It's almost gardening season!

[naturallysteph]

This is going to be my first year with an organic veggie garden. I grew up in Arizona where gardens don't grow very well, and since then I've lived in apartments with small porches (I had a couple of hanging baskets of flowers and a few grape tomato plants, but that's it). Now I have a home in the mountains & I am so thrilled at the prospect of fresh veggies! I have been reading gardening books all winter, and I just bought $100 worth of organic seeds online yesterday. Perhaps a bit much for a beginner, but I love to just dive in to this sort of thing & work it out as I go along!

Anyone else excited that gardening season is coming?

- Steph

[Getcrafty.com!]

[Katydid]

I can't WAIT!!!!!

I go crazy every year and plant way toooo much, but I love it. And it gets better every year, because you always learn something. My biggest lesson last year was to NOT buy plants from a particular home store, because they ALL did poorly. Luckily I bought most of my plants from a local nursery, which will be gettting all of my business this year.

I'm not a seed starter - I spend a lot of time ammending the soil and just don't have time to do seeds - someday.

The best thing I grew last year (besides Jersey tomatoes, which are heaven) was spaghetti squash. It was so good, although I had some bug problems.

Good luck!

Kate

[moon_lemming]

This is going to be my first year with an organic veggie garden. [snip] I have been reading gardening books all winter, and I just bought $100 worth of organic seeds online yesterday.

I'm trying to do the same thing! We just moved into a house that actually has land for me to grow stuff on. I've never grown anything before, though, so I'm not sure where to start. Since you've read so many books, do you have any to recommend? I can only seem to find books on flower gardens in our library. And is there a particular site you'd recommend getting seeds from?

So many questions! I'm sorry, I'm just so excited about having fresh veggies that I can't seem to think in a linear fashion! :)

[india*romeo]

I'm excited, too! I've wanted to have a garden for years, but this is the first time that I've lived in a place where I could start one. I've had container gardens for the last couple of summers, but that just isn't the same as having a nice little plot of land to cultivate!

[naturallysteph]

Yay!! Lots of excited people!

moon lemming: It is so embarassing to admit this, but because I am SUCH a beginner, I started at the beginning - Organic Gardening for Dummies. But I'm so glad I did! It's a wonderful book, very well-written, and it's going to be a great, quick reference tool. Since then, I've been reading Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew (he specializes in raised beds, which is what I want to do). I also recommend John Jeavons' How to Grow More Vegetables . . . and any of the Rodale books.

I bought all of my seeds from: http://www.naturalgardening.com

But I hear this site is also wonderful: http://www.seedsofchange.com

The only thing I still need is rosemary, which I'll probably pick up already started from a local farmer's market, and some strawberry seeds.

Katydid: Spaghetti squash!!! Oooh!!

I think I'm most excited about growing lemon cucumbers, Brandywine tomatoes, and these cute 3" pumpkins called "Jack-Be-Little."

- Steph

[naturallysteph]

I'm excited, too! I've wanted to have a garden for years, but this is the first time that I've lived in a place where I could start one. I've had container gardens for the last couple of summers, but that just isn't the same as having a nice little plot of land to cultivate!

I noticed you are in NC! What part are you in? I moved to the Asheville area via Atlanta last summer.

- Steph

[india*romeo]

We should post pics of our gardens when we get them started! I'd like to see all your pretty little plants!

[naturallysteph]

We should post pics of our gardens when we get them started! I'd like to see all your pretty little plants!

Yes! Pictures would be great!

Do you all know about You Grow Girl? They have great forums - lots of nice people who know what they are doing who are good at explaining things to newbies like me.

http://www.yougrowgirl.com

- Steph

[Katydid]

mmmmm brandywide tomatoes....awesome!

I'm all in for the pics! I take so many pictures of my garden - I'm the butt of constant teasing by those who look at my pictures.

And I was just going to suggest you grow girl - I LOVE that site, and spend waaaaayy too much time there in the spring/summer.

Here are some other good sites:

www.johnnyseeds.com

I love johnny's - they have amazing stuff - their catalog is like garden porn.

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en

And gardenweb.com has a HUGE Forum. Not as freindly or funky as YGG - but the FAQs are often all you need -tons of info.


I'm now officially siked.

[india*romeo]

I'm now officially siked.

Me too! I'm off to do some seed-shopping right now!