I’m in DC, have an opportunity for a garden ~1h away (in Maryland). I’d like to grow food, specifically potatoes, carrots and bell peppers. I’d also like to grow some fruits and other fun foods. All food. The cons are that I have to convince the owner of the yard (who wants the bell peppers) to put up better fencing (stupid deer), and I have to choose plants that get along with an apple tree, some grapes of unknown variety and what he thinks are blackberries (but might be invasive weeds). Am I insane? Any suggestions on how to make it work, as I’ve only ever grown indoor plants before? (But my ginger is ~3 feet tall and has a little, tiny sproutling!) Also, I was ehow’s gardening section this morning, and I felt very overwhelmed, so I decided to come to a place where I can have real people tell me what’s what.
I want a garden so bad! I can’t have a puppy yet! I need a garden! whine Plus, blue potatoes and purple carrots!
Grape-flavored cherry tomatoes! Red veined spinach! Eggplant!
I want to grow food. I’d really appreciate any help.
I’m not sure what you’re looking for here, BlueKangaroo. Can you have a vegetable garden in the DC area? Sure, no problem. Is it hard to grow veggies if you don’t have a lot of experience? Not necessarily. What all do you need to know? Well, I always recommend this as the book every gardener – beginning, intermediate, or advanced – needs a copy of.
If you’ve got specific questions, I know the usual garden crew will be happy to tackle them …
Oooh, yes, me too.
I would start with a small number of plants, not too many varieties and see how it goes. That will tell you what works in your friend’s garden without too much maintenance (I’m assuming you won’t be there every day…?).
GT
My neighbor had a great little garden (appeared to be about the size of the front yard of a 1/4 acre lot). He grew tomatos, vadalia onions, banana peppers and maybe some other stuff that he didn’t give me.
I’m not much of a gardener, but in watching him, he seemed to spend a lot of time weeding. A LOT of time. I think they can get out of control in a hurry and can ruin the whole deal.
Go to your local garden shop and talk to them about pesticides and fertilizers (I believe there are a lot on the market that are “friendlier” than they used to be. Good luck!
I have the “The Garden Primer”. Its a very good, thorough book, but for a beginner I would recomend Dick Raymond’s Gardening Year . This book takes you step by step through the seed selection, ground preperation, planting, weeding, and harvesting. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067150973X/qid=1137680428/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-2207631-1659933?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
If you are short on space a good book is Square foot gardening by Mel Bartholomew. My local library has both of these books, so they are fairly common.
Don’t be worried about weeding, if you keep up with it, its fairly easy. Maybe I’m weird but I find weeding relaxing. Just don’t let it go for too long. Once weeds are established it does become tiresome.
If you are going to order seeds take a look at “Johnnys Seeds” at http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/category.aspx?category=1
Request a catalog or just browse online. I’ve had good luck with them.
take care
I’m not even on the same continent as you so I can’t give you any specific tips. I just want to lend some moral support for your endeavor. If you enjoy being outdoors, a garden really is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
What will probably limit your options is that you are fairly far away from your plot. If you have to drive an hour every time you want to check on your veggies, more demanding plants (e. g. tomatoes - they don’t like rain but still need a lot of water) or plants whose fruit needs to be picked daily (e. g. strawberries or raspberries) are probably out. Potatoes, on the other hand, should be fine. You can put them in the ground (light soil is preferable) and forget about them till harvest time. Of course, they don’t mind the occasional weeding or mulching either.
Bell peppers, carrots and onions should be fine as well - in my experience they don’t need constant care. Also consider some herbs and spices: chives, basil, rosemary, mint, sage, thyme and even cilantro are nearly indestructible.
Incidentally, what’s also indestructible are blackberries. They do turn into weeds (damn painful ones at that) in places where you don’t want them. Rip thm out early and rip them out often.
If you’re planning for the long term, any kind of fruit tree (I’m especially partial to apples, pears and cherries) will be an excellent choice. Apart from pruning them in the winter (which is a science onto itself) they grow and have fruit without you having to intervene - you just have to be there for the harvest. It’s amazing how different the various kinds of apples taste and how good they are compared to your standard supermarket fare.
IMHO it helps if you look at gardening not as something you succeed or fail in but as an ongoing experiment. Plants want to grow so they’re actually on your side, you just have to help them along a bit sometimes. Go crazy with seeds and see what survives. Or head to a garden store in early spring and load up your cart with whatever looks promising. The worst that can happen is that some of your plants won’t make it but you’ll still have a lot of fun.
Thanks everyone.
I’m sorry that the OP is a bit incoherent, between feeling like I suddenly had no clue what to do at ehow and my upcoming, terrifying comprehensive exams, I am incoherent at the moment.
I do want to grow a few things, the plot doesn’t seem all that small to me, but it already has one apple tree, some grapes and what the house owner is convinced are blackberries. He bases this on having taken pictures of the thorny bush in question to the local farmer’s market and asking, “what’s this thing taking over my grapes?” I have copies of the pictures too, after Saturday I’ll try to find a photo hosting site and link them up.
All I know that I want to grow for sure are potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, anaheim chiles (though these can potentially be in a pot at my place) and cantelope. I like the idea of fun tomatoes, but I won’t feel a loss as I’m not truly a tomato fan.
I think what I’m looking for is some ideas for easy to grow food plants. Easy because I’m a novice, and easy because the plot is far away. I’m certain I can get the house owner to water from time to time, and once I get started he may jump in. However, it seems foolish to depend on his interest.
I’m still interested in replys, please, though I will be mostly MIA until Sunday, or so. I have these terrifying exams, you see. And I haven’t put a fourth of the effort into studying for them as I should, so I waver between “terrified” and “not worried at all, because I know a failing grade when I see one.”
Thanks again, everyone.
Potatoes are easy. Plant, mulch, weed once in awhile, come back for harvest.
I’d suggest getting hay or similar mulch to put down between the potato plants once they sprout - it helps with the weeds and also helps retain water. When I was kid my dad used to dust the seed chunks with some sort of pesticide to discourge worms and such from helping themselves - I don’t remember what we used, and anyhow, it wouldn’t surprise me if folks are using something different these days…
Carrots and onions are easy and fairly hardy. Spinach is easy. So are some varities of lettuce… unless you get an insect infestation. Zuccini are easy. In fact, don’t plant more than one. One zuccini plant can feed a small army.
Bell peppers… well, they can be delicate. A hot, dry summer will be bad for them. In this area (Chicago) they seem to pick up a nasty black blight easily. Sure, try them, but be aware they may disappoint.