing is eggplant, they come in different varieties too. Green beans and field peas do well.
This post was edited on 1/20/14 at 7:44 am
Posted on 1/20/14 at 9:38 am to CITWTT
#1 - check to see how much sun you get. If you don't get several hours of sun, don't bother.
#2 - Check the soil. You'll probably need some help on that one. Find a friend who grew up with a garden for starters, and then run a soil test later.
#3 - If your soil is poor, do raised beds. I've got horrible clay-based soil, and I'm 6 years in on trying to amend it with organic material, lime and fertilizer. In about 30 years I'll probably have some decent soil. Trust us on this one.
#4 - I started my seeds last night, and I probably should have done it sooner. If this is your first shot at it, buy plants.
#5 - Buy hybrids. They will produce. Heirlooms are cool and pretty, but it is a lot cooler to actually have something to pick from your garden.
#2 - Check the soil. You'll probably need some help on that one. Find a friend who grew up with a garden for starters, and then run a soil test later.
#3 - If your soil is poor, do raised beds. I've got horrible clay-based soil, and I'm 6 years in on trying to amend it with organic material, lime and fertilizer. In about 30 years I'll probably have some decent soil. Trust us on this one.
#4 - I started my seeds last night, and I probably should have done it sooner. If this is your first shot at it, buy plants.
#5 - Buy hybrids. They will produce. Heirlooms are cool and pretty, but it is a lot cooler to actually have something to pick from your garden.
Posted on 1/20/14 at 9:45 am to CorgiRed44
How to Grow Jalepenos
I have a few pots that I maintain throughout the year that yield me consistent peppers... very easy.
I have a few pots that I maintain throughout the year that yield me consistent peppers... very easy.
Posted on 1/20/14 at 11:01 am to Bill Parker?
quote:
check to see how much sun you get. If you don't get several hours of sun, don't bother.
I had this problem. Solved it by planting in large containers. I move the containers a couple of times a day to get them out of the shade and into direct sunlight.
Posted on 1/20/14 at 11:06 am to CorgiRed44
For a first timer, it's much easier to start with plants rather than seeds. If you really want to start from seeds, there are several companies to choose from. I just ordered mine from
Burpee
and
Park
They both have a good selection and will ship plants to you as well...for a significantly higher price, of course. There's nothing wrong with the plants at the local Walmart or Home Depot if you get them fairly early before the employees abuse them.
I have good luck growing cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, various peppers, eggplants, and herbs in buckets. I use MiracleGro potting soil and incorporate cow manure, peat moss, Osmocote, and a little commercial fertilizer.
As others have said, make sure you get plenty of sunlight and allow yourself plenty of room for growth.
Good Luck!
Burpee
and
Park
They both have a good selection and will ship plants to you as well...for a significantly higher price, of course. There's nothing wrong with the plants at the local Walmart or Home Depot if you get them fairly early before the employees abuse them.
I have good luck growing cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, various peppers, eggplants, and herbs in buckets. I use MiracleGro potting soil and incorporate cow manure, peat moss, Osmocote, and a little commercial fertilizer.
As others have said, make sure you get plenty of sunlight and allow yourself plenty of room for growth.
Good Luck!
Posted on 1/20/14 at 1:55 pm to Bill Parker?
quote:Can you expound on this? I've been having similar issues in my own yard (poor soil quality) and I'm interested in different methods to improve it.
If your soil is poor, do raised beds. I've got horrible clay-based soil, and I'm 6 years in on trying to amend it with organic material, lime and fertilizer. In about 30 years I'll probably have some decent soil. Trust us on this one.
Posted on 1/20/14 at 1:56 pm to cornhat
quote:
I've been having similar issues in my own yard (poor soil quality) and I'm interested in different methods to improve it.
build raised bed, fill with good topsoil
Posted on 1/20/14 at 2:07 pm to Salmon
I've been thinking about that but is a raised bed sufficient to grow a lychee tree?
Posted on 1/20/14 at 2:08 pm to cornhat
a tree? doubt it
I was talking about standard veggies
I was talking about standard veggies
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