I built a garden over the weekend. Its roughly 16 square feet and about 18 inches deep. Filling it with 100% garden soil will cost a lot of cash. Someone suggested I find out what the "local" fill is to layer the bottom with first. For example, styrofoam peanuts is one example. If it helps, I think I will plant vegetables and herbs there next spring.
Lets try this again…..does any one use filler in the SW? If so, what?

what do you use on your plants to keep them chemical free but to encourage growth?
i’m talking about mainly herbs & vegetables
chives/oregano/basil etc
onions/carrots/radish/lettuce/tomatoes etc

i have potted all the seeds indoors and they are about 3" average just now and wont be planting outside for a few weeks yet but wondered what you use to encourage growth

thank you

For my senior project at school, I’m thinking of learning how to plant vegetables, and maybe flowers. Can I start a garden this September? I live in Sacramento, California. What sort of vegetables and herbs can I grow? I want to grow the vegetables on the western side of my house, but if that is a bad idea, I may be able to work around to the Eastern side.

Also, besides keeping the food for my family, is there a place I can donate the vegetables to, or some other sort of cause I can put them toward?
I’m thinking of relating this project to being green and the economy being crappy, like a victory garden.

If any of you have ideas of how to improve on this project, I’d love some opinions.

I’m planting herbs, fruit & vegetables, and flowers in my yard and I’m wondering how to keep squirrels (& any other animals) from eating and/or destroying them. I’ve heard of using coffee or cayenne pepper, but I wasn’t sure if this would effect the taste of the herbs & fruits & veggies.
Thanks!

I want to start a small vegetable or herb garden and today I have finally completed preparing the area I have chosen (well I have pulled out all of the weeds and grass I am sure there is more preparing to do, but what?)

What are some sturdy vegetables or herbs I can start with as I really dont know how good I am at this. How else am I sposed to prepare my earth? What is next?

Any information or tips would be much appreciated. If it makes any difference (which I am sure it does) I live in West Australia, near the coast and I am pretty sure we are in Summer right now but I cant be certain.

Also I would like to try and make it organic, how can I do that? My Dad says it is pretty much impossible to tell if your garden is truely organic, should I bother? What difference does it make?

I am moving to a town near Frankfurt, Germany into an apartment with a large terrace and I wanted to know what grows well in that area, and when.

I know a little about the climate, but I don’t know enough about gardening to put the two together. Is there a US region that is similar in vegetable-growing seasons?

My ideal vegetables would be: cherry tomatoes, onions, squash or butternut squash, zucchini, cucumbers, maybe lettuce or other common salad greens. I’d also like to try some herbs (which I hear are easy): basil, rosemary, parsley, mint.

If you know what the growing season is like (or have a link to a related website) or know a US region that is similar in climate (temperature, humidity, wind and rain) then I can go from there.

Thank you!

(Also, any terrace-gardening tips would be greatly appreciated!)