Where to start?

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BoysWillBeBugs

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This is kind of embarrassing! I took 4 years of horticulture during highschool, two of which were the advanced class (there was EIGHT of us!) and worked at a greenhouse for a year. And here I am, total decision paralysis and overwhelmed.

I realized that I haven't gardened by myself, always with a team (and a greenhouse). I have seeds, I have a property, I have a few fleeting hours outside of work, but I'm not sure where to start.

My mother gardens occasionally but is disabled and is not always able to consistently do manual labor work. Regardless, I'd like to approach her with a good idea and plan moving forward for growing myself a vegetable garden this year, otherwise I fear ridicule for being a "horticulture student that doesn't know how to garden" :') it's been about 4-5 years so I'm out of practice but I know I've still got it in there somewhere! But I'm a bit overwhelmed without my team and classmates to work together.

I also realized I'm not sure how to start seeds WITHOUT a greenhouse! I know it's possible lol I'll be watching videos today during my work breaks but I value the opinions and advice of real people like you guys, over youtube social media influencers
 
Dahlia

Dahlia

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BoysWillBeBugs said:
This is kind of embarrassing! I took 4 years of horticulture during highschool, two of which were the advanced class (there was EIGHT of us!) and worked at a greenhouse for a year. And here I am, total decision paralysis and overwhelmed.

I realized that I haven't gardened by myself, always with a team (and a greenhouse). I have seeds, I have a property, I have a few fleeting hours outside of work, but I'm not sure where to start.

My mother gardens occasionally but is disabled and is not always able to consistently do manual labor work. Regardless, I'd like to approach her with a good idea and plan moving forward for growing myself a vegetable garden this year, otherwise I fear ridicule for being a "horticulture student that doesn't know how to garden" :') it's been about 4-5 years so I'm out of practice but I know I've still got it in there somewhere! But I'm a bit overwhelmed without my team and classmates to work together.

I also realized I'm not sure how to start seeds WITHOUT a greenhouse! I know it's possible lol I'll be watching videos today during my work breaks but I value the opinions and advice of real people like you guys, over youtube social media influencers
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum from the Pacific Northwest! Where are you located?
 
digitS'

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Soil preparation is an important step, removal of unwanted plants with plans on how to comfortably keep weeds under control through the growing season. A map of the garden ca help with your ideas on access and perimeters for the maintenance of the environment your garden plants require.

Even if the soil is relatively fertile, cultivation to a minimum depth of about 8" will help your plants make a good start. That doesn't mean that the soil has to be turned over but roots can grow more easily in loosened soil. A soil test may be a good idea to provide plant nutrient needs.

Certainly, it is possible to have a varied choice of garden plants without doing any transplanting. Seeds alone, at proper depth and spacing, sown during the early weeks will provide a varied annual garden. Soil temperature is important for earliest starting. Information on timing, depth and spacing is available in gardening books and online at Cooperative Extension websites.

Some plants, like tomatoes and peppers, will probably require a longer season of growth to provide a crop than what can be provided outdoors in your location. You may not have ideal indoor location for warmth and sunlight to start the seeds for transplants but I have used that simple method for years with some success. Attention to their needs is especially important during the early weeks of plant lives. Care in moving the seedlings to appropriate containers, maintaining proper soil moisture, and positioning for adequate light are all requirements. Of course, there are nurseries selling plants by the truckload in every city.

When outdoor conditions are appropriate, the plants need time to adjust to a move from indoor to outdoor conditions. Even growing in a sunny window is not the same as being exposed to direct sunlight — a hardening off period is required to limit the shock of the changes in environments. This requires time and attention from the gardener during a critical time of the year.

Planning ... January is certainly a good month to begin that process. Try to get that mapping and the scheduling down on paper. Your time won't be entirely your own with the care of living plants. It may help to keep a couple of gardening sayings in mind like "in life, timing is everything." You will be caring for plant life and garden life all together. Another maxim is that "all gardening is local." You cannot follow a schedule intended for the Central Valley of California or the coast of the Carolinas, and expect success. It may come down to conditions in your own backyard. Pay attention to those conditions andforecasts, your plants will be in a fixed location of your choosing.

I recently learned a little about the meaning of the word "gnome :)." From children's literature, we all know about these earth creatures who may have some effects on what happens outdoors. But, the word also is a synonym for accepted sayings, like "gardens aren't made by sitting in the shade" ;). Yes, it is knowing what you are up to but then, doing it.

Steve, wishing you the best of luck
 
ducks4you

ducks4you

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..that, Said, @digitS' is correct, amending soil and cleaning up plant debris is where you start. If you have had weeds, put cardboard (pull off any plastic package tape) down on top and deposit good soil on top of that to prevent weeds from sprouting.
Make a visual map of your garden area(s) with your phone, and take note of different times of the day and how many hours of daylight Now that each area gets. Plants hungry for lots of sun will do poorly in shaded areas, and plants that need shade will burn out in the summer with too much sun.
 
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