Question
Hi Mike. We live in northern va and have a three acre flat and open yard. Most of it is in full sun, with a few areas getting partial shade late afternoon. We would love to start a vegetable garden this spring, to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, beans, etc. And perhaps a few pumpkins in fall. We will need some type of tall fencing as deer come into our yard very frequently. I am thinking of doing a raised bed garden as they seem popular among our neighbors. I am not sure where to begin, how to start digging or tilling in the yard and not sure where to start with what type topsoil. Is there a site or book you could recommend for beginner gardeners? Also, I know this sounds strange but friends have used horse manure in their gardens. I have a horse and was wondering if it is helpful and safe? Thanks! Linda

Answer
Linda, since you are new to gardening, attached is my standard response to those just starting. Please read it carefully and then feel free to ask me any questions specific to what you are growing. Both the questions about manure and reference books are included.

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My first recommendation would be to not start too big on your first garden.  Gardening requires a certain level of experience which can only be gained through trial and error.  Too many gardeners start off overly ambitious only to become disheartened by weeds, pests, and disease.

I would recommend starting with 10 or less vegetables and one to two flower beds.  Grow only enough based on what your family can consume.  Otherwise, the harvest and weeds can overtake you before you know it. Some easy ones to start with include lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, beets, radishes, and carrots. Squash is also easy to grow, but are highly susceptible to disease and pests. Make sure you also interplant some colorful annuals such as sunflowers, marigolds, salvia, cosmos, and zinnia to attract bees for pollination.

The first basic in gardening is soil preparation.  You want to ensure that you have the proper foundation for your plants to thrive.  This means ensuring proper drainage and nutrients.  Whether your soil is clay or sandy, I always recommend adding as many amendments to your soil that you can get your hands on.  This means well aged manure (at least 4-6 months, otherwise you risk burning the roots of the plants, peat moss, and compost.  You also need to control the PH of your soil.  PH kits are available at most garden centers.  The proper level is 7.0 for most plants.  If you find your soil is too acidic, you need to add lime.  If it 抯 too alkaline, you need to add gypsum.

Next, you need to decide if you抮e going to use the row or square foot method.  I personally prefer the square foot method because it allows you to plant intensively, meaning more vegetables in a given square foot area.  It also reduces the amount of maintenance necessary in regard to watering, weeding, and pest control.

Once the seedlings sprout or your transplants are planted, you need to water to a depth of at least one inch per week.  You also need to fertilize with a well balanced fertilizer once every two weeks.

Next, you need to monitor the plants for pests.  Row covers are available for young seedlings which protect them from the elements as well as insects.  If you do use them, make sure to remove them once certain vegetables blossom.  You need to do this for pollination. If pests begin to overtake your garden, you need to resort to pesticides.  I personally utilize only organic controls such as pyrethrum and rotenone.  BT or Dipel can be used to control cabbage worms on broccoli and cabbage.

Finally, you抣l need to know when to harvest.  This is not as easy as it may seem, and usually comes with experience.  A good rule of thumb is to always harvest when the produce is young.  Never wait too long or the vegetables turn tough and bitter.

Unfortunately, what I have documented provides the mere basics of gardening and only touches on the subject.  Methods such as seed starting, composting, companion gardening, and disease control are also very important, but too vast to thoroughly cover in this forum.

I would highly recommend getting a good general gardening book.  Usually, these give you ample information on a plant抯 growing habits and characteristics.  I recommend 揝quare Foot Gardening?by Mel Bartholomew.  Another good one is 揟he Joy of Gardening? Many more can be found at your local library or book store.

For your convenience, I am attaching some web sites which will definitely help you in your endeavor.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/veg.html
http://www.shepherdseeds.com/tips.asp?5
http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
http://www.fernlea.com/veg/index.htm
http://www.fernlea.com/annual/index.com
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1152.htm
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/gardenframes.html
http://www.squarefootgardening.com

Good luck, and please write again should you ever need assistance.

Regards,

Mike