New to Growing in Alabama

[lafaye616]

Hi, I'm Patricia. I live in Alabama with my husband and 3 kids. we just moved out of the city into our first house with some land, with the hopes of a small farm. Honestly, I've never grown a thing in my life. My husband had some luck with a tomato plant the last couple of years. I just started a few seeds indoors that actually sprouted...not sure how I did that...

I found this cite through backyardchickens.com, which I joined while I was hatching my first chicks (they're still alive after 3 weeks), and joined because I know I'll need all the help I can get. I had an aloe vera plant once...somehow it did not make it...

 

[ninnymary]

Welcome to TEG lafaye616! You will enjoy this group. It has a lot of very nice friendly people who are willing to help you with any gardening questions.

Mary

 

[Smart Red]

Welcome, @lafaye616, to the best-est garden gang around...and we are around from Ireland to Australia and many parts in between. There is little to compare to getting your own piece of Earth and setting to making it prosper for the family. I am pleased that you have found your place.

My goodness, three week old chicks! How exciting! How many did you hatch? Did you have an incubator or did you try some other way? I actually hatched my rooster, Nesco, in a roaster oven. At least, I took the remaining eggs away from my broody hen after she shoved the first three hatchlings out of the nest and finished the process in my Nesco Oven.

It has been a long time, but I remember my first attempt at gardening as a new wife and property owner as an exciting time of trial and error (or rather trial and learning experiences). We've all been back at the starting gate with our gardens and we're happy to share what we have found with others here.

 

[Nyboy]

Welcome from NY ! The list of plants I have killed is to long to post. Ask advice and keep tiring.

 

[so lucky]

Hey there! Hello from Southeast Missouri. You will find all levels of experience here, and everyone willing to help.
You will also find that we talk about lots of stuff besides gardening. Sometimes that's the best part! We just try to steer clear of really controversial topics, even though there are some very opinionated folks here. (Who, me?)
We love pics, and we love to give advice!

 

[journey11]

Welcome, lafaye616! Happy to help any way we can.

 

[lafaye616]

@Smart Red Wow! I'd never have thought you could incubate in a roaster oven! I used an actual incubator I bought used. I started with 24 eggs, 12 hatched, 11 survived. I also have 4 grown hens and a rooster.

Thank you all for the warm welcomes and encouragement. It is nice to know that others have killed a plant here and there while starting out, and not everyone is born with a green thumb. I look forward to getting to know everyone!

 

[catjac1975]

Hi, I'm Patricia. I live in Alabama with my husband and 3 kids. we just moved out of the city into our first house with some land, with the hopes of a small farm. Honestly, I've never grown a thing in my life. My husband had some luck with a tomato plant the last couple of years. I just started a few seeds indoors that actually sprouted...not sure how I did that...

I found this cite through backyardchickens.com, which I joined while I was hatching my first chicks (they're still alive after 3 weeks), and joined because I know I'll need all the help I can get. I had an aloe vera plant once...somehow it did not make it...

You are very negative concerning your abilities. Don't get it in your mind that these things are so hard to do. You need to find out about growing in your local. It will be very different from any place else. Ask the neighbors that have a garden for planting times and planting choices. But you will learn by doing.Each year will be different. If something doesn't do well you need to build on your experience. Proper seed selection for you climate is very important. For instance, I had a few good years growing cauliflower. Then I had many dismal failures and gave up for a while. (This is not like me.) I saw some cauliflower seed recommended for the northeast and have had 2 great years and will continue to grow them. Start SMALL.

 

[Smart Red]

Just in case you missed Catjack1975's bit of advice. "Start SMALL." Many an over-eager gardener has crashed and burned out trying to start too big -- with what experienced gardeners have built over many years.

My first garden was about 20 x 40 feet in the sunniest part of our wooded clay-based yard. Radishes are easy, but I was still really proud of those first round, red garden bounty. Some things didn't do all that well, but over all I found the experience one I was eager to repeat.

Green thumbs, like good gardens, are grown over the course of trying, learning, and improving with experience. They are not something we are born with. Luckily, green thumbs are actually easier to come by than most anything else you will try. Mother Nature has her rules and following them as much as possible will give you results you will be proud of.

If I could add a piece of advice to Cat's, it would be to mulch, mulch, mulch. Amend your soil with some of that lovely chicken pooh -- it will need time to break down a bit (or compost -- another excellent garden treat) so plan ahead and get it down before you go for your main season garden. You're one of those SOUTHERNERS (no disrespect intended, you'll find out soon enough about that inside joke) so you may be doing more than planning right now. Most of all enjoy the communing with nature and becoming one with the Earth. It's the best therapy at any price.

 

[baymule]

Howdy from northeast Texas! I'm one of those danged sutherners that them danged nawthurners like to gripe about when then are neck deep in snow and I'm still growing vegetables! One in particular, not calling any names, but his initials are @seedcorn , really likes to give me crap. And I really like to rub his nose in the loooong growing season I enjoy! Where in Alabama are you from? My DH (acronym for Dear Husband--we use a lot of those here) was born in Killen, Al and raised in Florence, Al. He is a transplanted Texan now! North Alabama is beautiful and a lot like east Texas.

I'll vote for START SMALL too! Don't over load your self and get discouraged. Don't try to grow EVERYTHING in the seed catalogs. In fact, the best way to get started is to buy started vegetable plants, available at feed stores, Walmart, Lowes, or any store with a garden department. They usually come in six or nine packs for a few dollars. After you get few growing seasons under your belt, you might want to get into heritage seeds. There are so many varieties that never show up in a grocery store. You will look at your grocery store vegetable department as BORING, same-o-same-o.

Don't be afraid to ask questions!! Nobody here is a know-it-all snob, we all try to help each other and we will be delighted to help you.