Yesterday I dug a 2 foot by 8 foot patch in my backyard that I plan to use for a small veggie/herb garden. The soil is in reasonably good condition and looks to be sandy and clayey. I plan to add some organic material from my compost heap when it produces some more hummus.

Other than that, is there anything else I need to do with the soil to ready it for planting? I don’t plan to plant anything fancy, just some basil, rosemary, mint, oregano, tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries and a few other things. I’m just concerned because I’ve never gardened before.

The spot I’ve picked gets lots of sun 10-plus hours a day. I plan to start small and add on if my first fruits are successful. Any tips on knowing when the soil is ready to plant?
Someone has said my garden isn’t big enough. I can make the garden as large as I like. I just have to get the mattock out of the shed and start pounding away. Unfortunately, that doesn’t answer my question as to what to do with the soil.

Yesterday I planted two beefsteak tomato plants, a cayenne pepper plant and three June-bearing strawberry plants with a nice selection of herbs in between (chamomile, sage, basil, parsley, dill, etc.)

I amended the soil with some decayed cow manure and sprinkled the transplanted plants with warm water. Other than that, I haven’t done anything to them.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there’s anything else I need to do in the meantime. I plan to continue watering them for another week barring any rain. Thanks!

I am getting married in September, and there will be a ton of ppl around my house.
I am looking for ideas on sprucing up the outside of it. It is a 1899 fieldstone farmhouse. I have one strip of garden (about 12 feet long, 3 feet wide) beside my front door. So far int here I have some hostas, dahlias, bleeding heart (which is DYING!) clematis (also dying rapidly), lavender, and gladiolis.
I want to add some colour to the garden. The glads are probably not going to be flowering by Sept 6 (my wedding), and who knows about the dahlias.
What flowers can I plant that will be shoing blooms and look smashing for Sept 6th?
I live in zone 5, the garden is out in full sun most of the day, and the soil is pretty rocky.
Also, I have kids and a dog, so they need to be family friendly plants. I would also plant flowery herbs!

Thanks for the input!

Will this work and what do I have to do to make it work. I have a small front and back yard that a lot of is shaded so I need to utilize all the sunny areas that I can. It’s going to be filled with soil in between the front and back so I can plant an herb garden in between on the top.

I’m starting small. It’s a rectangle approximatly 6 by 12 (ish). I plan on ruffing up the dirt tomorrow and mixing in some soil I purchased. I mostly want to plant vegatables. So far we picked out watermelon, pumpkins, peas, cucumbers, and a few herbs. I plan to purchase tomato plants to put in too.

Anything I should be aware of? Any of these plants to challenging for a beginner gardener? Any other veggies you can think of that are easy or fun to grow. I have a 5 year old who is helping me with this garden project.

Any advice or tips would be appreciated. Thanks.
Sorry…..we live in Georgia.

I have planted 4 garden areas with several crops. What are your best garden tips for these crops? Thanks.
Beans
Broccoli
Cilantro
Corn
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Peppers – sweet banana, cayenne, red and green bell, and jalapeno
Potatoes
Squash
Sunflower seeds
Swiss Chard
Thyme
Tomatoes – 10 different varieties
Watermelon
Hey RJS, thanks for realizing I already knew the basics. I am indeed looking for tidbits of specifics. My expertise is in perennials and ornamentals. Too bad they cut some of your answers short. I didn’t know the stuff about fertilizing peppers and beans. I really need info on the potatoes, because neither my husband or I have ever grown them before. They are growing so fast. I built a box around them, and piled more than a foot of soil on them. When do I quit burying them and let them go to bloom? Plus someone told me to put a dropper of cooking oil on the corn silk as soon as it shows to prevent worms.
Thanks everyone. More tips please.