One
recommendation I will make, if you are interested in house plants, is
called House Plants for the Purple Thumb. It is a great book for the
beginner, I don't know if it is still in print, but it would be great to
find a copy at your library!
Question 1: Did you start with only one 4 foot by 4 foot
square? Or do you need two squares? My husband says I should do at
least two since there are two of us (since my teenage daughter isn't going to
help, I'm not including her), but I don't know if that's too much for my first
time.
If you fear that 2
squares would be overwhelming, then by all means, start with one. You
can always add a second next year. If you husband wants a second, make
it HIS to tend! Then you could work on your squares
together.
Question 2: I am
uncertain about what to plant. Mel says tomatoes, beans, corn, lettuce,
zucchini, cucumbers, and Swiss chard are the easiest. Should I just
stick with these? Should I only try one type of plant for my first time,
such as tomatoes?
Your motivation
will come from whatever types of veggies you enjoy eating! If you are in
a short growing season area (as I am, with approx. 100 frost-free days, or
less) you may find difficulty with tomatoes, which prefer a long
hot summer to thrive. There are ways around this, but I wouldn't call
them beginner veggies, if you live in a less than ideal area! Also,
depending on what your conditions are, you may find that with a variety of
veggies, you have more opportunities for success! If you only plant
tomatoes, but your climate isn't right, then you may have a failure, where
another veggie might have done well. So, I'd say go for a variety of whatever
veggies you enjoy, and just don't expect perfect success for everything!
There's no way to predict the weather or wildlife! (Everyone can grow
zucchini, supposedly, but the only time I've ever planted any, a rabbit nibbed
it off, when it was just about 4 inches high, and that was the end of my
zuchini! LOL)
