This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: New to List

Dot,

You are probably in zone 7. I suspect your last hard frost will be in Mid
April. Last year our last frost was April 20 (32 deg.). Our last hard frost
(below 30) was in early April. We live in Tacoma and get warm air from the
sound. So, unless you are close to water, adjust these dates by pushing
them back a week or two.

Generally plant beans outside in early to mid may (memorial day) and plant
successively at two week intervals for a long harvest. Start tomatoes and
peppers inside in February late February and plant outside near the end of
April (Don't forget to harden off). Plant carrots outside from late june to
august for a long harvest. They DO NOT transplant well and need warm,
consistently moist soil to germinate.

Do you have Mel Bartholomew's "Sqare Foot Gardening" book? It has a guide
on when to plant and transplant according to frost dates. It's also a good
book for beginners since it has practical tips.

It's hard not to get overwhelmed (everybody I know goes gaga when the seed
catalogs arrive). If I was just learning about gardening I would stick to
ordering from only one or two catalogs. This way you limit your choices so
things don't get too overwhelming. A good catalog for our region is the
Territorial Seed catalog -- the plants they sell grow well in our climate.
Pick plants that germinate quickly and if possible choose resistent
strains. Also, get your soil tested. The agricultural extension near you
can do this for a small fee or you can send a sample away to a company
(look in the back of gardening magazines like Organic Gardening) or you can
buy a testing kit and do it yourself. Then amend your soil with compost,
peat moss and vermiculite as well as any other nutrients it may need (lime
won't hurt since you probably have acidic soil, bone meal, blood meal,
potash, etc. according to your soil sample report).  Find a good organic
gardener in your area who will take you under her/his wing. And you should
be able to find a Master Gardener in your area who can field specific
questions.

Of course, the people on this list will be able to help you out too.

My best advice would be to garden organically too. When you garden
organically you actually simplify your life since you don't need to worry
as much about which poison kills what. You may want to join the Organic
Gardening mailing list for support and ideas.

Just take it one step at a time and by July you'll have a beautiful garden.

Peace,
Natalie


>Hello Everyone, I'm new to this list and new to gardening too.  I retired
>from work about 3 years ago and now work at home.  I've finally caught up on
>all those little chores that needed doing and I want this year to focus on
>some gardening projects.  I don't really know what zone I'm in, I live in
>Pitt Meadows, B.C. (lower mainland area of Vancouver, B.C.) I think weather
>here is very similiar to Seattle, WA.  I have a small raised vegetable
>garden bed that I intend to plant some beans, onions, cucumbers and carrots.
>I want to have some tomato and hot and sweet peppers in pots on my back
>patio, but my first question is when should I start them indoors here.  I
>have a sun room at the back of the house it's not heated though, but once
>the plants are strong enough I could move them in there until ready for the
>outside.  I have sent for some seed catalogues and have read a few gardening
>books but I'm slightly overwhelmed with all that there is to learn.  Any
>advice would be appreciated.  Dot
>Dot Geib
>Pitt Meadows, B.C. Canada
>jeweller@cyberstore.ca


Natalie McNair-Huff
Happily Gardening in Tacoma, WA Sunset zone 5; USDA Zone 7/8
Publisher/Editor Mac Net Journal http://www.blol.com/web_mnj/
References:
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index