Question
Hi!  I live in southern Pennsylvania, and im looking to start a garden in my backyard.  Specifically i want to grow tomatos, beans, maybe squash, watermelon, and herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and basil.  

What we have now is grass, danelions, and plenty of sun.  How should i go about it all?  I can buy the herbs in pots and just plant them, right?



any help you can give would be much appreciated.
thank ya

Answer
Hi etahn;
Yep, you can get the small pots of herbs at a nursery and plant them in the ground or grow them in containers.
The advantage of planting them in containers is, you can bring them inside in the fall and winter, and have fresh herbs the year round for cooking etc.
I didn't know you could grow watermelons that far north.
till up the garden, and just till those weeds and grass in, The tiller will chop them up fine, and they will add nutrients to the soil and help feed the new plants.
Make your rows and plant your garde.
Get black landscaper's cloth and lay it down leaving only the rows uncovered, and anchor it down with some rocks. when your seeds you plany start coming up  and are tall enough, or after you plant the plants you buy, cover the landscaper's cloth with at least 4 inches of cedar bark mulch.
Cedar bark mulch is bettetr than pine or hardwood mulch because of it's insec repelling properties. I am told cyprus bark mulch has the same properties, but i don't personally know if that is true.
DON'T cover the new plants with the mulch. they need to et the sun, and they need to not have the mulch against them so dampness from watering will cause mold and fungus.
They beed air to circulate around them, but an inch or so is enough sopace.
Have yu read my sugar for no weeds answers?
Throw sugar down, and water it in. that will also help do away with the weeds, but it won't do anything about grass, because it enriches the soil.
The landscaper;s cloth will keep the grass down. You will just have a little grass pulling around the plants where the cloth does not cover.
The cloth lets water get through to the soil.
Write if i can help anytime.
Charlotte