Organic Gardening will upgrade its login and registration system on
December 11. The new system is needed to support some of the major site
enhancements that we are currently developing. The new system is shared with
other Rodale sites, including Prevention, Men's Health, Runner's World and Women's Health.
Click here for answers to the most frequently
asked questions related to the new system.
Hi folks, I am a new gardener ,just from few months i have a thought to do gardening.What is first step for a person who dont know the ABCs of gardening. Which book should i read for beginners gardener and organic gardening? What is USA zone map .I am in Southern Nj. What supplies needed to start in current or next month? What can i grow? I really dont know where should i start? where should i buy seeds . Do i buy Organic or Heirloom seeds ? Pl answers my ques and help me in starting my gardening venture. Thanks BG
Welcome to OG. That's a big question. Not trying to be a smart aleck but I would recommend reading up on the subject - google, "start/ing a new garden". Read over those articles first and then see how many specific questions you have. There's a wealth of info here and evryone is eager to share. My #1 suggestion is start small. Good time to start some fall crops as long as you're not in SC, 100º+ at 5:00PM.
Those are some big questions. 2 I can try to answer...
The terms 'organic' and 'heirloom' can mean different things depending on who you are talking to. If you want to save your own seed from one year to the next you have to have 'open pollinated' or 'non-hybrid' seed. Hybrid seeds are crosses between different varieties--the plants you get have some great characteristics but the seeds you get from those plants don't always grow and even if they do probably won't turn out like the plants you had last year.
There is a good catalog of garden seed I can recommend: Pinetree Garden seeds. E-mail them at pinetree@superseeds.com and they will send a catalog to you free. If the seeds have the word hybrid after the name, then they are hybrid; all the other seeds in the catalog are open-pollinated. The seeds are cheaper than other catalogs because the packets are smaller than usual--but that's good for a beginner. It's easier to start out with just a few of each kind of plant.
Good Luck!
__________________________ {=^;^=} Living the good life amid the wildlife.
Posts: 881 | Location: Out in the sticks in Zone 6/Southwestern KY | Registered: November 27, 2004
Welcome to the forums. I 'm glad you decided to garden organically. The first thing to do is contact your University Extension Office. For about a dollar they can sell you a planting guide-it gives dates to plant and best varieties to plant in your area. They are always there to answer any questions too.
My favorite book is by Rodale press. Its an old book(approx 40 years), but I consider it the bible of veggie gardening. Its called How to Grow Vegetables and Fruits by the Organic Method. It lists just about any fruit and vegetable you could want to grow, along with the care it needs.
The best definition I can think of for a heirloom is a seed with a history. For example, I have tomato and canteloupe seeds that were grown in one MO farm family since the l840's. There is a dabate how old that particular variety must be around-some say at least 50 years.
A quick definition forOrganic means that it is grown without pesticides and herbicides. I totaly avocate that.
Decide how you will garden. Will it be raised beds, in the ground? Then as Dirt Pit suggested, do a google search or ask us a particular question.
Good luck. Gardening is fun and adicting. Next year I'll bet you will be back giving your advice.
Welcome. To get started as an organic gardener you need to dig in and look closely at your soil since organic gardening starts with the soil. You are in New Jersey so contact your local Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Service office and find out about a soil test for base soil pH and nutrient levels. Then dig into your soil with these simple tests: 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fillting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it it for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. Your primary concern is the OM level and yours may be pretty good.
2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.
3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.
4) Smell. What does your soil smell like. Pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell.
5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
Once you have a good idea about your soil then you can make intelligent decisions about what amendments will be needed to make it better, get those in yet this fall so the soil will start to be ready to grow stuff next spring.
thanks friends for answering my queries. Here is another query ,can i do container organic gardening ?Right now i live in condo ,so no ground space ,after 8- 9 months i live be moving to new home ,then i will be having backyard. Therefore right now i want to practice gardening in container ,so that i will be few percent ready by the time ,i will shift to new house. So friends ,pl help me be about how to start container organic gardening.How long it will take to make compost(whole process) . Can i make compost in container or do i require ground hole to built compost pile.
You can certainly use a container for compost. Their are many on the market or you can make your own out of a trash can with holes in the bottom and sides for air and drainage. how long it will take will depend on the stuff you put in it and how you take care of it. Enjoy!!!
Hi...I just had trouble getting to Pinetree Garden Seeds to request a catalog, and it turned-out that the address appeared to be superseeds@superseeds.com...I went to the Pinetree site, and the address that came up to request a catalog was that...
