A real garden

someday I will have a real garden. I am hoping that when we move at the end of the summer our new home it will be in an area that is better for growing stuff. I've been trying to grow produce for the last 3 years, but I just have not had much luck.
Fist I blamed it on the fact that we lived in the desert and at the house we currently live in I blame it on the fact that 6" into the ground it is all just rock. I have a feeling that no matter where we live I will always find a reason that I can't grow food. However, I have made some progress. While living in our current home I have been able to plant several bushes and flowers and they seem to be doing very well. I am so happy with them and it gives me hope that someday this will be me...


...A cute, happy, thin, woman carrying the bounty of her garden home to enjoy for healthy meals and snacks. (Picture found on the sunset website)

I have been thinking about this mostly because it is expensive to buy healthy produce and to keep it on hand and fresh. Also we had a farmer who grew up in Idaho talk to us at a church meeting and he had a lot of good very random gardening advice that I wrote down in my phone and wanted to jot it down here so I don't loose it before I can use it.

Planting

• If you buy a starter and transfer it to another pot, make sure the new pot is at least 3 times the size of the old one so it has room to grow.


• Don't buy a big starter, it won't take off as fast as a little one.


• Plant potatoes a foot apart


• Plant carrots 10" apart


• Any non root plant, plant 6" down


• Any root plant, plant 12" down

Soil perfection

• Amend is a great brand of soil additive


• Don't use potting soil on it's own. Instead mix it with dirt, and soil additive.


• If you plant with seeds, use quick start when it sprouts


• After sprouting use fertilizer or manure once a week.


• use 20/20/20 fertilizer or manure between when it sprouts and when it blossoms


• Use 60/20/30 fertilizer after it blossoms


• But DON'T over fertilize fruit trees or berries. Just fertilize the heck out of them when the first bud comes, then leave it alone!

Planting boxes

• Do not paint the inside of the box


• Do not use pressure treated wood, use redwood or bricks for your planter boxes.


• You will want there to be feet on your boxes to prevent erosion and help with drainage.

So what do I hope to be able to plant? and what will I use it for?

• Celery-salads, Ants on a log,


• spinach-salads, I did grow this successfully already, but they were so small I never picked them until it was too late :( lesson learned)


• zucchini- spaghetti squash, salads, to shred and hide in food


• Potatoes


• Tomatoes-spaghetti sauce, salsa, salads and sandwiches


• peppers-salsa


• lettuce- salads, sandwiches


• Cauliflower- side dishes, cauliflower rice, snacking


• Broccoli- side dishes, snacking

I think I should probably start small, and no try to tackle all this in the same year. But I know I am going to need some good gardening advise. Does anyone have a favorite gardening book or website they like to go to?