advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

hello!

we just moved to a house that has a small front and back yard.

i have never grown anything before in my life and am now trying to
grow some vegetables.

i bought a pack of carrot seeds. some of the jargon really confuse me.

at the back of the packet it states, "when seedlings have 3 leaves,
thin to stand 2 inches apart". the term "thin"...does that mean that i
have to slowly pull the seedlings from the earth and then transplant
them to another part?

then the instructions continued,"plant every 3 weeks until two months
before the season's end." what does this mean? does it mean that i
divide the seeds into three ways and grow each part every three weeks?
or something else?

can i grow them in containers?

any advise is gratefully appreciated. layman terms please.

-goosy

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

at the back of the packet it states, "when seedlings have 3 leaves,
thin to stand 2 inches apart". the term "thin"...does that mean that i
have to slowly pull the seedlings from the earth and then transplant
them to another part?

This means that you should reduce the number of plants to maintain a minimum
distance between the remaining plants. If you fail to maintain a minimum
distance, then you will end up with stunted roots (carrots).

then the instructions continued,"plant every 3 weeks until two months
before the season's end." what does this mean? does it mean that i
divide the seeds into three ways and grow each part every three weeks?
or something else?

All of the seeds that you plant at a given time will be ready for harvest at
about the same time. If you want a continuous harvest throughout the
season, plant a new set of seeds every few weeks. You stop two months
before the season's end (usually the first frost), because seeds that you
plant after that date won't have time to make it to maturity.

can i grow them in containers?

You could possibly grow a limited number of carrots in a deep enough
container, but you'll probably get better results in the ground. Make sure
your soil is well tilled as carrots don't do well in hard compacted soil.

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

Carrot seeds are small, and it's hard to space them out properly when
planting them. So once they are up and growing, you pull out the seedlings
that are too close together, to give the rest room to grow. When they are
very small, you simply discard or compost them. You can thin again later in
the season and enjoy the thinnings as baby carrots. Don't bother trying to
transplant them---carrots don't transplant well.

You can also mix the seeds with a small amount of dry sand, or dried coffee
grounds, to make it easier to spread them out more evenly.

Good luck and have fun,
Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Goose" wrote in message
m...
hello!

we just moved to a house that has a small front and back yard.

i have never grown anything before in my life and am now trying to
grow some vegetables.

i bought a pack of carrot seeds. some of the jargon really confuse me.

at the back of the packet it states, "when seedlings have 3 leaves,
thin to stand 2 inches apart". the term "thin"...does that mean that i
have to slowly pull the seedlings from the earth and then transplant
them to another part?

then the instructions continued,"plant every 3 weeks until two months
before the season's end." what does this mean? does it mean that i
divide the seeds into three ways and grow each part every three weeks?
or something else?

can i grow them in containers?

any advise is gratefully appreciated. layman terms please.

-goosy

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On 13 May 2003 08:10:49 -0700, (Goose) wrote:

i have never grown anything before in my life and am now trying to
grow some vegetables.

Gardening will grow on you. :-)

i bought a pack of carrot seeds. some of the jargon really confuse me.

at the back of the packet it states, "when seedlings have 3 leaves,
thin to stand 2 inches apart". the term "thin"...does that mean that i
have to slowly pull the seedlings from the earth and then transplant
them to another part?

Just wait 'til you encounter "last frost date" and "seed thinly (or
thickly)" Others have answered your questions quite nicely. Most
beginning veg gardeners start out with a tomato plant or 2. Very
rewarding to taste the difference between home-grown and supermarket
fruit. I never brought a carrot to maturity. The little 'uns are *so*
tasty. I "thin" 'til they're all gone! Tomatoes, peppers, and beans
are easy with plenty of web info. Herbs are very rewarding,
particularly the perennials. Although fresh basil is a great treat.
You're in for a good time, f'r sure. :-)

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

Yes, thin them means to pluck them out of the earth to allow room for the
other carrots to grow to their normal size and straight. Once you pull them
though, you can't transplant them back or you may end up with a twisted mess
of carrots. You can grow them in pots or window boxes, especially the
smaller/shorter varieties (in window boxes). You can grow any size in
larger deeper pots.

When they say to plant every 3 weeks, they mean that you CAN plant new seeds
so you have a succession of carrots throughout the growing season. When the
first ones planted are harvested or eaten, you'd have more growing from a
second planting. I don't bother with this. I just scatter the seeds over
an area in the garden and cover with a thin layer of potting mix - 1/4"
(doesn't form a crust on top). Water them twice to three times a week (if
you're in a hot region) and watch them grow. You can check on some of the
larger carrot tops to see when they can be picked. I usually check with my
finger around the top of the carrot to see how fat it is. If it feels
small, cover the area back up with dirt so the top of the carrot is not
exposed. I eat some carrots when they are small and just continue to pick
the largest ones first throughout the season. Mine lasted all summer and
into the fall.

Make sure the soil that you plant them in is soft and not hard clay. You
may have to dig out and replace with some good compost and top soil. In
pots, there is no issue with the soil. I would mix potting soil, soil
conditioner (finely ground bark) and compost. Use a well balanced
fertilizer such as 10-10-10 and liquid fertilize once a month. My favorite
is fish emulsion, but you can use whatever you like. Hope this helps.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Goose" wrote in message
m...
hello!

we just moved to a house that has a small front and back yard.

i have never grown anything before in my life and am now trying to
grow some vegetables.

i bought a pack of carrot seeds. some of the jargon really confuse me.

at the back of the packet it states, "when seedlings have 3 leaves,
thin to stand 2 inches apart". the term "thin"...does that mean that i
have to slowly pull the seedlings from the earth and then transplant
them to another part?

then the instructions continued,"plant every 3 weeks until two months
before the season's end." what does this mean? does it mean that i
divide the seeds into three ways and grow each part every three weeks?
or something else?

can i grow them in containers?

any advise is gratefully appreciated. layman terms please.

-goosy

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

beginning veg gardeners start out with a tomato plant or 2. Very
rewarding to taste the difference between home-grown and supermarket
fruit. I never brought a carrot to maturity. The little 'uns are *so*
tasty. I "thin" 'til they're all gone! Tomatoes, peppers, and beans
are easy with plenty of web info. Herbs are very rewarding,
particularly the perennials. Although fresh basil is a great treat.
You're in for a good time, f'r sure. :-)

I agree on the tomatos.. there is a huge differance... however.. a
word of advice:

plan your garden BEFORE getting the plants.... I didn't, and now I
have too much stuff... "hey, this looks good! so does this!! wow!
this would be fun to grow!!" :( didn't get some of the zuccini plants
in because of space constraints...

Never had any luck with carrots... maybe I'll try again next year...






email: daveallyn at bwsys dot net
please respond in this NG so others
can share your wisdom as well!

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

"Dave Allyn" (Dave Allyn) writes:

plan your garden BEFORE getting the plants.... I didn't, and now I
have too much stuff... "hey, this looks good! so does this!! wow!
this would be fun to grow!!" :( didn't get some of the zuccini plants
in because of space constraints...

"Zucchini plants"??? Unless you've got a large family, enjoy the
feeling of being up to your eyeballs in zucchini, or really, really,
REALLY like zucchini, 1 or 2 is enough. I once planted four. Big
mistake. After so many zucchini salads, zucchini breads, stir-fried
zucchini, etc, I'm still recovering.

--
Darryl Okahata


DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not
constitute the support, opinion, or policy of Agilent Technologies, or
of the little green men that have been following him all day.

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On Wed, 14 May 2003 18:28:11 GMT, "Dave Allyn"
(Dave Allyn) wrote:

beginning veg gardeners start out with a tomato plant or 2. Very
rewarding to taste the difference between home-grown and supermarket
fruit. I never brought a carrot to maturity. The little 'uns are *so*
tasty. I "thin" 'til they're all gone! Tomatoes, peppers, and beans
are easy with plenty of web info. Herbs are very rewarding,
particularly the perennials. Although fresh basil is a great treat.
You're in for a good time, f'r sure. :-)

I agree on the tomatos.. there is a huge differance... however.. a
word of advice:

plan your garden BEFORE getting the plants.... I didn't, and now I
have too much stuff... "hey, this looks good! so does this!! wow!
this would be fun to grow!!" :( didn't get some of the zuccini plants
in because of space constraints...

This is 2nd-year advice. :-) The first year is when you discover some
of the limits of space, labor, and appetite. I always wonder about
Q's asking "how much to plant for a family of 4?" Depends on how much
they like tomatoes or zucchini with every meal, if there's an on-site
person willing to can/preserve the overage, and whether the dog likes
lima beans.

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

hi,

thank you for your posts. it is greatly appreciated.

some websites state that my area is in zone 5 and some state that it is in zone 6a.

my next question is when is the best time to plant the carrot seeds?

thanks again!

-goosy

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

Goose said:

hi,

thank you for your posts. it is greatly appreciated.

some websites state that my area is in zone 5 and some state that it is in zone 6a.

my next question is when is the best time to plant the carrot seeds?

Most likely, ASAP

You can start planting carrots 3 weeks before your average last hard frost (freeze)
date.

You should be able to plant up to 2 months after that date , but as the weather
warms up it can be difficult to keep the carrot seeds from drying out.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

"Zucchini plants"??? Unless you've got a large family, enjoy the
feeling of being up to your eyeballs in zucchini, or really, really,
REALLY like zucchini, 1 or 2 is enough. I once planted four. Big
mistake. After so many zucchini salads, zucchini breads, stir-fried
zucchini, etc, I'm still recovering.

I was going to get two, but now I might be able to sqeeze in one....
:(

:) Beginner mistake: A few years ago (before planting my own) I
saw a guy on the way to a farm stand with lots of zucchini in the bed
of his truck. I thought "I love Zuc!" I bought three of the biggest
ones I could find at a quarter each.. I think they were just over 2
feet in length.. took them home to my wife and said look at the
zucchini's I just got!" she was then nice enough to tell me the
differance between the young, tender, small ones, and the large,
tough, good for mostly making bread or stuffing kind...... :) live
and learn...





email: daveallyn at bwsys dot net
please respond in this NG so others
can share your wisdom as well!

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On 16 May 2003 12:12:05 -0700, (Goose) wrote:

i saw a tomato plant sold in my local natural food stores and i was
really tempted to get them. the tomato plant has a couple of fruits at
the bottom of the stem. if i do get them, what do i do?

Don't buy it! Unless the plant is in a 6" pot or larger, it's been
grown way past its prime, and will be root-bound and not a happy
transplant to the garden. Don't even buy plants with blossoms on them.
I wouldn't get a tomato plant (or any other, come to think of it) over
about 4" high that was growing in a 1"x2" 4- or 6-pack plastic cell.
Or much over 10-12" in a 4" pot. And none with blossoms or tiny fruit.
Those are signs of plants that have been growing too long in
greenhouse conditions and that may or may not survive transplant into
the Real World. Look for plants with thickish main stems, and healthy
foliage.

Decide what variety you'd like. Do you want to try a large, beefsteak
type? A cherry or smaller tomato? Roma types are versiitile -- good
for cooking AND slicing into a salad. Like kittens, there are
practically no unattractive tomatoes. :-)

Give your tomato plant the best environment you can. Full sun. Nice
dirt ammended with compost and/or composted manure. And *support*.
Even a little cherry tomato plant may grow to a 4-6' tall (by 2-4"
diameter) bush/tree/thing, and will need to either be 'caged' or tied
to *sturdy* stakes. Search the web for non-commercial "tomato cages."
The little, inverted cone wire things about 4' tall (incl. the
supports) sold in many stores are inadequate for all but the most
sickly, stunted plants.

It's not rocket science. The above are suggestions, not laws. (Well,
'full sun' is a law. And 'full sun' means outdoors, 6 hrs/day mininum
direct sunlight -- the more the better.)

Have a good time.

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

Goose said:
arms up it can be difficult to keep the carrot seeds from drying out.

hi,

does the time of the day matter in planting the seeds?


I don't believe so. Time of day makes more of a difference with transplants, which
are best planted in the evening or on a very cloudy day so that they have a chance
to 'settle in' without having to deal with the stress of bright sunlight.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On 20 May 2003 21:25:01 -0700, (simy1)
wrote:



I don't believe so. Time of day makes more of a difference with transplants, which
are best planted in the evening or on a very cloudy day so that they have a chance
to 'settle in' without having to deal with the stress of bright sunlight.

do you organize your day in the garden so transplants are always the
last thing before dinner? It has become second nature to me.

I don't - but I temporarily cover them with chicken wire,
with a white plastic garbage bag over the chicken wire
(neither is touching the plants). This shades them from the
hot sun and protects them from the wind as well.

I leave the cover on all day if I've transplanted in the
morning, maybe two days if it's really hot and sunny.

Pat

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

simy1 said:

(Pat Kiewicz) wrote in message


Time of day makes more of a difference with transplants, which
are best planted in the evening or on a very cloudy day so that they have a
chance to 'settle in' without having to deal with the stress of bright sunlight.

do you organize your day in the garden so transplants are always the
last thing before dinner? It has become second nature to me.

More like I bolt out the door immediately after dinner. (We usually eat fairly
early, by my friends' standards.)
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

Lee Hall said:


So, you think my 22 tomato plants are a bit much for the wife and me?

Not if you are planning to dry them, can them, freeze them or donate
bushels of tomatoes to the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On Wed, 21 May 2003 07:07:12 -0400, Pat Meadows
wrote:

I don't - but I temporarily cover them with chicken wire,
with a white plastic garbage bag over the chicken wire
(neither is touching the plants). This shades them from the
hot sun and protects them from the wind as well.

I leave the cover on all day if I've transplanted in the
morning, maybe two days if it's really hot and sunny.

Do you have any garden pics posted, Pat? It sounds as if you could
create a great garden history/methods site. With 20/20 hindsite, it
would have been instructive and interesting to see a pic of the frozen
greens and how they recovered (thank goodness).

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On Sun, 25 May 2003 12:55:19 GMT,
(Frogleg) wrote:



Do you have any garden pics posted, Pat? It sounds as if you could
create a great garden history/methods site. With 20/20 hindsite, it
would have been instructive and interesting to see a pic of the frozen
greens and how they recovered (thank goodness).

Yes, it would have been nice. But I didn't. :( We have a
digital camera, so I've no excuse.

I will try. I've been wanting to take photos as we went
along. I'm keeping good garden records, and photos would be
a great supplement to it.

[Something of a digression...and something of a whine]
Both DH and I have some fairly serious medical problems -
involving pain in both cases. What we've done in the garden
so far this year has cost us both a lot of pain, and taken a
lot of our (limited) available energy.

I try very hard to maintain a cheerful attitude, and there's
no particular point in complaining in public either, but
there it is.

We don't (can't) do what healthy people do. So it's a major
struggle. If we had more money, we could hire much of the
hard work done. If we were healthier, we'd be working and
have more money but then we wouldn't need to hire the work
done, but we are unable to work therefore don't have money
and can't hire the work done either. It's a vicious circle.

Anyway, I've barely been able to plant the things,
photographing them afterwards has not been possible.
[End Digression]

Because we're doing a lot of one-time-only jobs this year,
this year is particularly difficult - supports for vertical
vining crops, the tires for tire-gardening (they need to be
brought home and cut and filled with soil), constructing a
cold-frame and hoophouse, etc. Next year will be easy by
comparison.

But I will try VERY HARD to take photos, I really do want
them also. And if I take them, they'll be put on the web.

Pat

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On 22 May 2003 16:29:52 -0700, (Lee Hall) wrote:

(Frogleg) wrote

This is 2nd-year advice. :-) The first year is when you discover some
of the limits of space, labor, and appetite. I always wonder about
Q's asking "how much to plant for a family of 4?" Depends on how much
they like tomatoes or zucchini with every meal, if there's an on-site
person willing to can/preserve the overage, and whether the dog likes
lima beans.

So, you think my 22 tomato plants are a bit much for the wife and me?

I haven't the slightest idea. :-) 22 plants, if all are successful,
seems more like a small business than a salad for 2. However, if you
want to sample several varieties, put up a roadside stand, supply a
farmers' market, have the will to can/dry/preserve, or help out a food
bank, I'd say 22 plants were just about right.

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On Sun, 25 May 2003 09:29:15 -0400, Pat Meadows
wrote:

On Sun, 25 May 2003 12:55:19 GMT,
(Frogleg) wrote:



Do you have any garden pics posted, Pat? It sounds as if you could
create a great garden history/methods site. With 20/20 hindsite, it
would have been instructive and interesting to see a pic of the frozen
greens and how they recovered (thank goodness).

Yes, it would have been nice. But I didn't. :( We have a
digital camera, so I've no excuse.

I will try. I've been wanting to take photos as we went
along. I'm keeping good garden records, and photos would be
a great supplement to it.

[Something of a digression...and something of a whine]
Both DH and I have some fairly serious medical problems -
involving pain in both cases. What we've done in the garden
so far this year has cost us both a lot of pain, and taken a
lot of our (limited) available energy.

I try very hard to maintain a cheerful attitude, and there's
no particular point in complaining in public either, but
there it is.

We don't (can't) do what healthy people do. So it's a major
struggle. If we had more money, we could hire much of the
hard work done. If we were healthier, we'd be working and
have more money but then we wouldn't need to hire the work
done, but we are unable to work therefore don't have money
and can't hire the work done either. It's a vicious circle.

Anyway, I've barely been able to plant the things,
photographing them afterwards has not been possible.
[End Digression]

Because we're doing a lot of one-time-only jobs this year,
this year is particularly difficult - supports for vertical
vining crops, the tires for tire-gardening (they need to be
brought home and cut and filled with soil), constructing a
cold-frame and hoophouse, etc. Next year will be easy by
comparison.

But I will try VERY HARD to take photos, I really do want
them also. And if I take them, they'll be put on the web.

I assume your address is a spamblock. I can be reached at
frogleg-atsign-hotmail-dot-com. I'd love to help you put pictures on
the web. And remind you to take that camera out occasionally. :-)

I'm sure you must have developed some methods to deal with the heavy
chores. We could do a web page on helpful techniques. Or how to barter
spinach for digging and beans for fencing.

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

On Sun, 25 May 2003 22:07:38 GMT,
(Frogleg) wrote:


But I will try VERY HARD to take photos, I really do want
them also. And if I take them, they'll be put on the web.

I assume your address is a spamblock. I can be reached at
frogleg-atsign-hotmail-dot-com. I'd love to help you put pictures on
the web. And remind you to take that camera out occasionally. :-)

No, my address is legitimate. Thanks, though. I know how
to put the pics on the web - we have a website actually, as
part of a part-time business of DHs and because we sell a
few things online (books, music CDs).


I'm sure you must have developed some methods to deal with the heavy
chores. We could do a web page on helpful techniques. Or how to barter
spinach for digging and beans for fencing.

Maybe later when I have more time.

We've not successfully bartered anything yet. :( We give
veggies to our good neighbors, and they return the favor in
various ways, but it's not as formal as barter - more like
an exchange of gifts. :)

Pat

advice needed for a beginner gardener
 

In article ,
Pat Meadows wrote:

We've not successfully bartered anything yet. :( We give
veggies to our good neighbors, and they return the favor in
various ways, but it's not as formal as barter - more like
an exchange of gifts. :)

People don't know that you need help! If anyone you know has ever
admired your crop or your garden, they might be interested in helping
you because they could enjoy your company, learn something, etc. There
is nothing like sharing work in a garden to build community.