Best place for newbie to start.

[clair02]

Hi, I just wanted to know if there are any resources for a total noob who is new to gardening to learn the basics. Easiest things to start with, equipment and some other basic knowledge. Thanks in advance.

 

[remnant]

I wish you state the kind of climate you come from. If you come from a tropical of Mediterranean type of climate, you should not have problems growing a wide variety of herbs. I would suggest that you start with short season herbs like coriander and then branch to hardy perennials simultaneously. The first round of growth should give you enough experience.

 

[clair02]

Thanks for the great advice. Coriander is one of the herbs on my list. I'm sure I'll be able to grow that without any big problems. When you say branch out to hardy perennials, what does that mean exactly?

 

[MaryMary]

... resources for a total noob who is new to gardening to learn the basics. Easiest things to start with, equipment and some other basic knowledge...

If you're looking for a good book, I highly recommend Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening and Landscaping Techniques. It is divided into seven parts, which are:
The Basics, Flowers, The Food Garden, Lawns and Groundcovers, Trees and Shrubs, Houseplants and Container Gardens, and Tools.
I love this book.

I also would recommend updating your profile with at least your hardiness zone, maybe even the state you are in. Mainly because these things affect everything from when you can plant things to what pests are in your area. If you do not know it, here is a link, very user friendly, just type in your zip code, or find your area on the map.
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/Default.aspx

 

[Beth_B]

Coriander is notoriously hard to grow in many climates as it bolts very quickly.

@clair02 , almost every kind response to your questions have included a request for your location or growing zone. Without knowing that, it is impossible to answer any of your questions with any accuracy.

WHY are you refusing to give the helpful folks on this forum this very basic information? You have asked many questions here. But refuse to help us help you. Nobody is asking for your street address. Just your general location/growing zone and you have been provided helpful links for that several times. But you refuse to give out that critical information.

Why is that? We can walk you through the steps of posting that if you can't figure it out. Just ask.

 

[AntonioCalcano]

Thanks for the great advice. Coriander is one of the herbs on my list. I'm sure I'll be able to grow that without any big problems. When you say branch out to hardy perennials, what does that mean exactly?

You can also start with any plant, what you need to do is be very careful about your plants, you need to tend to them, it doesn't matter much the type of plant as much as the care that you're gonna have for them. So plant any plant and take care of it that's the rule.

 

[clair02]

Coriander is notoriously hard to grow in many climates as it bolts very quickly.

@clair02 , almost every kind response to your questions have included a request for your location or growing zone. Without knowing that, it is impossible to answer any of your questions with any accuracy.

WHY are you refusing to give the helpful folks on this forum this very basic information? You have asked many questions here. But refuse to help us help you. Nobody is asking for your street address. Just your general location/growing zone and you have been provided helpful links for that several times. But you refuse to give out that critical information.

Why is that? We can walk you through the steps of posting that if you can't figure it out. Just ask.

Thanks for the reply, I overlooked posting that information. I am going to do that now. Thanks for the reminder and all the helpful suggestions.

 

[BlueLotus]

I've had the greatest luck with basil, except of the time when it snowed unexpectedly. Other herbs that should do fin is bay, borage, chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, parsley, rosemary, lemongrass, mint, sage, thyme, marjoram, and oregano. In the cool season, rainbow chard, mustards, cabbages, lettuce, kales, and other greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, radishes, and pees. In the warm season, asparagus beens, black-eyed peas, cucumbers, eggplants, jicama, mailbag sponge, melons, okra, peppers, tomatillo, squash, tomatoes. You can probably grow potatoes and sweet potatoes but you'll probably need to put down a layer of straw to prevent them from turning green and toxic.

If want flowers you can plant, agastache, hardy snapdragons, blackberry lily, standing cypress, dense blazing star, three birds toadflax, maltese cross, ratibpda, rudbeckia, verbena, blue pimpernel, twinspur, four o'clock, petunia, scarlet sage, african daisy, amaranth, blue woodruff, Californian bluebell, Californian poppy, clarkia, bachelor buttons/cornflowers, cleome, coreopsis, cosmos, Chinese forget-me-not, rose mallow, marigold, morning glory, phlox, sweet pea, zinnas, and lavender.

 

[clair02]

Thanks for the help, BlueLotus. That's quite a list of herbs and vegetables, but I started with only a few so that I could get the hang of it. I will expand my garden as time goes and I gain more experience. So far I only have herbs in my kitchen windowsill, but I will be including some flowers for my front yard soon.

 

[AntonioCalcano]

Thanks for the help, BlueLotus. That's quite a list of herbs and vegetables, but I started with only a few so that I could get the hang of it. I will expand my garden as time goes and I gain more experience. So far I only have herbs in my kitchen windowsill, but I will be including some flowers for my front yard soon.

Start little and go bit don't rush it and you will succeed, always keep studying and expanding on your knowledge.

 

[clair02]

You're totally right about starting with a little at a time. That's why I'm only doing kitchen windowsill herbs while I'm learning more about everything else.