What veggies can I grow in my area?

I live in Northern California where it is sunny and warm (no rain, will have to water manually) through the months of April-September. I would like to start a vegetable garden, maybe some herbs also. What would be a good starter garden for me? I would like to know what veggies/herbs I can grow and have a good turn out, and also maybe a how-to link as this is my first time. Also, what is the turn around time from planting to kitchen table? Any help is greatly appreciated :) TY!

Answer: 1.
Why go to a librarary, when you have the largest library in the world at your fingertips on the keyboard...Here is a seasonal chart for your area....To learn how to grow a specicfic veggie you choose from this chart simply search on the net ansd type in "how to grow cucumbers"..how to grow green beans..on and on

Heres a good chart for you

http://www.seasonalchef.com/cropchart3.h...
Answer: 2.
try your local library and look under gardens for california but most veggies will grow if you water them good and have the right soil for them also type under your search engine on yahoo it will tell you the crops that come out of california good luck
Answer: 3.
You could probably grow anything in N. California. As far as getting a good turn out find out what vegetables are native to your area.
Answer: 4.
Go to your local garden center. NOT HOME DEPOT OR LOWES and ask. They have all the answers and plants you need for your area.

Why am I am having such a hard time growing herbs?

I live in Northern Utah. Why am I am having such a hard time growing Herbs? I do not know what type of soil I have . I know it's great soil cause my veggie garden is strivinng. So what am I am doing wrong with growing herbs?

Answer: 1.
Well, many herbs, like rosemary, thyme, and the like that are evergreen-like are desert shrubs and require a rocky dry soil and lots of sun - not the rich loamy soil other vegies are begging for. Then there are things like parsley and basil, which like a rich soil, but will also eventually flower and die, since they are annuals (some parsley is biennial in warmer zones). Mint likes moist shade but also good air-flow - place it under taller trees and it will be quite happy. Just remember that herbs are more like perennial flowers than vegies - the soil needs vary more than the annual vegies do and they are not as adapted for generic gardening conditions like vegies either.

I'm new to gardening when is the perfect time to start planting herbs, tomatoes...?

I live in Chicago, IL.

Answer: 1.
Having lived in the Chicago area for 20 years I can give you some advice. We had frosts as late as June 15. This was not common but this year in Chicago has been pretty cold. Plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants etc should not be planted until all danger of frost is over and the ground temperature is 60 degrees. Peas, cabbages, broccoli, etc are cold lovers and can go in earlier. Peas can go in while there is still snow on the ground as long as ground temperature is 40 degrees. I would start with plants rather than seeds. You need too long a growing season to start from seed and Chicago doesnt have that long a growing season. If you buy perennials and herbs, plant after all danger of frost but these will come back year after year and they will have a pretty good idea of when the right time is to come up again. Basil wants the ground and air extremely warm so dont plant until it is really warm...June. Mints or mint plants such as oregano, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm can go in earlier than basil as they dont mind the cold as much as basil will. If you grow mints, surround or enclose because they will take over your garden if not contained and this includes oregano. Happy Gardening..Memorial Day is the usual kick off but Chicago has gotten colder. Pay real close attention to the plants that you buy. Try to make sure you dont have long season tomatoes and peppers or you wont be getting and crops until October. Look specifically for early varieties.
Answer: 2.
After the danger of the last frost is past. For you that will probably be Memorial Day.
Answer: 3.
HI,

Use this link http://www.almanac.com/garden/frostus.ph...
to determine the frost free date for your area.

And this link to determine when to plant what: http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/...

Happy gardening!
Answer: 4.
Here is an idea... you can start your plants indoors now to give them a head start in the spring. You will need...a good seed starter soil, or Jiffy pots (they are compressed sphagnum moss pellets, or a sm. greenhouse kit, both are sold at Lowes, Home Depot or your local nursery). I use empty egg cartons, fill them up with soil, moisten the soil & plant the seeds in the egg containers. If you have a little more room, you can use empty gal. milk containers - just cut the top 3/4 off, fill with moistened soil & plant your seeds. It's important to keep the soil from being too soggy, that will cause mold or fungus to grow. Or you can wait until your local Lowes, Home Depot or a nursery has their bedding plants out for sale, then you can buy starter plants in the variaties you want. But in Chicago, I do believe your last day of frost in in early to mid May. But you can still plant your plants, just make sure they are covered at nite when there is an expected frost. You can use a frost blanket, flower pots that are covered with a plastic film (the drainage holes in the bottom MUST be covered to prevent the frost from settling in), 2 old sheets (one on top of the other), anything to keep frost from forming on your plants. Just remember to take off the covering after the air warms to at least 34 degrees. Good Luck!!!
Answer: 5.
Tomatoes take 6 weeks from seeding. You can transplant them two weeks before the last frost if you cover them up at night.
Answer: 6.
Tomatoes are very sensitive to frost so they cannot be outside unprotected in your area until May. It is easy to obtain six packs of tomatoes at garden centers. Herbs can be started at the same time.

What is the best indoor garden- veggie and herb?

I'm going to school still and live in an apt. I want to grow my own organic herbs and vegetabesl. I just moved to SLC, Utah and actually plan to move back to Oregon in a year. I'd like to get things started though. What is your advice? I'd like to keep them potted for a while because I won't have my own house to plant them in the ground at, for years. Thanks :)

Answer: 1.
Below is a great website that has a lot of info. Also, grow bulbs are a godsend!! Hope this helps :O)


You can grow herbs indoors this winter and add that just-picked taste to your meals, even when snow is drifting up against the kitchen window. You don't even need special lights—herbs fare just fine in a bright window. Here are the best herbs for growing on windowsills and the smart techniques you need to keep them happy and healthy until you can plant outside again.

Basil: Start basil from seeds and place the pots in a south-facing window—it likes lots of sun and warmth.

Bay: A perennial that grows well in containers all year long. Place the pot in an east, or west, facing window, but be sure it does not get crowded—bay needs air circulation to remain healthy.

Chervil: Start chervil seeds in late summer. It grows well in low light but needs 65 to 70 degrees F temperatures to thrive.

Chives: Dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the growing season and pot it up. Leave the pot outside until the leaves die back. In early winter, move the pot to your coolest indoor spot (such as a basement) for a few days, then finally to your brightest window.

Oregano: Your best bet is to start with a tip cutting from an outdoor plant. Place the pot in a south-facing window.

Parsley: You can start this herb from seeds or dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the season. Parsley likes full sun, but will grow slowly in an east, or west, facing window.

Rosemary: Start with a cutting of rosemary, and keep it in moist soilless mix until it roots. It grows best in a south-facing window.

Sage: Take a tip cutting from an outdoor plant to start an indoor sage. It tolerates dry, indoor air well, but it needs the strong sun it will get in a south-facing window.

Tarragon: A dormant period in late fall or early winter is essential for tarragon to grow indoors. Pot up a mature plant from your outdoor garden and leave it outside until the leaves die back. Bring it to your coolest indoor spot for a few days, then place it in a south-facing window for as much sun as possible. Feed well with an organic liquid fertilizer.

Thyme: You can start thyme indoors either by rooting a soft tip cutting or by digging up and potting an outdoor plant. Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east, or west, facing window.

Rooting a cutting
Many herbs—including oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage—are best propagated for indoor growing by taking a cutting from an existing outdoor plant. To do it, snip off a 4-inch section, measured back from the tip. Strip off the lower leaves and stick the stem into moist, soilless mix, such as perlite and/or vermiculite. To ensure good humidity, cover with glass or clear plastic, and keep the growing medium-moist.

Transition to indoors
Before the first fall frost (while the weather is still on the mild side), start moving your potted herb plants toward their winter home. Instead of bringing them directly inside, put them in a bright, cool "transitional zone," such as a garage, entryway, or enclosed porch, for a few weeks.

Once they've acclimated, move them to an area with lots of sun (south-facing windows are brightest, followed by east or west views). But protect them from heat and dryness. Most herbs prefer daytime temperatures of about 65 to 70 degrees F, although they can withstand climbs into the 70s. It's especially important that night temperatures drop at least 10 degrees—down into the 50s would be better—to simulate outdoor conditions.

With the exception of basil, they'll even do well with occasional dips into the 40s. (So turn that thermostat down when you go to bed.) Place them outside on mild days, and give them regular baths to wash off dust.

Water, light, and temperature
Most herbs like to be well watered but don't like wet feet. That's why good drainage is important. Water when the top of the container feels dry, or learn to judge the moisture in the soil by the weight of the pot. Add sand or vermiculite to the potting soil to ensure good drainage.

Learn to juggle water, light, and temperature. An herb in a clay pot in a south-facing window will need more water than one in a plastic pot in an east, or west, facing window. If the light is low, keep the temperature low.

Pest prevention
Choose the soil for your indoor herbs carefully. A good commercial potting soil is fine, or for a deluxe mix, blend one part potting soil with one part compost and one part vermiculite, perlite, or sand (or a mixture of all three).

Resist the temptation to use disease- and pest-prone garden soil. And when you pot up garden-grown plants, remove as much of the garden soil as possible without damaging the roots.

Keep such transplants separate from your other houseplants while you're gradually acclimating them to the indoors. If you see insects on a plant during this "quarantine," leave it outside.

If, despite such defenses, your indoor plants do come under insect attack, help the herbs stay healthy by providing the correct mix of light and temperature, and give them regular baths. A plant weakened by hot, dry indoor conditions is even more susceptible to spider mite, whitefly, or aphid damage than a healthy one.

If you choose to use soap sprays to control these pests, remember that the wet spray must come in contact with the insect to be effective. Spray in the evening (and never in bright sunlight) to prevent rapid drying, and wash off residues the next day (or before eating the leaves). Don't spray very young seedlings with soap!

Hold back on the water and fertilizer through December, but when the days start getting longer in mid-January, feed them with liquid seaweed or compost. Even potted soil gets compacted as you water it, so cultivate it with a little fork, then top-dress it with compost.

February is usually a great month for indoor plants because of all the bright light. By March, they are starting to get buds, and in April, be sure to put them outside on a warm day. Then it won't be long before the herbs—and you—are ready to move back to the garden.

Growing herbs?

ive got coriander, basil, chives and parsley in my seed trays. How long will it take till i see them sprouting? im concerned iv killed em.....im so rubbish at this gardening lark!i wish...i can hardly grow a flippin parsley leaf never mind weed! haa

Answer: 1.
Hi:
I have grown thousands of herb seeds in trays. Herb specimen germinate at different times. Coriander, Chives, and Parlsey like sun to germiate. Basil is one that will germinate better in dark conditions. When you purchase seeds, most companies will tell you on the package what light reqirements you will need to germinate as well as days of germination until they turn into plugs or sprout. Most herbs will begin to sprout anywhere from five to twenty days.

A key in the germination process is a light weight potting soil with no bark. Add some vermiculite and humus to the soil. Also add hot water to the soil mixture as this is great in establishing the root systems. Make sure the herbs have the right light requirement and don't over water them. The soil should be somewhat dry before you water again.

I hope this has helped some. If you are over three weeks and see nothing sprouting, try them over again. Don't give up.

I will link you to the spices and herb section of my website. There are different articles and one of growing herbs from seeds. This may give you some more information. I will also link you to the site map, as this page has everything that is on the website. Browse through as there are articles, tips, techniques, photo gallery and designs that may be of interest to you! Good luck on growing your herbs, and if you need some futher help, please feel free to contact me. Have a great day!
Kimberly

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...
Answer: 2.
gardening sucks, just put your feet up and smoke the herbs.
Answer: 3.
um i thought ya ment weed ow well cant help ya then sorry
Answer: 4.
You need to make sure to have proper drainage in the soil and pot they are planted in...different seeds take longer to germinate then others...It is time to plant basil now..I already have two weeks ago...Parsley is a cool weather crop and the seeds will not germinate at all when it gets warm..they need coolness to..You can simply search on the net each individual herb like "how to grow basil"..how to grow parsley..etcetera..I grow mine in pots and in aluminum rain gutter that I bought and attached to my deck railing them painted to match the trim...I drilled PLENTY of holes in the bottom of the gutter for drainage and made my soil out of 1/3 peat moss 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 perlite..You can buy small bags of each at walmart..however I buy bags as tall as I am for I have A huge garden besides my herbs..here are some pictures of my herbs with this method..
Answer: 5.
Parsley takes a long time to germinate so don't hold your breath I think 8 to 10 weeks. Not sure about the others.