Comments on: My First Garden

By: Debi

Debi — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:01:08 +0000

Thank you SO much for your blog! I have been strongly impressed I need to start a garden this year and start now! So I prayed like crazy to know how to go about this. I’m a busy mom and already feel stretched. He said to work during my DD nap. Ok, now what? – the next day I found you. I’m going out today and tilling my garden and then take a look at seeds.

I identify with much of what you’ve said. Thank you for being an answer.

Debi

By: Allison

Allison — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:59:50 +0000

I too am starting my first vegetable garden. Although mine will be one raised bed of
8′ by 4′. I know my limits with all of my flower beds, so this small area should be easy for me. I will try the same seed company. I have a horrible time with chipmunks and would appreciate any proven knowhow to get rid of them. Good luck, and I’ll be reading.

By: Lerin

Lerin — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:58:24 +0000

I’m starting my first garden too, and I have the help of my veteran brother who has a dairy farm and sells his produce at the local farmers market. He said that if you wrap some human hair in cheesecloth and hang a few around the garden(I guess depending on how big your garden is), the deer will stay away. Weird I know. He actually doesn’t have to worry about deer because he has an outside dog who will scare them off.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:56:26 +0000

Wow! That looks AWESOME. What a great piece of land. I would like to do that but it’s Arizona, property space, and time seem to get in the the way. Maybe someday!

By: Normal to Natalie

Normal to Natalie — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:54:37 +0000

i can’t wait to follow your venture! i always plant a garden but usually grow more weeds than anything else!

By: deb

deb — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:53:04 +0000

You have a huge garden area and if I may suggest a good book for you? SQUARE FOOT GARDENING by Mel Bartholamew. It will make gardening much easier and much more prolific for you. You can find the book by used sellers at Amazon.com (I suggest his newest edition if possible where he uses raised beds)

I have been gardening for about 40 yrs. now and will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Hopefully, you will be gardening organically.

A small fence will keep out rabbits but for deer you need something about 8′ tall as they can jump even a 4′ fence. They have some new “invisible fences” made out of mesh type material that is supposed to be very good and not as expensive as chain link, which was the only other option besides wood privacy fences of the past.

Best of luck and blessings on your new venture. You will never look back!..deb, on a ten acre homestead in south AL

By: sandra

sandra — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:51:43 +0000

I have a small garden every year, Im not sure of the measurements, but I always pack lots in it. You’ll not be sorry about the cantelopes you selected, they are the best!! I bought another kind one year and they werent nearly as sweet as the Hales best. enjoy!!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:49:34 +0000

Hey

30 x 50 is HUGE. You are likely to be overwhelmed. Don’t fret, though. If you don’t get it all harvested, the world won’t end! I’d strongly encourage you to MULCH, and mulch heavily, otherwise you’ll go nuts about weeds. Grass clippings work great, as does newspaper, or cardboard boxes, or leaves (if you have them). Anything to cover the soil between desirable plants so weeds don’t grow there. Plus, all of the above will decompose and improve the quality of your soil.

Best wishes with all of your growing (including that sweet baby)!

By: Ritsumei

Ritsumei — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:47:29 +0000

My first garden was about that big. I was completely overwhelmed, but I had no experienced friends to help me and no local family, and my husband was a full-time student at Purdue in addition to not being terribly interested. Plus, I had done no research whatsoever. Give the support that it looks like you’ve got, I’ll bet you can handle it pretty well.

Especially since you are expecting in the middle of the season, I highly suggest that you look into lasagna gardening. I tried it out last year & it survived the neglect that I dished out with 2 three week trips, and still produced so much that we had a hard time eating it all. Plus, then you’ll never need to till again: just keep the mulch layers coming! It makes some beautiful dirt.

Good luck! Wish I had a nice garden spot like that. My current garden is sooo much smaller than that, and in addition we’re trying to move, so I don’t know if I’ll do anything at all this year. It’s a bummer.