Benefits of Gardening
1. Cut down on food cost.
2. You know what you are eating
3. Great exercise (especially for more mature people)
The Beginning Gardner (Getting Ready)
Making a Plan
Planning is a very necessary component of the gardening season. It is best to know ahead of
time what you want to grow, so you can plant at the right time and season and in the right
medium.
Find your growing zone. (You can Google it)
* Montgomery, Alabama is in USDA Hardiness Zones 8a and 8b.
Choosing What to Plant.
Plant what you will eat. Make sure that it will grow in your zone.
Your Spring Planting Strategy
Cole crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can be direct seeded into
your garden around January 29, assuming the ground can be worked, but it's
better to start them indoors around January 1 and then transplant them into
the garden around February 20. Do the same with lettuce and spinach.
Plant onion starts and potatoes around January 11. Sow the seeds
of peas (sugar snap and English) at the same time. If the ground is still
frozen, then plant these as soon as the ground thaws.
Do you want to grow tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants? Start these
indoors around January 1. Then, around March 7 you should start watching
the weather forecast and, as soon as no frost is forecast, go ahead and
transplant those into the ground.
Now, for all the summer vegetables like beans, cowpeas, corn, squashes,
pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons, gourds and sunflowers, you should
plant those seeds directly into the ground around March 11, or if your soil is
still very cold, once the soil is near 60° F in temperature.
Select a place to grow
* Plant where your plants will get at least 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight. South facing is the best. If
you need help determining which way is south you can download the compass app on your
phone. You can also purchase a compass. Prices start at $00.89.
If possible, plant in a place where rodents, rabbits, deer, etc. have very little to no access.
Raised Beds, Pots, or In-ground
What you decide to use as your grow medium will determine where you grow
a. Pots containers like felt or other material
b. Raise beds on wheels or stationary
c. Home yard
d. Patio
e. Apartment balcony.
Pros and Cons of Raise Beds vs. In-ground gardens
https://youtu.be/Lr9cNUb7rLQ
https://youtu.be/aVmFR4iUVoY
Preparing the Beds
Raised
When raised beds are well prepared, the hardest part of gardening is done. And the better the
garden beds are prepared, the less work there will be during the growing season, and the more
likely your vision will come to fruition.
Work from outside the beds.
Basic ‘ground’ rule:
Don’t step on the soil within the raised beds.
Be sure you’re able to reach every part of the bed without having to stand in it. (Our raised
beds are 4’ across).
Inspect each raised bed for needed repairs.
The soil in raised beds gets wet and heavy over the winter, and the added weight can
exert pressure on the corners of the beds and can bow the center of long spans
outward. Now is the time to fix anything that needs attention, before you start sowing
seeds or transplanting seedlings, since any repair will disturb the soil.
Inexpensive way to fill raised beds
1. If your raised bed is more than 2 feet deep, use other organic matter on the bottom.
a. Logs or dead tree limbs
b. Leaves
c. Top soil
2. Use Potting soil or potting mix only for raised beds.
a. 18 to 24 inches of good soil will suffice.
https://youtu.be/jN92Jahm5bw
In-Ground
Determining Soil Health
https://youtu.be/mo8iwhknuZs
Soil Preparation
Soil is the foundation for which plants grow. You can make your own organic gardening soil.
How to make cheap easy organic potting soil. 4 ingredients
1. Coco- Core.
One large brick hydrated in water makes a wheelbarrow full. Coco-Core holds 10 times
its weight and water. (4. Parts)
2. Compost (2 parts)
You can make your own or you can buy it.
Kellogg brand organic compost, Black Cow, Mushroom compost, or homemade.
3. Warms Castings (1 part)
4. Organic Vermiculite (1 part)
https://youtu.be/S616y1FO5OY
Good fertilizer is important. Use organic only. Remember you are feeding the soil not the plant.
Irrigation and hydration is important if you're using beds or pots make sure they are off of the
ground so that they drain properly. You can use a pallet bricks.
Buying and Planting Seeds
You can plant from seeds follow the instructions on the package. I only buy organic (*NO
GMOs*) there are several places that you can order from online or Lowe's, Home Depot,
Walmart, ACE Hardware, or local feed supply store.
If you use mulch in your garden please do not use wood chips or colored mulch. This type of
mulch will deplete your soil of minerals that it needs.
Preparing the Beds (Raised)
When raised beds are well prepared, the hardest part of gardening is done. And the better the
garden beds are prepared, the less work there will be during the growing season, and the more
likely your vision will come to fruition.
Work from outside the beds.
Basic ‘ground’ rule:
Don’t step on the soil within the raised beds.
Be sure you’re able to reach every part of the bed without having to stand in it. (Our raised
beds are 4’ across).
Inspect each raised bed for needed repairs.
The soil in raised beds gets wet and heavy over the winter, and the added weight can
exert pressure on the corners of the beds and can bow the center of long spans
outward. Now is the time to fix anything that needs attention, before you start sowing
seeds or transplanting seedlings, since any repair will disturb the soil.
Growing your own Ginger and tumeric is very easy.
Growing Ginger
https://youtu.be/1q6_xOsOJRY
https://practicalselfreliance.com/growing-turmeric/
Grow in fruit trees like lemons tangerines oranges .
I find that the best type of lemon tree is Myers Improved Lemon tree.
You can order organic now or check Lowe's they have the best price.
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