[Sca-cooks] I finally got some land to garden on..

[R J]

--- Jenn Strobel <jenn.strobel at gmail.com> wrote:

> ..but i've never gardened before.

 I had the same issue last year, though we only have
1/8acre gardenable.

 The two books I am relying on are "Square Foot
Gardening" and "the Victory Garden". I prefer the
second as it is broken down by tasks/month, and is
suited to your ( and my ) climate.

 First thing, get a notebook and mark down what you
like to eat, and what you enjoy eating "preserved" in
some way, whether frozen brussels sprouts or canned
tomato sauce. No sense planting what you wont eat.

 Mark where you will need paths, and where you cannot
dig deeply ( power lines, pipes, and the like ). Herbs
go there.

 If you plan on bushy things, stick em kind of in the
middle of "islands" of plants. There are tricks like
planting lavender and marigolds with tomatos to keep
bugs out, and pole beans with corn, so the beans can
climb on the corn, but this isnt anything to worry
about right now. If you see a cool idea like that that
will work for you, write it down.

 If you intend to put in trees or asparagus, establish
them early next season. They take the longest to
settle in and produce.

 This winter, take notes on where the snows drift and
settle, and where the sun lands, so you can plan where
to plant. 

 Do plant something just for you, not for food. I plan
to put in something that will smell nice for each
season, so when the lilacs fall, the roses start. That
way, even if I do nothing in the yard but sit and
read, it isnt depressing to not get anything done.

 From there on out, other than selecting what you
like, it is in the hands of your plant vendor, who
will be able to guide you on what is suited in your
area.

 Hope this helps some,

AEsa


		
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