Gardening for beginners

Question

I have no green thumb, let alone no real knowledge about gardening but this site has really made me want to garden!!! I live in the state of Georgia so we experience all kinds of crazy weather. I just want to know how to begin or what kind of plants to begin with. Would eventually love to have herbs but I have no idea if I can keep them inside and all that. Thank you!!

Colette · Answer

It helps to walk your neighborhood to see what they are growing. Also go to your local nursery to see what they have. Make friends at the nursery. Find a garden book. I use western garden, I live in California. Work your soil and amend amend amend. I learned through experience. Enjoy

Stephanie · Answer

THank you so much for the tips!

Funnygirl · Answer

Go to Pinterest and look up types of plants you can grow from food scraps.This time of year starting plants with table scraps you would normally throw away.All they need is water in a clear jar or dish.Your kids will love it too! they also need as much light as possible.

Linda · Answer

Study your plot for sun exposure at several times of the day, so you know if you're looking for 'Full sun' or 'Part Shade' plants for a given space. Don't plant anything close to walls or the foundation. See where your rain runoff falls from your roof if you don't have gutters installed. Think in terms of how much a plant might grow/spread in 5-10 years, and give it plenty of room. (I didn't do that, and have lots of overcrowding now.)

Douglas Hunt · Answer

The most important first step you can take is to think about your space and what you want from it, and now, in winter, is the perfect time to do that. Your local University of Georgia Extension office is a wonderful source of information. They may even have free classes you can take.Their publication, Landscape Plants for Georgia, is a good place to start: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B625 On the middle right of that page is a place where you can put in your zip code and find classes and events near you. I would also encourage you to check out the Georgia Native Plant Society. Native plants have evolved over time to handle the conditions where you live and ultimately are much easier for you to grow, needing much less intervention in terms of chemicals and water. And they support the birds, bees and wildlife that bring a garden to life. http://www.gnps.org Good luck, and happy planting!

Gail Salminen · Answer

@Stephanie I think @Colette and @Douglas Hunt have provided you with sound advice and references. If there is a local gardening book I would suggest that as well as gardening magazines for your zone. ( http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/748 ) There are many other sites as well. Next you should do an outline of your property and plot where you want to plant and decide if it should be floral or vegetables. Then pick a small area to start with - the rest can be developed later. The suggestion to walk the neigbourhood is a great one - then you can see how people have used bushes and trees to compliment the flowers. Visiting a local nursery is also an excellent suggestion. They will be less busy this time of year and have the time to mentor you. A relationship will be established and they will be able to provide you with advise as you move forward. Wishing you luck and lots of enjoyment - I love gardening because all other thoughts are evaded and I can lose myself in the task. Many I day I have been gardening and have suddenly remembered where I put something I have been searching for for days! LOL

Linda · Answer

Hi- and good for you. Check out gardening websites and find regional growers. Think about what you or your family like to eat. Don't plant things that you wouldn't eat. Find a sunny spot and make a plot on paper about what goes where. Start small so that you won't get overwhelmed. Check out organic gardening resources online so that you will eat healthy and it will show you how to make your soil better. Test the soil Ph levels as nothing will grow well unless the ph is right. Soil is the most important part for success. If you can, start with started plants from a local nursery or big box store. You will get faster results. Then you can start learning how to grow from seed. Cheaper in the long run. Most of all have fun! And remember, there is always next year. It is a learning process. I am a master gardener, so would love to help you. Post your questions and good luck!!

Carole · Answer

Find out what gardening 'zone' you are in too. This will help you to ascertain what will grow in your climate. Also what soil you have. A soil Ph testing kit might help you with that. Acid soil or alkali, clay or sand and so on. You need to start with the very basics and also as others suggest, talk to your local nursery and walk around your neighbourhood. Anyone who has a good garden, maybe even chat to them about what soil etc, what grows well. They will be flattered to be asked about their gardens mostly. Might even offer you some cuttings of whatever they are growing to get you started. Never know your luck!

Barb Rosen · Answer

Here's some great advice! http://empressofdirt.net/cheapgardenideas/

Patty Soriano · Answer

Stephanie, a huge amount of knowledge can be gained at Gardenweb.com. You can join (free) to participate in forums/ask questions, etc. Or you can just read what others have written. Click on Forums/GardenForums at the top of the page and then look at the George Gardening forum. If you join, you can ask specific questions about your area and perhaps have someone answer who lives near you. There are so many forums for the different areas of our country, as well as the different plant families. Take time to view those which interest you. Within the Georgia Gardening forum there is a place to click on 'Exchanges' where you can exchange plants with others in your area. There is a main Plant Exchanges forum also where you can exchange all over the world. Take my advice though, it's best to stick to your area to get plants which will thrive where you are. I have been a member of this website for nearly 20 years. I also attend plant swaps in my area about 4 times a year. Have made a lot of friends and receive many plants for my garden. I still buy from small local nurseries, but so many of my plants are from swaps. I see that there is a post in George Gardening / Exchanges about a plant swap in the Savannah area. Read through to see if there are swaps in other areas if this is not close for you. If not, then start one ! I agree with the other person making a comment below.... it's a good idea to walk around your town and see what people have growing in their yards, as well as parking lots, apartments, any place they are growing something. You can also see if there is a garden club in the area. Good luck!

The Garden Frog with C Renee · Answer

If you want herbs then I would start with Rosemary which still may be available 1/2 off at Home Depot. It is a perennial in GA. In GA you have so many options! As Collette suggested, check out what others have and take pictures. Look up native plants for your area and try and use as many native plants as you can. How I do my own or help someone else design or start a garden- draw your house on a blank piece of paper and put in driveways, trees, sidewalks, etc (and copy this sheet 3 times) trying to measure and get things close to how far apart they are. Then in the morning mark where sun rises and where there is sun and shade. check at high noon and then check at 4 pm. I sometimes even do this 4 or 5 times if there is a lot of trees that could shade at different parts of the day. You also need to keep in mind if deer are a problem in your area because they love to eat flowers. For beginners in sun gardens the easiest and fastest growing plants are daylilies, sedum, salvia. Native plants such as coneflowers, black eyed susans, and Aguilera (Columbines) are easy to grow especially from seed. You will also need to know if your soil type and conditions of the soil such as dry or moist. There are many gardeners with lots of advice and you can get quite overwhelmed. Just do what feels right and do not think if something dies it is a fail. If you have Oak trees you will most likely have acidic soil and under Oaks azaleas love to thrive. I garden with nature and I may strike a few chords here but I do not do what other gardeners do. I play in the dirt and talk to the plants and they grow. you can read more at https://thegardenfrog.me Gardening is about passion and the love of nature more than it is about knowledge!

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