Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

I've bought a house and I want to start a garden. I have two main
goals for this garden. First off, I'd like to save a little money. I'm
going to be on a tighter budget and I'm hoping I can save some money.
Secondly, I'm always looking for healthy new hobbies that don't
involve the TV and computers etc. Gardening seems like a good
addition. I live in zone 8a(Dallas, TX) and I want to start sometime
in August or September.

I think I'm interested in the Square Foot Gardening, since I have very
little room to work with anyways(small backyard). Also, where can i
find a schedule of what grows when for my area?

I'd especially like to hear some tips from the frugal growers out
there. The people that like me get a thrill from saving money :)

Another issue: being by myself, I always have an issue with food going
bad because i can't use it in time. This is especially true with
veggies. Any tips on harvesting or storing so i won't be wasting too
much? And, can you staggar plant veggies in a way such that you are
always harvesting something?

Someone point me in the right direction. So far, i've learned about
preparing raised beds and some pointers on square foot gardening and
soil prep, but I'm still lost on what to plant, when to plant, and
when to harvest.

Oh, and one other thing. I'm interested in organic gardening. I'd like
to hear from the organic gardeners too.

Since i'm a homeowner now :) i may be interested in flower planting as
well, but for now I'm more interested in veggies.

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

On 1 Jul 2003 10:17:27 -0700, (Not
Much) wrote:



I think I'm interested in the Square Foot Gardening, since I have very
little room to work with anyways(small backyard). Also, where can i
find a schedule of what grows when for my area?

You should be able to get this info from your Extension
Agent. Texas: hmmmm... Your Extension Agent will be
affiliated with your nearest land-grant university.

I think each county generally has an Extension Agent - you
could try first by looking in the Government pages of your
local phone book. Our Extension Agent's office is listed
with the County Government offices.

If you can't find it that way, get in touch with your
nearest university and ask them. Their website should tell
this. Extension Agents on university websites are generally
listed under 'cooperative education' or 'community' or
'extension', or 'outreach' - something like that.


I'd especially like to hear some tips from the frugal growers out
there. The people that like me get a thrill from saving money :)

Another issue: being by myself, I always have an issue with food going
bad because i can't use it in time. This is especially true with
veggies. Any tips on harvesting or storing so i won't be wasting too
much? And, can you staggar plant veggies in a way such that you are
always harvesting something?

Yes, you certainly can stagger planting that way - and
especially in your zone, where the temperatures won't be all
that cold in winter. You could probably have salad greens,
for instance, nine months of the year - say two heads of
lettuce per week. (Your summer months will probably be too
hot for lettuce.) This is easy to do.


Someone point me in the right direction. So far, i've learned about
preparing raised beds and some pointers on square foot gardening and
soil prep, but I'm still lost on what to plant, when to plant, and
when to harvest.

Oh, and one other thing. I'm interested in organic gardening. I'd like
to hear from the organic gardeners too.

Since i'm a homeowner now :) i may be interested in flower planting as
well, but for now I'm more interested in veggies.

You know, your questions are too broad and there are too
many of them to answer on a newsgroup. To answer all your
questions would require that I write a large book. :)

It would be a great book: 'Frugal Organic Gardening'.
Maybe someday I'll try to do this.

But in the meantime, I think you need to read a couple of
gardening books. Your library should have a good selection.

I recommend 'Square Foot Gardening' by Mel Bartholomew, the
book and the website. If you read the book, be sure to read
the website also, he's corrected some of his views.

http://www.squarefootgardening.com

Pat

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

On 1 Jul 2003 10:17:27 -0700, (Not Much)
wrote:

I've bought a house and I want to start a garden. I have two main
goals for this garden. First off, I'd like to save a little money. I'm
going to be on a tighter budget and I'm hoping I can save some money.
Secondly, I'm always looking for healthy new hobbies that don't
involve the TV and computers etc. Gardening seems like a good
addition. I live in zone 8a(Dallas, TX) and I want to start sometime
in August or September.

snip

You don't want much, do you? :-) For a fall garden, look up "cool
weather crops". Even Dallas winters aren't ideal for tomatoes. There
are few plants that will produce measured quantities at appropriate
times. "Staggered planting" is good for some greens and herbs, but
when tomato season happens, there are a lot of tomatoes. And zucchini.

Truly frugal use of a garden pretty much involves canning and
preserving, or trading ripe veg now for battery-jumping later. It
certainly is cheaper to buy $1.50-worth of bean seeds and grow your
own than pay (last time I looked) $1.79/lb for them in the grocery
store.

Gardening has a longish learning curve. No one can tell you exactly
what to plant, when, what the yield is going to be, and what to do
with it. It *is* a wonderfully rewarding endeavor on any scale.

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

I read "square foot gardening" about 2 years ago.

If you follow even HALF of the advice in there, your garden will be rockin' in
just maybe 2 seasons. (hopefully getting better every season--so far so good)

gardening is the ONLY activity that I am invoved with that i just cannot be
angry with. no stress at all, even when stuff goes wrong!

later
john

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

This should get you started. Don't forget herbs. My house in far North
Dallas has more mint, lemon balm, rosemary, oregano, & sage growing that
we can eat
Oops almost forgot mexican mint marigold(tarragon substitute)

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/p...rs/vegvar.html
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/home/hmguide.pdf
http://extension-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/
http://extension-horticulture.tamu.e...NCVEGLIST.html

Bright lights swiss chard, & any kind of kale, ambrosia melons
& walking onions all are very happy in my square foot organic garden.

Starting in August will be a challenge to keep stuff from burning up
in the daytime.

bob


Not Much wrote:

I've bought a house and I want to start a garden. I have two main
goals for this garden. First off, I'd like to save a little money. I'm
going to be on a tighter budget and I'm hoping I can save some money.
Secondly, I'm always looking for healthy new hobbies that don't
involve the TV and computers etc. Gardening seems like a good
addition. I live in zone 8a(Dallas, TX) and I want to start sometime
in August or September.

I think I'm interested in the Square Foot Gardening, since I have very
little room to work with anyways(small backyard). Also, where can i
find a schedule of what grows when for my area?

I'd especially like to hear some tips from the frugal growers out
there. The people that like me get a thrill from saving money :)

Another issue: being by myself, I always have an issue with food going
bad because i can't use it in time. This is especially true with
veggies. Any tips on harvesting or storing so i won't be wasting too
much? And, can you staggar plant veggies in a way such that you are
always harvesting something?

Someone point me in the right direction. So far, i've learned about
preparing raised beds and some pointers on square foot gardening and
soil prep, but I'm still lost on what to plant, when to plant, and
when to harvest.

Oh, and one other thing. I'm interested in organic gardening. I'd like
to hear from the organic gardeners too.

Since i'm a homeowner now :) i may be interested in flower planting as
well, but for now I'm more interested in veggies.

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

Aaron Baugher wrote:


Raised beds might not be the most 'frugal' way to go, but I'll let
others with experience at that chime in here. If you have to purchase
soil and lumber or other edging for your beds, you'll surely spend
more than someone who just works up a plot of ground. But you might
be ahead in the long run, if you never have to buy/rent a tiller.



Consider used lumber such as that reclaimed from old pallets. Just avoid the
ones soaked in oils or with obvious chemical spills. A 42x48 pallet will
yield 3 2x4's of a decent length.Often the lumber in a pallet is hardwood
and that is a plus.

I'm sure others will have additional tips.
Bill
--
I do not post my address to news groups.

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

On Wed, 02 Jul 2003 17:48:21 -0400, Noydb
wrote:

Aaron Baugher wrote:


Raised beds might not be the most 'frugal' way to go, but I'll let
others with experience at that chime in here. If you have to purchase
soil and lumber or other edging for your beds, you'll surely spend
more than someone who just works up a plot of ground. But you might
be ahead in the long run, if you never have to buy/rent a tiller.



Consider used lumber such as that reclaimed from old pallets. Just avoid the
ones soaked in oils or with obvious chemical spills. A 42x48 pallet will
yield 3 2x4's of a decent length.Often the lumber in a pallet is hardwood
and that is a plus.

I'm sure others will have additional tips.

We don't have a source of free pallets, and couldn't afford
to buy enough lumber or cement blocks.

We're using old tires (free!) for raised beds. So far,
we're very happy with it, it is working very well for us.

Examples can be seen at:

http://www.tirecrafting.com/03garden...gardengrow.htm

Pat

Beginner garden, Zone 8a, need tips
 

Pat Meadows wrote:

On Wed, 02 Jul 2003 17:48:21 -0400, Noydb
wrote:

Aaron Baugher wrote:


Raised beds might not be the most 'frugal' way to go, but I'll let
others with experience at that chime in here. If you have to purchase
soil and lumber or other edging for your beds, you'll surely spend
more than someone who just works up a plot of ground. But you might
be ahead in the long run, if you never have to buy/rent a tiller.



Consider used lumber such as that reclaimed from old pallets. Just avoid
the ones soaked in oils or with obvious chemical spills. A 42x48 pallet
will yield 3 2x4's of a decent length.Often the lumber in a pallet is
hardwood and that is a plus.

I'm sure others will have additional tips.

We don't have a source of free pallets, and couldn't afford
to buy enough lumber or cement blocks.

We're using old tires (free!) for raised beds. So far,
we're very happy with it, it is working very well for us.

Examples can be seen at:

http://www.tirecrafting.com/03garden...gardengrow.htm

Pat

There are lots of good ways to do this. You've found yet another.

Probably there is someone, somewhere, using old washing machines or the
trunks of cars in the junk yard. :)
--
I do not post my address to news groups.