Starting my first garden 2016

Well this is going to be my first try at a garden. I plan on canning as much as possible for the winter but I am hitting a snag on what to plant.
I know I want to do
Hanging Tomato Plants.
Cucumber
Brussels Sprouts
Dill
Carrots
Potatoes

And then I go blank. Im trying to stay simple for my first try.

 

Squash is easy. Lettuce easy, spinach, kale. What do you like to eat? Are you looking for herbs for healing? Also- homegrown strawberries are amazing.

 

Please, just start with the with the thing you like. We have spent many hours in crops that we do not like and friend and family will not take. Canned all and made late winter stew, not wasted. God bless and grow well.

 

What to grow, Grow what you eat.
Then grow one more thing you would like to try. I think you have a great list above and brilliant that you started with a few things instead of trying to manage a whole garden your 1st year at your new place. Might consider adding one or two more things to grow that you like or want to try. Here are some suggestions as a place to start and look at what you want to grow.

Veggies
Lettuce or Kale
Broccoli or cauliflower or cabbage
Beans
Peas
Corn
Squash (zucchini, yellow, summer, acorn, lots to choose from)
Pumpkins

Melons
Cantelope
Water melons
Honeydew

Root Veggies
Potatoes
Yams/sweet potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Beets (my personal favorite)
Garlic (highly suggested as a great companion plant for bugs and pests, for all veggies except beans and peas)
Marigold, and geraniums plant a few for color and pest management, they are cheap and grow in almost any condition. Just dont plant near cabbage, or brussel sprouts

Peppers are easy as well. If you don't like hot peppers like these crazy Monkeys My Super Hot Peppers | Survival Forums
Then suggest some sweet peppers like banana peppers here is a list of varieties
Pepper Plants and Seeds - Hot, Sweet, Bell, Jalapeno, Habanero, and Cayenne at Burpee.com - Burpee.com

GROWING METHODS
In Ground
Gardening in the ground with tomatoes or any plant is a lot easier than doing hanging plants. (hanging plants generally dry faster and have to be watered 2x a day) In ground you have to deal with more pests but its easier to get a crop and maintain the right moisture content.

Companion planting is great, the native Americans made a mound and planted corn, beans and squash in each mound. The corn provided a climbing pole for the beans and the squash leaves created a covered area to maintain moisture and keep weeds down. (its call 'three sisters gardening')

Container
I do tomatoes and peppers and sometimes squash in a container that is self watering. (5 gallon buckets) because I dont have to worry about how much water they are getting or not getting. And I can skip watering for a couple of days and the fertilizer is built in when I make the containers. Set up is a bit time consuming but maintenance is easy. You just fill the water reservoir.

The link below two teens did this and its super easy. The most difficult/time consuming part is getting the buckets (I'm cheap so I never pay for mine.) You can get them from McDonalds, Burger King etc just ask for pickle bucket, each store uses about one per week or any bakery has 4.5 gallon and 2 gallon buckets you can grow in.

5 gallon buckets for growing, Self watering
Global Buckets: Olla Irrigation

Good luck and if you have specific questions dont hestitate to ask. We have several really great gardeners here.

 

I hate squash with a passion but the rest of your list sounds perfect. I will pick out one or two more off your list and add it to mine and go from there. Starting small and managable is always a good first step.
I like the 3 sisters idea. Saves space and time.

 

Also in a year or two I would like to try growing and drying herbs and spices.

 

herbs are easier than veggies, because mostly they are weeds,

Plant the bush herbs like rosemary and sage and they grow like crazy.

If you dont like squash just plant pumpkins or melons instead for companion plants using 3 sister's method.

Good luck!

 

You can ask cattle ranchers or friends for livestock tubs (plastic) They make great herb pots and old swimming pools for herbs.

 

Peppers, sweet, hot, whatever, instant gratification, also try Mustard greens, they are awesome cooked but raw they taste like Guldens Spicy brown mustard, also instant gratification! Grow whats fun and its fun to grow!

 

Bell peppers are very easy and if I don't like them I can drop them off at my union hall food shelf lol.

 

I can't add anything much of value that others haven't covered. I would suggest that you look up your local extension. It's surprising how much they actually know about local weather patterns. The only other thing I'd suggest is that you consider a cut and come again lettuce patch.

 

Ive noticed that with canning all the salsa and marinara and soups we go through way more onions than we planned on. they are in so many things with regular cooking let alone canning. plant extra onions.

 

I should have asked what climate zone you are in?

 

I'm in mn

 

Get the book carrots love tomatoes. You can take your list and then plant companion crops. This will cut down on your need for chemicals. I have gone from a very picky rafter to a more diverse eater cause of this book. The bigger lists of companion veggies also provide things you like better.

If you like the concept of raise bed gardens, try a wicking garden. Some very good videos on YouTube and I made mine for free.

Hope this helps. It's an addictive hobby. Especially after you start canning.

 

I hope so. It would suck if after my first year I hate it.

 

It is trail & error, a labor of love. Some start out thinking they can just spread seed and have a beautiful garden. Area, critters and weather all play a factor. But it is a rewarding hobby because you are learning, you are outside getting your hands dirty and when you meet a fellow gardener it is some of the best informative conversations. I love it but after a few years of one way, have changed it up.

 

I'm worried about the deer. I have so many I am 100% certain I will need to put up a deer fence.

 

Mmmm venison. I think I can shoot here.