Select plants that are described as hardy , disease resistant , good producers , thrive in this region
( and limitations ) the second and third years . Having said that , I think that if you are going to make the effort there should be enough area that your ability to succeed is not limited to the survival of two tomato plants ! A four-foot square is , in my opinion , a reasonable minimum for a starter garden and even a 4 ’ x8 ’ or 4 ’ x16 ’ rectangle can be easily managed by a physically healthy , first time gardener .
PLANT CHOICES
The power of success is such a helpful momentum builder in most endeavors for most people . I believe this to be true for gardening . Select plants that are described as hardy , disease resistant , good producers , thrive in this region , etc . In addition to general descriptions on package ( seed package or plant label ) concerning ease of growing , hardy , disease resistant , etc ., also check for watering requirements , sunlight requirements and soil conditions . ( You can scoop a shovel full of dirt into a brown paper bag and take it to your neighborhood plant nursery or garden supply store and they can run an inexpensive , or free , analysis and help you understand which plants your soil is suitable to grow and what additives ( if any ) might be needed to grow other plants you might have in your plans .) I have been going to Dan West Garden Supply in Memphis ( they have more than one location ) for decades for this kind of help and
Select plants that are described as hardy , disease resistant , good producers , thrive in this region
advice . They are great and have been instrumental in teaching me , as well as helping me succeed , with many gardens . Find a good gardening supply store with helpful staff like Dan West Garden Supply and you will be miles ahead . And don ’ t be afraid to ask them anything about your garden ; there are no stupid gardening questions ( well , not many ) if they ‘ yield ’ helpful advice about your garden .
You can become more adventuresome in subsequent years but give yourself as many practical advantages as possible your first year or two . That said , I do believe that since you have chosen a garden of edibles rather than ( or in addition to ) ornamentals , your plant choices should include mostly plants that produce edibles that someone in your household or close friends enjoy eating . That is part of the joy of gardening . A beautiful , successful garden full of cabbage will not be nearly as enjoyable if no one in your family , or circle of close friends , likes cabbage ! I really enjoy growing eggplants . ( I even like to eat them - prepared certain ways ). A few years ago , a professional and personal mentor ( and dear friend ) and his wife invited me to help them with their garden and I encouraged the inclusion of several eggplants in their two 4 ’ X 16 ’ beds . Eggplant foliage is deep green and its shape is distinctive . The stalks are strong and rarely need staking and they yield beautiful
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