I am! LOL Yeah, I'm a geek. I even took the old tape measure to measure my back yard. I'm going to use the square foot method so I don't have to worry about reaching WAYYY back to the fenceline to get veggies.

I drew a pic of my back yard along with where the garden beds will be. Made sure to know which sections of the back yard got full, partial or no sun so I could plan accordingly. Then I plotted the layout of each garden bed. I'm going to have a round flower garden (planned from tallest plants next to the telephone pole to the shortest 3 feet away to make a great looking display), 3 veggie beds (many feet long, but only 1 foot from front to fenceline so I can get to plants easier).

Flower bed, 3 veggie beds and a pumpkin patch, and part of the veggie bed will have herbs, too.

I'm going to re-do where my plants/seeds will go so that it'll look a bit more pleasing to the eye. I also need to buy a few things...spade shovel, some sort of pitchfork or something to loosen up the soil and break it up really well because we have almost total clay soil here, some peat moss, humus, and vermiculite. And maybe, JUST maybe, some manure...but not sure I can do that one (the stench! UGH!)

I've even got my start from seed schedule according to the last frost estimated to be @ April 1-30th for my region, then the when to transplant outside or plant from seed outside schedule. How high each plant will get, which ones I'll grow vertically in netting (cukes, tomatoes, green beans, peas). Yeah, I'm a geek. But having a game plan instead of growing tons of veggies we can't eat or freeze fast enough isn't a productive garden, yk?

So, what about you? What are your plans? What do you hope to grow?

I'll write more later when I have my garden plans in front of me and maybe even scan it and upload it as a pic so y'all can see my plans. Front yard is another question...this is a new place we're renting from and it's only about a year and a half old so there isn't much for landscaping besides grass. Mgr of complex says they'll be doing some landscaping, so it'll depend on what they'll be doing in the front yard. Perhaps they'll plant a nice tree and let me get some slate stones and make a nice garden bed in front of this HUGE ugly concrete steps we have...I harvested several thousand marigold seeds last year so guess what'll end up there? LOL

You're not a geek!

I am planning mine already, too! I am planning to try out "square foot gardening". I know you've done that before. So, you have a new backyard for your garden this year, huh?

I am just in the *beginning* of my planning. I ordered some of my seeds last night. I need to mail in my order for the remainder of what I need. I am using all organic seeds this year. I am actually hoping that the seeds I buy this year will be enough for next year as well. Then I can feel like I got two years for my money. Organic seeds are very pricey, IMO.

I'll have to get back to you on my actual "plans", LOL!

Great to hear what another mama is planning.

Kristin :)

which won't be fruit bearing til sometime in 2007 or 08!

LOL!

Other than that.....no plans happening yet!:p

The info that tells me when to start seeds for my region? I have used seedlings in the past for my tomatoes, peppers, etc... but would really like to use seed this year.

TIA

Just find your zone


http://www.plantstreesandseeds.com/html/zone_chart.html

Then read the back of the seed packet. It should tell you: "start seeds indoors 4 weeks before planting for your zone"...different for each type of veggie, of course.

edited to add: you need to go by the planting guide for your zone. Am I making any sense here at all? LOL!

Originally posted by Kristin
Just find your zone


http://www.plantstreesandseeds.com/html/zone_chart.html

Then read the back of the seed packet. It should tell you: "start seeds indoors 4 weeks before planting for your zone"...different for each type of veggie, of course.

edited to add: you need to go by the planting guide for your zone. Am I making any sense here at all? LOL!

Not only that, but some veggies don't transplant well from starting from seed indoors to ground....many you plant in the ground.

So, for our region the last frost dates are April 1-31st. So I plan to use May 1st as my "0" zone. Counting back and forward weeks so I know when to start my plants from seed indoors or plant from seed outdoors or transplant outdoors.

:) Do this and make yourself a schedule so you don't forget what to do when. I plan to start messing with the dirt in my backyard as soon as it starts to warm up a bit. We have almost all clay soil here so I've got a lot of work to do. I figure if I do a few feet a day it won't seem like so much work, yk? (especially when I've got about 64 feet to do! LOL)

I am aware that only some plants are viable as indoor seed starters and that the packages say when to plant. I just was hoping that there was a general website that listed seed starting times because I don't have any seed packets on hand and was wanting to get an idea of how much time I had to get my butt in gear :)

Anyone know where to get small indoor grow lights? I need to start my seeds in the basement where there is only morning sun light. I would like to do them on a couple of shelves and have a small lamp above each shelf.

Thanks again. :)

For grow lights you should be able to use a regular florescent light. We have a lamp with a couple 3 foot tubes in it that works wonderfully. Actually, the lamp was there when we bought the house...

Funny story - the house we live in was a foreclosure so there were some odd things left behind. The lamp was one of them and that, along with some other "clues" we found around the house have led us to conclude that they had a er, uh, "growing operation" of some sort in the basement. :eek: When I pointed it all out to DH he remarked "Well at least you know your seed starts will do well down there!" lol.

This might belong on a separate thread, but can anyone tell me what veggies are "dummy proof?" I'm planning a garden for the first time this year and wanted to make sure I had a few very hardy veggies planted so in case all goes badly, I'll have at least one or two things to harvest in the fall.

Maryalene,

Squash and ZUCCHINI!!!
But you do not have to wait to fall to harvest, you should have them in the summer.

However, I did once live somewhere where the soil was so darn bad I could not even get a zucchini to grow.. horrible!''

I have always had good luck with sunflowers.

Radishes are fast to grow, you can plant them in a container to help keep the weeds down.

Hope