Hi, I am new...

Jillra65

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I have a small hobby farm. I need the wisdom of others sometimes when trying to garden. My thumb is still a little bit brown. My goal this year was to provide a decent coop and henhouse for my egg layers. Next year's project is to start a garden. I am trying to figure the best place for it since my goats are where I wanted to put it lol. I am hoping for a raised garden. It would make it easier for me. I have a friend who has a nursery, and she gives me a great deal on plants. And lots of variety.

We have a resident groundhog. We like the little fellow, but I hope I can thwart his or her attempts to eat my garden. I am hoping a raised garden will solve that problem...for bunnies, too. Easy gardening ideas is definitely what I am looking for
 

Alasgun

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We were all new at one time! Stick around long enough and you’ll get a free opinion about these and so many other ideas you may have.

Welcome from Alaska
 

Jillra65

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Thank you for the warm welcome! I forgot to add that I live in the Upstate of South Carolina. Thank you for reminding me, Mary. I see such neat ideas and pretty gardens. I really want cattle panel trellises. I just love them. I hope to have a separate rose garden, but that will be later. I mainly want to start with herbs and vegetables...and a few flowers. Especially ones for hummingbirds. I got a cute one from my friend called candy corn. Cypress vines are pretty. She always sent a firecracker plant with me. I am like a kid in a candy store when I visit her lol. I love the fragrant plants like mints and basil. My main trouble is figuring how to get dirt without going broke. Especially since I want raised beds. I saw a man on YouTube successfully grow corn in a raised bed. It was enough for he and his wife. And he is pretty new to growing a nice garden. I envision my thumb getting greener, ha. - Jill
 

Dahlia

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I have a small hobby farm. I need the wisdom of others sometimes when trying to garden. My thumb is still a little bit brown. My goal this year was to provide a decent coop and henhouse for my egg layers. Next year's project is to start a garden. I am trying to figure the best place for it since my goats are where I wanted to put it lol. I am hoping for a raised garden. It would make it easier for me. I have a friend who has a nursery, and she gives me a great deal on plants. And lots of variety.

We have a resident groundhog. We like the little fellow, but I hope I can thwart his or her attempts to eat my garden. I am hoping a raised garden will solve that problem...for bunnies, too. Easy gardening ideas is definitely what I am looking for
Welcome to the forum from the Pacific Northwest!
 

Zeedman

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Welcome to TEG @Jillra65 , from the now not-so-chilly state of Wisconsin! :frow
My thumb is still a little bit brown.
Nothing wrong with a brown thumb; good soil = good plants. :)
We have a resident groundhog. We like the little fellow, but I hope I can thwart his or her attempts to eat my garden. I am hoping a raised garden will solve that problem...
There are a lot of animals you can fence out, discourage or have a "live and let live" coexistence; but IMO ground hogs are not one of those. If you begin a vegetable garden, it is only a matter of time (and probably not long) before they overcome any barriers and become a problem. Their appetite is enormous, and they can completely raze a garden in a few days unless stopped. They can also dig burrows under things, to the point of causing structural collapse (as they did under the gravel floor in my pole building). Trapping or killing are really the only way to deal with them (or get a large dog). You may want to check your local ordinances regarding what is allowed for ground hogs, since catch & release may be prohibited.
 

Dahlia

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Welcome to TEG @Jillra65 , from the now not-so-chilly state of Wisconsin! :frow

Nothing wrong with a brown thumb; good soil = good plants. :)

There are a lot of animals you can fence out, discourage or have a "live and let live" coexistence; but IMO ground hogs are not one of those. If you begin a vegetable garden, it is only a matter of time (and probably not long) before they overcome any barriers and become a problem. Their appetite is enormous, and they can completely raze a garden in a few days unless stopped. They can also dig burrows under things, to the point of causing structural collapse (as they did under the gravel floor in my pole building). Trapping or killing are really the only way to deal with them (or get a large dog). You may want to check your local ordinances regarding what is allowed for ground hogs, since catch & release may be prohibited.
Hey I was wondering, if you build raised garden beds and put a heavy wire screen at the base, would that keep out the ground hog?
 

Jillra65

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Welcome to the forum from the Pacific Northwest!
That is what my friend who has a nursery says, lol. Good dirt is like gold. I am considering a worm bed/ worm tea. I am looking into it.
 
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