Can you help with my Gardening question?

Question

Ok so dont laugh but I am a complete gardening virgin. The extent of my gardening skills stretches to weeding and watering! My problem is that as part of my sons science lessons (home schooled) I decided that we would plant a vege patch. I have an area set aside that we have weeded and raked, but what next? So far we have Tomato, pumpkin and carrot seeds. Are there veges that shouldnt be planted next to each other? Should I wet the soil before we plant the seeds or after or both? there are planting instructions on the back of the packets so I know how far apart to plant them etc but not much else! All help greatly appreciated thank you.

Answer 1

There has been loads of good advice from other posters so I'll keep it brief.

First off - Your local garden centre, and by that I mean garden centre not plant department attached to a hardware barn... is a brilliant source of local advice & should stock the right seeds & seedlings for your area.

They should have a horticulturist on staff that can help out.

And second - There is one book I would highly recommend for you as it covers just about everything you need to know as a beginner. Unlike other titles it is written by Australian writers for Australian gardeners. It's the Yates Garden Guide, look for the latest edition (2007). Link below.

Most of all... Happy Gardening :)

Answer 2

check all your plantings for the correct time of year or season and get into you will have fun

Answer 3

My opinion is that it is too late to grow tomatoes & pumpkins from seeds at this time of the year. On the other hand, you must take care not to plant the pumpkins too close to the carrots and the tomatoes, because they spread too much. I would suggest beet root, or salad, or radishes, or if you can find seedlings you can plant cabbage. There are more vegetables with short life cycle or that are appropriate to be planted this time of the year, you can find seeds at your local shops. After seeding don't overwater but keep the soil moist. If the sun is too hot you should provide shade till the seedlings are strong enough.You didn't mention where are you from, though...

Answer 4

Planting is generally quite easy to do, firstly decide what vegetables you may prefer to grow, usually ones you would want to eat.  You also need to specify which part of the world you live in in order for us to understand the climate you are planting in.  Since you are growing tomatoes and pumpkins, I will assume you are living in a region which will allow these to grow.  Some plants which I find grow very easy are.

Cucumbers

Zucchini

Bean (grow very fast)

Radishes (grow very fast aswell)

Carrots are also very easy to grow.

Swiss Chard

Spinach

All are fairly easy to grown, in general I plant then water and continue to water daily (depending on the dryness of the soil) for about 1 week.  when the plants begin to sprout let them take their course.  Also try to recognize what the plants look like, because you will likely need to pull out weeds growing in the garden with them, so it's a good idea to knwo what was meant to be grown and what is growing as a weed.  

Answer 5

There is what is called "companion planting" and yes some veggies take away the nutrients that other veggies need and shouldn't be planted by each other....Other plants benefit the other and should be planted by each other..for example..beans require no nitrogen and and actually grab nitrogen from the air and put into the soil...green veggies need alot of nitrogen..I have just started my mustard greens to grow through the winter but it is still in the 90's here..but by the time they get big enough to where they want to bolt to seed it will cool down and they wont bolt..but leafy veggies like alot of nitrogen..so to companion plant I planted pole beans at the edge by the trellisses and the greens in front of them.thus the beans grab nitrogen from the air and put into the soil, which the greens need... I do not have to fertilze these greens now for they are done so naturally..here is a picture for example of my garden and a chart on comapnion planting..anything you want to plant simply type in(say it's carrots) good companion plants for carrots..It will show you then..

Notice here..i got pole beans just starting up the trellis..then collard greens planted behind them..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28022122@N0...

Here i got pole beans just coming up by the trellis..and mustard greens behind them..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28022122@N0...

More examples..green beans by the trellis..and collards behind them..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28022122@N0...

My garden 7 pages..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28022122@N0...

May i add as far as tomatoes here is the time that we actually plant our suckers from our existing tomatoes that we pulled and rooted into the garden for a second crop...I am in northern Florida and we grow two crops..Texas Louisiana,mississippi,alabama(lower) and a few other southern states IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO PLANT SEEDLINGS..So this totally depends where you live as to what can be or not be planted right now..E mail me with your location and i will e mail you back a chart to what to do EXACTLY month per month for your area..

Answer 6

your problem will be the pumpkins. They grow vines and very large leaves and they travel everywhere,,,and i mean everywhere.

Tomatoes are usually grown in small pots until the reach about a fooot in height and are then replanted in the ground.

Carrot seeds are planted shallow in very loose soil.

For quick results I suggest you try planting Radishes,,,they grow really fast. You plant the seeds practically on top of the ground in very loose soil. you will have an edible crop in about 5 weeks.

Answer 7

Prepare your soil before planting, add a soil conditioner and cow manure  then just fork in and let it settle for a fortnight, to get the worms going.  I would plant your seeds in a tray with seed raising mix then plant out when they have grown a little bit.  The seed raising mix will have instructions on the bag.  This will give them a better chance because insects and birds love seedling!!

Answer 8

they wont effect each other so you dont have to worry about that but water befopre you do it and after... but make sure when you put them in that you dont over water them when there seeds cause most times when you do that the seeds will just come up out of the ground.. but after they start growing you should water them everyother day for like 2 min. each