another beginner question-
 

hi everyone-

i'm in southern NJ (in land, not coastal). What would be some good
veggies to direct sow???

thanks so much

betsey

another beginner question-
 

betsey wrote:
hi everyone-

i'm in southern NJ (in land, not coastal). What would be some good
veggies to direct sow???

thanks so much

betsey

in which season, for which harvest, in which soil?

another beginner question-
 

simy1 wrote:
betsey wrote:
hi everyone-

i'm in southern NJ (in land, not coastal). What would be some good
veggies to direct sow???

thanks so much

betsey

in which season, for which harvest, in which soil?

oh my goodness...

planting season...spring/summer...harvest-summer/fall. soil is top
soil with a clay base...yes, i know, it needs amending!

i'm just not sure i want to get into starting indoors and then
transplanting...

betsey

another beginner question-
 

betsey wrote:
simy1 wrote:
betsey wrote:
hi everyone-

i'm in southern NJ (in land, not coastal). What would be some good
veggies to direct sow???

thanks so much

betsey
in which season, for which harvest, in which soil?

oh my goodness...

planting season...spring/summer...harvest-summer/fall. soil is top
soil with a clay base...yes, i know, it needs amending!

i'm just not sure i want to get into starting indoors and then
transplanting...

betsey

I tried doing that and the cat had a field day with the
chutes. rolling eyes Good roughage for her though I
suppose. ;-)

Now I go to the local nursery and buy plants pre-started and
just plant 'em in the garden.

I have a small area. I usually plant garlic (but that's
planted in the fall), tomatoes, bell peppers, cukes, and
maybe a summer squash plant. That's about all I have room
for. The squash is done from seed.

In the past, I have done radishes, beets and broccoli.
You should be able to grow about anything in that area.

I'm in growing zone 5a/b (Poughkeepsie, New York)

As for soil prep, I just till it up well, go to the nursery
and get bags of composted cow manure and then till that in.
It has a VERY slight odor and only for a day or two when
you're close to it. My garden always does extremely well.

--
Steve

another beginner question-
 

betsey wrote:

planting season...spring/summer...harvest-summer/fall. soil is top
soil with a clay base...yes, i know, it needs amending!

i'm just not sure i want to get into starting indoors and then
transplanting...

betsey

There are many veggies that are best direct seeded. Beets, carrots
(though I
would wait on the carrots until after two or three years, when your
soil will be
lighter - if you keep amending it), chard, beans and peas of all sorts,
favas, kale,
garlic (if your soil is not too wet, to be sure make it a slightly
raised bed),
potatoes, lettuce, most smaller greens (arugula, tatsoi, mache) ,
onions (same
considerations as carrots), all manners of chicory. If this list is
insufficient,
I could think of others. Basically, anything with a taproot, anything
small, and
most things large-seeded.

You could have two crops if you manage it well, as I do from most of my
garden,
all from direct seeding, if you are in full sun and have an average NJ
summer. If
you can cover with a hoophouse, you could direct seed even the summer
vegetables (zucchini,cukes, tomato, melons) one month ahead of the
regular
schedule. In fact, in the old days everything was direct seeded. I use
transplants
only in conjunction with mulch, so that weeding is eliminated. If you
plan to leave
your soil bare, I see no reason to fumble with dirty pots in March
inside the house.

iif you should plant tomatoe . you may want to start indoor and then transplant it.
you can grow corn, beans, watermelon. the list is endless