Any tips for a newbie Gardener?

Ahzuri
Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
edited September 2024 in Chit-Chat
So I started my very first garden yesterday! I am very excited about it but I have like zero clue as to what I'm doing. I've been looking around the internet at information but its all so confusing so I figured I would see if my favorite place on the internet had any advice for this newb gardener :) I planted banana peppers, jalapenos (for the husband), tomatoes and strawberries (both in hanging planters). All of these I bought from Lowes as starter plants. I also have sweet potatoes to plant but I have to expand the garden a bit before I will be able to plant them. I live in Georgia so its always ridiculously hot here during the summer (and for most of the year save like 2 months). I don't know how often I should water, should I just do once a day or do I need to do it two or three times a day? We have them planted in a combo of our soil, top soil from the store and miracle grow right now. Is there anything I should add to help them grow better?

I also have some seeds (I can't remember what exactly off the top of my head) that I would like to grow but last time I tried I accidentally killed them by forgetting to water, out of sight out of mind I guess (hopefully I don't do the same to my garden D:). Can you grow seeds inside if you have a well lit place for them and if so at what point do you transplant them into the garden?

Replies

  • ♥Faerie♥
    ♥Faerie♥ Posts: 14,053 Member
    can't believe no one has answered this yet!

    Well, I have been growing things for a while now, and through lots of trial and error have found what works for me:ohwell:
    So, as for watering, depending on the amount of rain you get, you may need to water daily, but no more than that. If it hasn't rained in a while for me, I normally will water about every other day, but if a plant starts wilting, it needs water!
    A really good soaking is better than just wetting the top of the soil, it helps the plant to grow deeper roots, and therefore makes a better plant.
    I have never had the hanging tomatoes, so I really have no advice, but just keep an eye on them, potted plants dry out way quicker!
    As for seeds, you really should start those indoors before your last frost, so that when all frost is gone, you will have seedlings to plant right into the ground. Certain seeds need to be put straight into the ground though, like beans for instance.
    If you have already added miracle grow, you should be fine, just sit back and let them grow!
    Good luck, and I am no expert, but if you have other question feel free to PM me♥
  • MissO﹠A
    MissO﹠A Posts: 906 Member
    I suck at caring for living things; I'm sometimes shocked my 4 year old is growing and still loves me...

    We have this enclosed garden thing. It was here when we bought the house. Thought, what the hell and gave it a shot last year. We had pretty good luck with the things we had planted, in particular the jalapenos, lettuce and eggplant. Then, all hell broke loose and random things from the previous owners started cropping up. Squash, tomatoes, weeds, more tomatoes, other peppers, random unidentifiable sh it, tomatoes again, weeds and more weeds. Oh, and more squash.

    Did I mention that tomatoes are weeds? Faaarrrrrgh, between the weeds and the tomatoes, the entire garden turned into a jungle -- an uncontrollable man-eating jungle. I was worried I'd uncover dead bodies dumped in there when fall rolled around.

    You should have excellent luck with what you've planted. Faerie gave excellent advice on watering. We stuck with every other day and it went bat-****, even with slim-to-no rain last year.

    Have fun!
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
    I've been watering them 3x a day so far. I've been wetting them down in the morning and evening and then soak them in the afternoon when the heat is the worst. Georgia is kinda in the middle of a drought (again >_<) so we've only got light sprinkles for the last month or so. I actually started into this kinda late in the game (as in at the beginning of the summer lol) which is why I still have seeds I need to grow/plant. How long can I keep them inside before I plant them? I don't think I have any bean seeds but I'll look.
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