D.C. Area Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
s/o Gardening - help a newbie gardener
Last year was the first year in our house and I didn't plant anything but I have 4 fairly large areas on the side of my yard that held plants. I removed the plants last year in hopes of starting a garden but that just didn't happen.
I really want to plant some things but being a newbie gardener who doesn't have much time what's the best things to plant? I was thinking tomato's and peppers. I know this sounds like a dumb question but I've never planted before - ever.
Help a newbie out. It's a bit overwhelming. When should I start and what and how much etc etc etc...
Re: s/o Gardening - help a newbie gardener
I'm going to assume the beds in question get direct sunlight for most of the day. Most vegetable thrive best in full sun. If they don't you may want to rethink location. At the very least you want 8 hours of sunlight a day.
First start by getting your beds ready. This is really and truly the most important step. Dig or rototiller the soil to a depth of 12 inches. You should do one of those tests they have at garden centers to determine if your soil is acidic or basic - although if you amend your soil well this isn't as crucial, just very handy. Amend the soil with 3-4 inches of compost, vermiculite and peat moss or coir (or other soil conditioners. This is especially important if your soil is a heavy clay or light and sandy.
Once you do that you are ready to plant. I think your first year it is easiest to start with seedlings. Plant them after Mothers Day, water regularly, feed them once a month if you feel like it (I usually don't since I try to make sure my soil is well amended), weed, stake, prune, and harvest.
If you have full sun you should do tomatoes and peppers.
I'd skip growing red bell peppers. They take a million years to turn red.
I'd buy plants form a nursery like Behnkes to get started. You will def need some cages to hold the plants up when they are mature. They get huge and fall over.
I have a gardening tag in my blog if you want to click the links and see what we've done. It's mostly our food gardening that I've blogged.
Some flowers you can plant in the spring are lillies and iris. They bloom later towards summer and the nursery will sell the bulbs in the spring. They like sun too. You can also buy butterfly bush, rose bushes. I have really good luck with my gladiolas.
My shade plants are azaleas and hostas mostly.
The spring plants like daffodils, crocus, tulips, hyacinths, should be planted in the fall.
As long as you go to a good nursery you should find the plants that are ready to plant in that season.