What do I need?

[petey44]

So, I just put my name on the waiting list for a community garden plot in my town.  It was kind of a spur of the moment decision, but I think it will be good (financially) to grow my own veggies, good (holistically) for my 3 yo to learn about plants and growing things, and good (emotionally, mentally) for me to have this activity.

Problem- I don't know anything about gardening.  What do I need, as far as tools/supplies?  What about seeds?  I've seen my dad start seeds inside so they're little plants by the time spring comes, should I do that, and if so, what do I need?  Also, I'm on a serious budget so if you have any tips on where to get second-hand supplies or anything like that, it would be appreciated.

Thanks! 

[Lovesong]

To start with, how big is your plot?

Trace it out on paper, because it is so easy to go overboard with all the things you would like to have and then end up with lots of money wasted.

Next thing to consider is what kind of food you cook. It is no use growing veggies you don't know how to eat. In our kitchen garden we focus on herbs like parsley and dill and vegetables like carrots, garlic, celery, peas and lettuce. Things we eat regularly.

Make a list of your most used veggies, and pick three or four sorts that are recommended for beginners and can be planted directly in the ground. You want to keep things as simple as possible the first year, as you start to get the hang of things. Pre-cultivating seedlings is a lot of hard work, in a comparison to growing directly in the earth and something best saved for later. Also, even if it is tempting to grow a little bit of everything, it is better focusing on just a few veggies to begin with since there will be a lot you will likely need to learn as they become infested, or sick, or just look under the weather. The fewer sorts you have, the less research you will have to do. Which trust me, is a good thing to begin with.

Once you have your list picked out, draw out your plan on the paper where you've traced your plot. Follow the seed packed instructions for spacing. It might seem ridiculously large at times, but really, it does make it easier to weed using tools if you follow the instructions.

When the plan is all ready, the next step is tools.

You will need at least one shovel. If you can only choose one, I would go with a pointy rather than a blunt one. The reason being, a pointy one is generally better at cutting. Do make sure you get a shovel in the right size for you. For example, I have a rather dainty shovel because I prefer light but plenty of digging while my father has a big, heavy duty one because he prefers heavy but little digging. It is your choice. I recommend starting with a smaller shovel.

A blunt shovel is great for shovelling, but is not really strictly necessary to begin with.

The next tool you will want is either a large bucket or a wheel barrow. Because when you are digging your garden beds, you want somewhere to place that first earth when turning over the beds that is not the ground. A bucket works for small amounts but I do recommend getting a wheelbarrow whenever you can because it really saves so much back ache.

A small spade is really nice to have, both for harvesting things like carrots, but also for removing weeds like dandelions. Usually they can be bought in a set with a little rake for not much at all.

For a veggie garden, I do recommend a pair of scissors so you can cut away wilting/infested leaves with ease. Though, nails works fine for tender leaves and stalks. 

A large watering can is a must, if there is not some kind of automatic watering system.

And well...depending on what you grow, you might need things like twine and sticks. You really do not need all that much, to get started with the basics.

Hope that helps, and good luck!

[DoubleDouble]

Don't plant a large number of things that will be dirt cheap in your area when in season. Maybe some, as a learning / fun thing, but devote more space to fancier things. For example, one physalis (Chinese Lantern) takes up a square yard of space at most, and provides fruit for 2-3 months in late summer in Zone 6.

Plan extra space for staggered planting of herbs - for example, dill and cilantro are good fresh, then they both get leggy, tough, and go to seed. They then can be used to get coriander seeds and dill for pickling / fermented foods, but if you have a bit of room to plant a fresh crop, you'll have fresh herbs all season.

Spacing is very important - a pumpkin wine will go for four yards, and one plant usually has several, so it will sprawl and try to smother other plants (unless you can direct it into tall plants like staked tomatoes or sunflowers, where it can dwell on ground floor below the leggy plants.) Follow what the seed pack says about spacing, it seems so excessive but by mid-season you'll see you don't have any space left.

Find a large gardening forum on the web, one that has a subforum on Kitchen Garden, and read up there.

[SweetSilver]

Oh, yay!  Gardening questions again!  I'm getting excited for the season and am looking forward to all the pictures, especially the "what's this?" pictures that are like little puzzles delivered to my home page each day.....

Anyway, forgive the distraction, here's a few tools that I think are essential when I garden:

Shovel (pp mentioned that, though I will add that if you have a community garden plot you might not need to do heavy turning work.)

Spading fork--they are short, with a handle on one end and flat tines, just like a dinner fork.  I like the narrower ones, rather than a bigger one.  Ace hardware brand spading forks have been very reliable for me, a little narrow and pretty cheap.  Use the fork to loosen the soil for prepping a garden (possibly all the work you'll need to do, depending) for weeding (loosen a patch of weeds first, then get in their with your weeder) harvesting potatoes, etc.  I use mine way more than I ever use a shovel.

Weeding claw-- a weeding tool is a matter of preference, depending on whether you prefer to push or pull. etc.  I like a claw for fine weeding and cultivating.  Again, I've had good luck at Ace hardware.

Japanese-style digging tool-- I wish I knew the right name for this.  It looks pretty wicked, short handled, forged, curved, triangular blade, sometimes large or small.  I like the big ones.  Nicer than a trowel in nearly every way for planting and transplanting and heavy weeding.  Again, it's personal.  Not so cheap.

Wheelbarrows are nice, but you might have one at the community garden, so check.  Even so, it might be in use.  Get one with a deep bucket and center the load over the wheels, not as much up by the handle.  I like the plastic ones because the difference in weight between those and the metal ones is enormous.  

Harvesting knives are slim and come with a sheath.  Super nice!  I need to get one myself, but of course a kitchen knife or pruners will do as well.  If you were doing more than gardening in your plot, I would definitely say and pruners, but probably less necessary for vegetable work.  Scissors are also nice for harvesting herbs and thinning seedlings.

5-gallon buckets--essential

Gloves-- I don't use these as much as I should.  The slim-fitting knit ones with rubber or nitrile on the hand are popular, though not particularly environmental, but then again, neither is leather.  They make hemp fully-knit gloves but I didn't like wearing them.

[DoubleDouble]

Speaking of tools... I used to have a large array of gardening tools when we had a large garden and a basement to store all that stuff. Now I'm more minimalist in my approach - for example, when I needed this weeding tool, I used a very large screwdriver instead. We have a city apartment and our gardening plot is tiny, so it works just fine.

Our gardening place in the city provided both wheelbarrows and turning forks, we just never had a need for those, so we never used them. Watering cans were usually all taken on weekends, but you can always buy one if there's not enough. 

I think wheelbarrow is not crucial - you can start a flower bed by moving the first portion of dirt to the side, placing the second portion into the empty space where the first one used to be, etc., and when the bed is finished, just toss the first portion over the whole bed like a topping. Or, you could use a small tarp to hold extra soil, or a extra-strong trash bag. Just place the unopened bag flat on the ground, put some soil on it, drag it to the next spot. I've used wheelbarrows before, the issue for me is cost and storage - they are great for bigger gardening operations with a garden shed. Same thing for the turning fork - we did not have a big need for it. It's more of a tool for picking and tossing hay, mulch, and manure.

By the way, forgot to mention - if you have an inclination, you could plant a giant vegetable. Not that you have to, but it's fun, makes for nice pictures, and if it's too much volume for you then you can offer the garden neighbors to take a piece.

By the way, what is your gardening zone? What is your climate? If you are in Florida, you could probably start tomatoes from seed outdoors. If in Canada, that's not gonna work.

[petey44]

Wow, thanks for all the information!!  Keep it coming!

To answer some of the questions (and ask some new ones)...

- the plots are approximately 20x25

- there are centrally located water supplies (what does this mean for what I need?  watering can?  hose?  nothing?), common compost bins, wood chips

- I am potentially responsible for fencing (depends on where my plot is).  Definitely responsible for tilling/digging, planting, watering, weeding, and 4 hours of site service

- I live in central Maryland.  I think that puts me somewhere in zone 6-9.  I have looked it up before, but I don't remember. 

- Off the top of my head, I think I would like to grow: variety of herbs, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, potatoes, lettuce, kale, carrots.  How do those sound?  Any words of wisdom regarding my choices?

-it sounds like I'll definitely get a shovel, a spade, a fork thingy, some garden scissors, a bucket, gloves...maybe a wheelbarrow, I need to find out if they have them available at the site...

Again, thanks, and keep offering any more helpful info you might have!

[SweetSilver]

Also, consider how often you will be tending to plot.  If you go every day, you can plant leaf lettuce, for example, but if you come twice a week maybe you are better off having head lettuce varieties.  And you might not want to plant zucchini if you aren't there with regularity to harvest.  Do you want one big crop of green beans for pickling/drying/canning?  Or green beans to reach harvesting size every couple of days?  Do you get to have your plot only through summer, or can you plant some fall vegetables too?

Usually watering accessibility means they have a hose, too.  But check for a good nozzle.  That they might not have, and take it home with you when you go.

Yes, kids love big veggies, tiny veggies, grazing veggies (peas!), colorful veggies, crazy, curlicue veggies.  It's amazing what kids will eat when they grow their own garden!

[DoubleDouble]

Word on sweet peas - those are awesome! There are two varieties - one that is eaten with the shell, it's all sweet and soft even when the seeds are big. The other has a tough layer within the shell and that has to be peeled off to eat the shell, but the seeds are extra juicy and sweet. Both can be planted into the ground, no seedlings, and you can stagger them two months apart for a fresh crop. They are delicious! Seriously, they are like garden candy.

They need stakes to grab onto as they grow, some people use tree branches with small twigs, to give the peas more area to hold on to.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by DoubleDouble 

Word on sweet peas - those are awesome! 

But not the *flower*  called sweet peas, which have inedible seeds.  "English" "garden" "snow" (flat, thin pod with miniscule seeds) and "sugar snap" (fat, thick juicy succulent pods etc.
 

[kitchensqueen]

Originally Posted by petey44 

Wow, thanks for all the information!!  Keep it coming!

To answer some of the questions (and ask some new ones)...

- the plots are approximately 20x25

- there are centrally located water supplies (what does this mean for what I need?  watering can?  hose?  nothing?), common compost bins, wood chips

- I am potentially responsible for fencing (depends on where my plot is).  Definitely responsible for tilling/digging, planting, watering, weeding, and 4 hours of site service

- I live in central Maryland.  I think that puts me somewhere in zone 6-9.  I have looked it up before, but I don't remember. 

- Off the top of my head, I think I would like to grow: variety of herbs, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, potatoes, lettuce, kale, carrots.  How do those sound?  Any words of wisdom regarding my choices?

-it sounds like I'll definitely get a shovel, a spade, a fork thingy, some garden scissors, a bucket, gloves...maybe a wheelbarrow, I need to find out if they have them available at the site...

Again, thanks, and keep offering any more helpful info you might have!

You probably don't need a wheelbarrow with a plot that size. Where would you store it? They're big and bulky and pretty pricey. You might look into a large fabric lawn bag or tarp that you can drag on the ground if you need to move large quantities of mulch or soil. 

Since there's central water at your site, see if they provide communal hoses as well. If not, you'll want to get your own hose or watering can, depending upon how far from the faucet you are. As far as other equipment, I think a shovel and garden shears would do it. If you're mulching and have clean beds to start with, needing a hoe and cultivators and all that aren't going to be necessary since weeds shouldn't be much of a problem. I got my excellent Fiskars garden shears for about $10 at Target last year. Good shovels are a bit pricier, but you can check out Craigslist and Freecycle to get them for cheap or even free. 

I think what you'd like to grow is fine. The peppers and tomatoes you'll need to start 6-8 weeks before your last frost date so you got good transplants to set out, giving them enough growing time to produce mature fruit for you. You can figure out your frost dates and general weather information by checking out the farmers almanacs - still a great resource! 

I'd recommend that you head to the library and check out some books to read over the next few months. There are a ton of great primers for the beginning gardener out there, but I really recommend The Backyard Homestead, You Grow Girl or Square Foot Gardening.

Welcome to gardening; it's a lot fun!