Ok I have done this 3 years in a row now and they have ranged from complete crap - semi decent. Last year I grew 90% of my plants from seeds. Most of them did great until I transplanted them. So I am wondering if I am doing something wrong along the way.

This year I ordered seeds again. They just came in along w/ the little grow box thingy. I also just went ahead and pre ordered hierloom tomato plants (as those were the ones that gave me such an issue last year) and those said they would arrive late April early May. I assume ready to just plant????

Here are my questions:

When should I start the whole plant growing process?

How big do the plants need to be for me to transplant them?

When should I till my garden?

Once the garden is tilled should I put some type of weed killer down?

If so do I till the garden again?

Any other suggestions or helpful tips? I've been kinda just doing this on my own w/ no guidance...and it obvioulsy hasnt been working so well :stupid:

If you're talking about tomato/squash/pepper kind of plants, I find it's easier, cheaper and far more productive to buy the plants just before the ground is ready for them. Start the seeds too early, and they are weak, too late and your crop is late. Heirloom are a bit tougher as they aren't readily available, but the Amish may have some. You can start seeds in late March, but you have to make sure they are kept warm and have plenty of light or they will not do well. Once the plants are established in the pots and danger of frost is past, but before they go into the ground, get them outside to 'harden' (look it up). As it gets warmer overnight, leave them out.

Beans/lettuce/etc... seeds can go directly into the ground after frost danger is past.

Don't till the garden while it's wet. It will clump, and any attempt to till out the clumps will make for a bad soil. Wait for it to be dry enough to work without clumping.

As far as plants doing badly after they went into the ground, could be a couple of things.

- put them in too early, got cold feet.
- ground too wet/dry
- pH was off. Different plants require different pH levels. Check their needs, and check your soil pH. Inexpensive testers available everywhere.

If you're talking about tomato/squash/pepper kind of plants, I find it's easier, cheaper and far more productive to buy the plants just before the ground is ready for them. Start the seeds too early, and they are weak, too late and your crop is late. Heirloom are a bit tougher as they aren't readily available, but the Amish may have some. You can start seeds in late March, but you have to make sure they are kept warm and have plenty of light or they will not do well. Once the plants are established in the pots and danger of frost is past, but before they go into the ground, get them outside to 'harden' (look it up). As it gets warmer overnight, leave them out.

Beans/lettuce/etc... seeds can go directly into the ground after frost danger is past.

Don't till the garden while it's wet. It will clump, and any attempt to till out the clumps will make for a bad soil. Wait for it to be dry enough to work without clumping.
Our squash did awesome last year... but other than that everything else was just ehhh. I bought special watermelon seed (sugar baby, orange crush etc) and they just grew tiny melons that about the size of a tomato and thats it. Never got bigger. Same thing w/ the maters tehy grew small tomatoes but never really turned red or got bigger. Think we need to add some type of fertilizer after tilling? Do you add weed killer then till again?
As far as plants doing badly after they went into the ground, could be a couple of things.

- put them in too early, got cold feet.
- ground too wet/dry
- pH was off. Different plants require different pH levels. Check their needs, and check your soil pH. Inexpensive testers available everywhere.

I think last year I started growing them around mid March and we planted late April early May. Weeds grow great, but the plants not so much :lol:

Plant at the approximate time, water, sun - more than likely you will succeed.

Enjoy.

Gotta be real careful using weed killer. It doesn't discriminate between your weeds, and your plants. I prefer to mulch and hand weed or run a Mantis-type tiller thru.

Fertilizer is wasted if you don't adjust the pH first. You can start that now... get a sample of the soil and start laying down corrections. Lime if it's too acid, etc..... Once the pH is in range, then you can put some plant fertilizer down and till it in. You've got about 2 months before planting.

After the plants are in, fertilize every few weeks with either direct application, or thru a watering device. Don't over-fertilize.

Gotta be real careful using weed killer. It doesn't discriminate between your weeds, and your plants. I prefer to mulch and hand weed or run a Mantis-type tiller thru.

Fertilizer is wasted if you don't adjust the pH first. You can start that now... get a sample of the soil and start laying down corrections. Lime if it's too acid, etc..... Once the pH is in range, then you can put some plant fertilizer down and till it in. You've got about 2 months before planting.

After the plants are in, fertilize every few weeks with either direct application, or thru a watering device. Don't over-fertilize.

Right on. Let nature do it's job. Help when we can.

If not, always have the store to fall back on.

Can't plant yet. The sign isn't right.:whistle:

Can't plant yet. The sign isn't right.:whistle:

The sign at Lowes? Home Depot? They do follow the Almanac of planting.....

Get your soil tested #1

The sign at Lowes? Home Depot? They do follow the Almanac of planting.....
No....not the sign at Lowes. The sign...you know. The weather and stuff. It's an old Southern Maryland thing. :lol: Had this old guy as a neighbor and he wouldn't plant till the sign was right. :lol: