How to setup new garden. I need lots of help :) Updated PICS!!

[Apopka Cluckers]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and have been on the BYC forums for about 2 weeks now. I love this site as well as I am wanting to start a garden.

I have sectioned off a 30'X35' foot area and laid some grass killer to kill what was there. Someone told me that I needed to till up the soil, mix it with some cow manure, and then till it again. He said that this will get it ready for planting.

There is so much information out there and a lot of it contradicts. How would you setup this are to have a productive fruit & vegetable garden?

The soil is different at different areas in the lot. Some of it looks like rich dark soils while other areas a good old Florida sugar sand. The lot is in full sun which might limit what I can grow.

I know I want tomatoes, green peppers, raspberries, and blueberries. Everything else is just extra.

I would appreciate any advice you could give me on how to accomplish this as I am totally lost

Thanks

 

[beavis]

Full sun is a blessing in most instances for a good fruit/vegetable garden.

Can you give us a bit more information like where are you from, I am guessing part of Florida?

That can be helpful to determine what crops to plant at specific times of the year.

 

[farmerlor]

The BEST thing to do would be to go to your county extension office and have your soil tested to see exactly what you need or don't need. If you can't do that the cow manure and tiller is as good an idea as any. Know that gardening is not one of those do it and be done with it things. It could take you years to get your soil in shape by adding compost and amendments and working it in. On the other hand you may have wonderful soil and will only need to replace what you've depleted from now on.
Each of the things you mentioned require different conditions. The tomatoes enjoy a little extra calcium and magnesium and a little extra water. Peppers don't like tomatoes and prefer to keep their little feeties dryer. The berries need really good drainage and they like to be covered with manure in the winter to get a really good start in the spring.

 

[Apopka Cluckers]

I am in Central Florida. Apopka is a suburb of Orlando.

Boy, it sounds like I'm going to have to plan how I plant like how I seperate kids. This kid doesn't like this kid so better he goes over here but he meshes well with this other kid.

This is going to be a lot more work than I thought but, from what I have seen, it will be well worth it.

I currently grow indoors in those "just add seeds" and let them grow under a light. I have no idea what I am doing lol.

 

[farmerlor]

Well, in Florida you're in what, zone 9 down there? So you should be starting your tomato seeds indoors right now because I think you can plant out the plants starting next month. Unless you're going to go buy some plants in which case, nevermind. LOL! Same with the peppers.

 

[vfem]

As for child seperation, here's a nice list I found tonight of companion veggies. It shows who plays well with others.

http://www.thevegetablegarden.info/resources/companion-plants

There is also a Zone calender available here:

Looks like you are zone 8b, near gainesville?

http://thevegetablegarden.info/zones-5b-through-10b

So here's the planting schedule for that:

http://thevegetablegarden.info/reso...ting-schedules/52-zones-7-8-planting-schedule

Other then that, you can have whatever fun you want with this! My soil is icky clay, so I created raised beds and bought good soil to fill them with pretty cheaply. I dig find digging and clearing grass and weeds to be a pain. A good weed wacker close to the grown helped me do a lot of clearing work. Now my beds are built on top of that.


You are lucky to have the full sun, it will make your list very long of what you can grow. Just remember some plants are cool weather and need to go in soon because they will not survive in full sun or heat from your weather. In a couple weeks would be a good time for such things as Lettuce, Brocolli, radishes, spinach, cabbage and such.

P.s.

 

[me&thegals]

Hey--welcome and good luck! Regarding companion planting, it's not like "foes" will die next to each other, just that it may not be their favorite spot. I would personally advise not getting too stressed over all the complications that we gardeners can bring on ourselves Sounds like you have a few great things to start with and focus on.

 

[TanksHill]

Welcome I know this is a great place to find information on everything. I think one thing you need to consider is pest. Many of us have raised beds with wire to avoid gophers varmits etc... Once you decide that you will have a launching point. Then it's just a matter of compost, water and seeds. It's always a learning process, don't be afraid to try different things.

 

[patandchickens]

Welcome to TEG (and BYC too )

The best advice I can give is to start SMALL. The problem is that what seems manageable when you're planting can quickly explode into unmanageability come July or thereabouts, in terms of weeding (and weeding and what pokes thru despite your weeding) and keeping up with watering and staking and harvesting and suchlike.

30x35 is a rather large garden to start with... perhaps the wisest thing would be to just work with the half (or less) of it that has the best soil, this year. Don't plant anything permanent (so, no raspberries or blueberries this year -- you want to wait til you know your soil and site, and gardening, well enough to give them the maximal chance to survive and thrive). Frankly a 10x20' plot of tomatoes, green peppers and maybe beans and some early lettuce, will be plenty of work for you and will allow you to get into the swing of things with POSITIVE results and not too many problems. Compared to the larger garden anyhow.

On the rest of the area, the sandier soiled part, dump as much organic matter as you can scrounge. Just spread it out and leave it there, no need to till it in. CLEAN manure (chicken manure, rabbit manure, cow manure) (you *can* use horse manure or other weedy sorts, but it is not worth it unless you are really stuck for sources of compostables), moldy hay or straw, dried leaves, dried grass if it hasn't been treated with pesticides/herbicides, etc etc etc. If you see any weeds growing thru, pull them by hand, but if you dump enough stuff on there it won't happen much. Then next year this will be much MUCH better garden soil, all ready for you to plant a bigger garden with the experience you've gained this year... maybe including some woody plants like raspberries and blueberries

Have fun,

Pat

 

[TanksHill]

Great advice Pat!!