What can I plant now?

[simple life]

Hi there,
I am just beginning my garden.I am starting out with raised beds and am thinking of doing pots as well.
I am wondering what I can still plant and what it is too late for.I really want to do some herbs,I heard garlic gets planted in the fall, I think.I would like to plant something that is pretty as well as edible.Even if I start with one or two raised beds right now, what could go in them? I know some stuff you can grow together and some you can't.I don't mind having a mix or all of one thing.I am also going to do a bed and some pots for my children to grow something in as well. Is it too late to start strawberries? I wish I had been on this earlier but I was caught up with my chickens I have my husband mowing the lawn right now so I can get the area ready to start this weekend
It looks like rain today so we shall see. Anyway, sorry for all of the questions but am just looking for a starting point.I know alot of it is trial and error like with the rest of gardening but I have to start somewhere right?
Thanks for any input. I am in zone 5-6

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Well your first frost of the season is about mid-October or there abouts. So you still have about 140-150 days left in the season. That being said most things can grow in that time. You last frost was about mid-April so you're not that far behind.

Any warm season plants will work well. Tomatoes, corn, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, radishes, peppers, even carrots could do well.

Strawberries should be fine, just go for everbearing varieties.

It would help if you could get already grown plants just to start you off well but seeds would work just as well.

In the fall, start planting your cool season crops (peas, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce) for a good crop later in the year. But I guess that's getting a little too far ahead.

Happy Planting!

 

[Baymen Moe]

I'm just south of you (Pembroke) and have most of my garden planted. My peas have been in for 4 weeks and are doing great. They are frost hardy. I also planted turnips, another early veggie. I usually plant most everything else on Memorial Day weekend. I'm planting the rest of my veggies this weekend however because our areas last frost risk is around May 11th. My wife and I love Basil and it does very well in our garden. Try it from seed or buy started plants. Other herbs have done well also, Cilantro, chive etc...I always try a new veggie every year and a few new herbs. Trial and error does apply, good luck.

Bill

ps, I've been a lurker on BYC and can't wait to have chickens, I'm shooting for spring 09.

 

[simple life]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the info, I need to start somewhere so I will go out looking for those herbs tomorrow. I have a brother that lives in Pembroke, nice town.I also go there to the feed store for chicken supplies, they have some chicks for sale there now and I bought several a couple of weeks back, we finished up the smaller coop today.If you like gardening you will probably like raising chickens, its the self sufficiency factor I think. Although I have always loved gardening and landscape design if you ever told me that I would own chickens in my life, I would never have believed you.I started a thread over on this sister site Backyardchickens asking people how they got into chicken keeping and its pretty interesting all the ways people get involved with that.We will be having a chicken keeper's get together this summer so maybe you will want to stop by for that.
I am wondering how many herbs should be the max for each bed, if I do 4x4 or 4x6 foot beds and section them off how much room do you need for each type of herb and how many plants would I need to start off with? For next year should I start them in pots earlier in the season and then move them out doors? I am hoping to have something grow this season.I have to say with all the rain we have had and all the years of me amending my soil this is the best my flower beds and rock garden have ever looked.So maybe I can pull this off after all.I appreciate all the help everyone is offering me. Thank you. Natalie

 

[Baymen Moe]

My wife likes to start the herbs indoors but I've done just as well with herbs started outside in the garden. Follow directions on the seed planting and spacing. Planting many seeds producues lots of plants but you'll need to thin then out after they're esatablished. We've had as many as 5 different herbs in a space as small as 4x6.

I've always wanted chickens and now I have the space etc..I assume you were talking about North River feed in Pembroke?

Bill

 

[simple life]

Yup, thats the one. That feed store is sooo crowded to get around in, but he seems to have whatever you ask for.I just get frustrated when I am walking around trying to find stuff and then I have to ask him for whatever it is I am looking for.If you have alot of time on your hands though you can poke around in there for a while.I wish I had one closer to me, then again that could mean trouble,last time I went there I came home with some new chickies

 

[Reinbeau]

I'm just south of you (Pembroke)

Howdy, Neighbor! :rainbow-sun

ps, I've been a lurker on BYC and can't wait to have chickens, I'm shooting for spring 09.

This is the spring for chickens here, we're working on the coop, and they're coming into Hanson Grain on June 7. I can't wait!