So you want to become a gardener.....
If you've never had a garden before, if you still think dirt is just "dirt," if you can't tell a marigold from a monarda---this lens is especially for you! Check in often, you'll find tons of info here to get you on the path to being a true-blue, bonafide, totally obsessed gardener.
Container Gardens: Pros and Cons of Different Containers
The container you choose to hold your container garden is both an aesthetic and practical decision. Aesthetically, of course, anything goes. If you love it, use it.In terms of practicality, though, several things need to be determined. Is the vessel deep/wide enough? Does it provide drainage? Will is dry out too quickly? Here are several common container types, and their strengths and weaknesses.
1. Clay (Terracotta)
These are classic pots that go with any type of garden decor. They are generally not too expensive, and can be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Because they are porous, it is hard to kill a plant by overwatering. However, the opposite is also true: because they are porous, the potting soil dries out very quickly, and you must be diligent about watering. Another con is that they can get rather heavy (especially the larger pots) once soil, water, and plants are added to them. In addition, if you live in an area that gets hard freezes, clay cannot be left outside year-round as it will begin to break up under the freeze/thaw action.
2. Plastic
Inexpensive, lightweight, available in any shape, size or color you could imagine; plastic is a good choice. It doesn't dry out as easily as clay. The only down side is that there are a whole lot of ugly plastic pots out there. Nice ones can be found for a little more money. In general, they are a good choice.
3. Fiberglass
Lightweight like plastic, but generally much more attractive. Fiberglass pots are often made to look like clay or stone pots, and the price tag usually reflects their more pleasing appearance. They are quite a bit more expensive than plastic, but nowhere near what you'd pay for a stone or clay vessel of the same size. They can remain outdoors year-round, and are light enough to move easily. A good choice.
4. Concrete
Concrete troughs and planters give instant age and a sense of permenance to a garden. They are rather expensive, and nearly impossible to move, even before they're full of soil. They are very attractive, though, and well worth the strain they inflict on both the back and the wallet.
5. Found Objects
Quirky containers such as coffee cans, colanders, toy trucks or rain boots all add personality to a garden. If you use a found object and adapt it to become a planter, just make sure that you add holes for drainage, and that if the container is very shallow or narrow, that you water it frequently. Follow your flights of fancy. If the container makes you smile,
March: Tasks for Gardeners
If you're in the northern U.S., like me, March is a real tease to gardeners. We have our heavenly 60 and 70 degree days, followed by a day or two of snow. Those gorgeous days don't need to be wasted, however. There's plenty that can be done in the garden now!1. Prune shrubs.
Any dead branches, or branches that just look "wrong" can be pruned out now. NOTE: If you prune spring blooming shrubs now, such as forsythias and lilacs you'll lose some bloom. A good rule: prune spring bloomers after they bloom. Everything else can be pruned now.
2. Cut down perennials and ornamental grasses.
3. Turn the compost pile. (You have one, right?)
4. If you don't have a compost pile, figure out where to put one.
5. Sharpen pruners, shovels, and hoes. They'll be ready for you when you need them.
6. Give bird baths a good cleaning, now that they're not frozen over. If you put them away for the winter, bring them out.
7. Pick up paper, sticks, and other debris that have landed in your garden beds over the winter.
8. Start seeds indoors. Most annuals and vegetables can be started now if you live in zones 4 through 6.
There they are. Eight things that will keep you busy until it gets warm and dry enough to really get out there and dig!
Great Books About Container Gardening
Gardening in containers is the easiest way to get started in gardening. You can try out plant combinations, learn about caring for plants, and just, in general, see if you enjoy growing plants or not. Plus, it's a lot less expensive than planting a whole bed!
Potted Gardens: A Fresh Approach to Container Gardening by Rebecca Cole
This was the book that got me inspired to really t more...1 point
McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers by Rose Marie Nichols McGee
THE book for learning how to grow crops in contain more...0 points
P. Allen Smith's Container Gardens: 60 Container Recipes to Accent Your Garden by P. Allen Smith
Pure inspiration! You can't go wrong with containe more...0 points
Contain Yourself: 101 Fresh Ideas for Fantastic Container Gardens by Kerstin P. Ouellet
Another great book, filled with plans for containe more...0 points
Gardens to Go: Creating and Designing a Container Garden by Sydney Eddison
Another wonderfully inspiring book. Eddison makes more...0 points
Books about Organic Gardening
Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels
Gardening is all about the soil. This book will ma more...1 point
Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding! by Patricia Lanza
Easy, easy, easy. There's no excuse for not compos more...0 points
The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener
Great primer on composting.0 points
Five Fool-Proof Veggies
You CAN Grow Your Own Veggies---From Seed!
Fresh, homegrown produce is an absolute joy. It tastes better, has more vitamins and antioxidants, and it's cheaper! For the price of a few packets of seed and some soil, you can have your own veggie garden. You say you don't have room for a garden? Who says vegetables can't be grown in pots? All five of these will thrive in containers just as well as they will in the ground.
#1. Lettuce/Mesclun
Lettuce is insanely easy to grow. If you live in an area that gets very hot in the summer, your lettuce might "bolt," which means it will set seed, and the leaves will get bitter. To prevent this, you can either purchase lettuce seed that is slower to bolt ("Black-Seeded Simpson" is a great one.) or you can plant your lettuce in an area that gets less sun---and preferably not afternoon sun, which is hotter. If you're container gardening, this is simple...just move the pot to a good area. Plant the seeds according to package directions, keep watered, and harvest the young leaves as they grow. Plant a few more seeds every week or so, and you'll have a steady supply.
#2 Radishes
Plant these spicy little globes anywhere...they'll grow! Plant a few seeds every time you harvest, and you'll have them all season.
#3 Green Beans
These will grow like crazy! If you grow the "pole" kinds of beans, you will need to set up a support system, either a trellis or a "teepee" for the vines to climb. To avoid this, buy seeds that are "bush" type beans. Just be sure to keep them watered, especially as they are setting fruit.
#4 Swiss Chard
This gorgeous, nutritious veggie grows very well from seed. Plant, keep it watered well (especially once the heat of summer hits) and you will have both leaves and stalks for weeks. To keep it growing strong, simply harvest from the outer edge of the plant, cutting the stalk about an inch from the soil surface. It will keep growing, producing more shoots.
#5 Tomatoes
The only trick with tomatoes is that you will need to start the seed indoors and then transplant the plant outside after danger of frost has passed. You can simply plunk the seed in some soil in a little paper cup or recycled yogurt container on a sunny windowsill. If you are going to be growing your tomatoes in containers, pay close attention to the descriptions on the seed packet. Make sure your plant will not grow too big. Some good ones to try: "New Big Dwarf," "Husky Cherry Red," and "Patio."
So, there they are: 5 easy veggies to grow from seed, no matter how much space you have!
#1. Lettuce/Mesclun
Lettuce is insanely easy to grow. If you live in an area that gets very hot in the summer, your lettuce might "bolt," which means it will set seed, and the leaves will get bitter. To prevent this, you can either purchase lettuce seed that is slower to bolt ("Black-Seeded Simpson" is a great one.) or you can plant your lettuce in an area that gets less sun---and preferably not afternoon sun, which is hotter. If you're container gardening, this is simple...just move the pot to a good area. Plant the seeds according to package directions, keep watered, and harvest the young leaves as they grow. Plant a few more seeds every week or so, and you'll have a steady supply.
#2 Radishes
Plant these spicy little globes anywhere...they'll grow! Plant a few seeds every time you harvest, and you'll have them all season.
#3 Green Beans
These will grow like crazy! If you grow the "pole" kinds of beans, you will need to set up a support system, either a trellis or a "teepee" for the vines to climb. To avoid this, buy seeds that are "bush" type beans. Just be sure to keep them watered, especially as they are setting fruit.
#4 Swiss Chard
This gorgeous, nutritious veggie grows very well from seed. Plant, keep it watered well (especially once the heat of summer hits) and you will have both leaves and stalks for weeks. To keep it growing strong, simply harvest from the outer edge of the plant, cutting the stalk about an inch from the soil surface. It will keep growing, producing more shoots.
#5 Tomatoes
The only trick with tomatoes is that you will need to start the seed indoors and then transplant the plant outside after danger of frost has passed. You can simply plunk the seed in some soil in a little paper cup or recycled yogurt container on a sunny windowsill. If you are going to be growing your tomatoes in containers, pay close attention to the descriptions on the seed packet. Make sure your plant will not grow too big. Some good ones to try: "New Big Dwarf," "Husky Cherry Red," and "Patio."
So, there they are: 5 easy veggies to grow from seed, no matter how much space you have!
Get Started Growing From Seed--Try Winter Sowing!
No light set-ups, no little plastic cell packs....it couldn't be easier!
If you've never started your own plants from seed before, a good way to start is to try Winter Sowing. This technique was developed by Trudi Davidoff, and is the easiest way I've found to start from seed. Besides that, it's CHEAP! Basically, the idea is that you start with seed of plants that ordinarily self-seed in your garden anyway...think forget-me-nots, poppies, black-eyed susans (and hundreds of others!) What you do when you use the winter sowing method is to use the hardiness of these seeds to your advantage. There is no special equipment to buy...in fact, part of the philosophy of winter sowing is that you re-use containers from things you've already purchased. Things like milk jugs, juice bottles, containers from take-out salads, deep pie plates, and even 2-liter soda bottles are perfect "flats" for winter sowing. You buy whatever potting soil you like best, and seeds that will germinate using the winter sowing method. To find out which seeds will germinate, visit http://www.wintersown.org. You then poke drainage holes in the bottom of your chosen containers, make slits or holes in the top for air circulation, put in your dirt, plant your seeds, water it all in, and set it outside. That's it. You check the containers to be sure they're not drying out too much, but once everything freezes solid, there's not much to worry about. In late winter, sprouts will appear, and, very soon, you'll have more baby plants than you could have ever imagined! The winter sowing method works for annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and even trees and shrubs! It's worth trying. You'll end up with tons of plants, you'll save money, and you'll have a ton of fun!For more information, check out http://www.wintersown.org. Happy sowing!
Books on Starting from Seed
Gardening from Seed: The Keys to Success with Flowers and Vegetables (Martha Stewart Magazine)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009) 
Starting From Seed (Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guide)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 12/14/2009)
A Garden Workbook: Growing Propagating Methods and Techniques
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Burpee Seed Starter: A Guide to Growing Flower, Vegetable, and Herb Seeds Indoors and Outdoors
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Best Seed Catalogs
These catalogs will inspire you to get gardening...and they're free!
Seed Savers
1 point
http://www.burpee.com
1 point
http://www.territorialseed.com
0 points
http://www.parkseed.com
0 points
Starting a Garden....With Little or No Money
Cash-strapped but still longing for a garden? You can have it all :-)
You would think, upon entering the typical big box store or garden center, that gardening is an expensive hobby. Twenty dollar pruners, fifty dollar ceramic pots, and two dollar seed packets certainly don't scream "Frugal." And that's not even counting the plants!If you're on a budget, there is no reason you can't have a beautiful garden. A little creativity, a little searching, a little time, and you can have the garden of your dreams.
Garden $ Saving Rule #1: Start Your Plants from Seed!
This doesn't mean you have to pay $2.00 for a packet of seeds, unless you really want to. Wal-Mart frequently has seeds for a dime a packet. But my favorite way to get seeds on the cheap is through seed exchanges. The GardenWeb Seed Exchange is the largest one online, and it's free. Very often, for nothing other than a self-addressed stamped envelope, other gardeners will send you tons of seeds. Don't feel guilty! They would have gone to waste if you hadn't have taken them! You'll find, too, that many of these gardeners are extremely generous. In time, you'll have your own seeds to exchange!
Garden $ Saving Rule #2: Buy garden tools at thrift stores and garage sales.
The people who go on and on about "never buying a cheap tool because it won't last" have obviously never been on a budget. I've bought plenty of garden tools at garage sales, and never paid more than $5.00 for any one item.
Garden $ Saving Rule #3: A simple terra cotta pot, or something that you creatively re-use from your home, is infinitely more charming than those expensive ceramic pots!
Terra cotta is inexpensive and classic. Household items such as colanders, coffee cans, bowls, or even toy trucks can be made into interesting containers for potted plants.
Garden $ Saving Rule #4: Garden Organically!
The money you would have wasted on fertilizers and pesticides could easily buy you more than enough seeds and tools. You'll be healthier, and the environment will thank you!
Garden $ Saving Rule #5: When you do buy plants, buy them on clearance in the fall.
Fall is the best time to plant perennials, trees, and shrubs, yet it is often when nurseries put their plants on clearance. There are wonderful bargains to be found! Just keep an open mind. you might not end up with what you planned, but much of gardening is happy serendipity anyway!
There you go: five rules for gardening on a budget! Now get gardening :-)
The Basics
Stuff to Get You Started
In the Garden Online
Ideas for New Gardeners
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byIn the Garden Online Journal
My personal garden journal, updated almost daily.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byMust-Have Gardening Books
Every gardener should have these on their shelf.
The Garden Primer
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Bird-by-Bird Gardening: The Ultimate Guide to Bringing in Your Favorite Birds-Year after Year
Amazon Price: $22.76 (as of 12/14/2009)
National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 12/14/2009)
McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 12/14/2009)
Great Gardening Links
In the Garden Online - News, Tips and Information for Michigan Gardeners
The mission of In the Garden Online is to foster a more...1 point
Green Thumb - Your garden grows better with instant gardening tools, supplies and resources!
Green Thumb : Your garden grows better with instan more...1 point
Gardening Guides | Secret Organic Tips
Our gardening guides give you tips and secrets to more...1 point
Pregnancy & Childbirth Guide | Diet, Stages Symptoms, Signs
Your guide to pregnancy, advice on getting pregnan more...1 point
Uncover Skin Care Tips | Facial Skin Care Secrets
A beauty guide for women with tips and advice on e more...1 point
Single Moms | Single Mothers Information Guide
Single Moms Voice, a valuable internet resource th more...1 point
Cooking Guide | How To Cooking Tips & Advice
Guide to Cooking. A Complete Guide to Cooking Tech more...1 point
Organic Gardening - Home Page
Everything you've ever wanted to know about garden more...0 points
GardenWeb - The Internet's Garden Community
GardenWeb is the largest gardening site on the Web more...0 points
http://www.landscapeliving.com
Fun Landscape Garden & Design Ideas For a Beau more...0 points
How To Be A Gardener: Alan Titchmarsh - Google Video
This 8 episode 'How To Be A Gardener' series by Al more...0 points
Gardening at the crossroads
Gardening at the crossroads home page0 points
How to organic garden
HTOG covers the Mittleider form of organic gardeni more...0 points
Vegetable Gardening Books for the Home Hobbyist
Free vegetable gardening tips, advice and techniqu more...0 points
Container Gardening
Container gardening tips, tricks, and ideas. Lear more...0 points
http://www.japanesemapleguide.com
You don't need to be an experienced gardener to gr more...0 points
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- Pentecostals Pentecostals Feb 7, 2009 @ 4:34 pm
- Cool Gardening stuff! God bless!
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- windowbox windowbox Dec 22, 2008 @ 7:26 am
- Great Lens...abt gardening i love gardening and do it through containers like Aluminum Window Boxes Flower Boxes, Flower Window Boxes and i found that all of this come with the beauty for the house....
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- windowbox windowbox Dec 22, 2008 @ 7:26 am
- Great Lens...abt gardening i love gardening and do it through containers like Aluminum Window Boxes Flower Boxes, Flower Window Boxes and i found that all of this come with the beauty for the house....
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Reply
- EmmaCooper EmmaCooper Oct 11, 2008 @ 2:40 am
- Great lens! Thanks
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- Summitmom Summitmom Jul 10, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
- Awesome lens!! I LOVE to gardens. Living in a condo right now made it challenging. LOL I tried my hand at container gardening for the first time. So far, so good! Wish I found this lens earlier. next year.
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by Colleen_Vanderlinden
Welcome to my lens for new gardeners! My name is Colleen Vanderlinden, and I hope the articles, links, and blog entries you find here will help infect... (more)
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