Intro

[Joe C]

Joe, the "wait until the ferns all turn yellow" could be in the next century! We cut ours back at about the same time you did. Some were dead and pulled out easily, others we cut whether they were just turning yellow or still were fairly green.
Gardening is a constant learning process. If what doesn't work one year, try something else. If it does work, stick with it! I think you are going to have success with some of your garden this year, and perhaps a failure or two. Don't worry--there are so many variables like weather, variety of vegetable, spacing--you will learn, and while you are learning you will enjoy your garden and eating fresh home-grown vegetables!

Thanks for the info. I already have asparagus sprouting up since I cut the ferns so I think I may be in good shape. You mentioned having a lot of volunteer tomato plants. I'm not sure what is the best thing to do with all of the dead plants. Do I leave them be and they grow back or do I need to till them? Sorry if that's a silly question but like I said I am new to all of this. Thanks again!

 

[marlingardener]

The volunteer tomato plants are the tomatoes I was too lazy to pick up and toss into the compost pile. The seeds landed in the garden soil and we have volunteer tomato plants (mostly of the cherry type). Tomato plants don't grow back after a frost. They are a warm weather crop and don't withstand cold.

Your dead tomato plants need to be removed from the garden. If they weren't diseased, put them in the compost pile. If they were diseased, burn them or send them to the town dump. You'll need to put fresh plants into the garden for this year's crop.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Welcome Joe. And thank you for your service to our country. your planting zone is not familiar to me so will not assist you there. Just can say gardening takes time. And I also do not grow veggies, have too many Amish around me for that, and prices are cheap. You may view my gardens on You Tube at Estherredstar channel. I am way up north from you in Southern Chester County, PA.