Anyone decide to plant a veggie garden for the first time?

[FigmentSpark]

What size pots do you have? My kids have done some fun themed gardens in larger pots - a salsa garden (tomato, jalapeno, green onion) and a pizza garden (tomato, basil, oregano) - in 4H and they did really well. Tomatoes need large-ish pots and support, but they do grow well potted. Lettuce does well in smaller pots and can actually be easier that way than in the ground because you can control the sun exposure to keep it a little cooler in mid-summer to counteract the tendency to bolt, and herbs are wonderful in pots as well. I keep some of my staple herbs in 12" pots that go outside in the warm months and come indoors to a sunny kitchen window in the winter. And strawberries do really well in pots as long as they get enough water.

I have ones that sit on the ground... bigger ones (to my knees). I think for smaller plants, you could use something smaller.

 

[adfoster84]

This is my second year to plant a garden. We always had one growing up but I honestly hated having to help take care of it so I never wanted one. Last year my husband decided he wanted to try growing some peppers and herbs. Of course, I then decided, if we are going to do it then lets at least make it worth our while so we added squash, tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce. You get the idea. This year we have planted some but due to Covid and health issues it has been hard for me to get the plants so we only have a few small things that my husband or my parents were able to get at the small local store. But I am excited to have it. Since I am stuck in the house, it gives me a nice a break to go out and fiddle with my plants.

 

[kdonnel]

Tried a garden several years ago. Learned that as a family we are much more successful at shopping for food rather then growing food.

 

[amcnj]

Not the first year for a garden, but due to being home I did start many more seeds than usual. I didn’t have to buy any vegetable plants this year (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant and lettuce), and also started many types of flowers (snapdragons, violas, several varieties of zinnias, Tithonia, bachelor buttons, venidium, four o’clocks, cosmos, and convolvulus) and herbs (basil, oregano, sage and chives).

The seedlings I had the most difficulty with were petunias, coleus and impatiens. They are still much, much smaller than all the others. Guess I need to start them earlier. Or just buy plants instead and stick with the easier flowers.

The only flowers I purchased this year were three geraniums, which I didn’t really need but made the mistake of going to a garden center, and the impatiens, since mine didn’t do as well as I had hoped.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

Me! Looking forward to it - trying herbs, carrot, onion, beet, tomato, lettuces, kale, peas.

 

[Katie Dawn]

We do 4-6 individual plants in containers each year. No weeding. Barely need anything especially if you can set up a timed sprinkler to go off for a little each day or whatever. We always do cherry tomatoes instead of regular sized. The kids love it!

 

[lesliekatya]

What size pots do you have? My kids have done some fun themed gardens in larger pots - a salsa garden (tomato, jalapeno, green onion) and a pizza garden (tomato, basil, oregano) - in 4H and they did really well.

What a cute idea!

I’m doing tomatoes this year, because for the first time in years, we have sun in our backyard. (We had two of our five trees removed last year) We’ll also be home to water them all summer, which never happens.

 

[mikehn]

I just started 3 containers in my apartment. Mint, cilantro, and basil. Now I just have to figure out what cocktails they go with.

 

[Kittyblue]

My youngest decided she was interested in gardening so we're trying a few things - bell pepper, squash, and strawberries, and a lemon tree.

 

[low-key]

I haven't but this is the 5th year in a row that I planned to do it

 

[charming23]

This is the first year I’ve actually done my own garden. My parents always had tomatoes, peppers and herbs when I was growing up. I’m kind of experimenting this year with what I want to do. I bought a couple of small raise garden boxes and I’m trying it out in the area that I would eventually like to do a real raised garden bed this fall for next spring. So far I’ve planted tomatoes, a couple different kinds of peppers, broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, brussels sprouts, spearmint, Parsley, chives, and dill weed. I tried to pick things that I use the most and that I know friends and family will enjoy getting fresh. I may try some spinach as well I have to see my area and what I have left

 

[bobbiwoz]

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers are the things that have been most prolific for me. Zucchini has been harder, but I am trying again, and I’ve also planted eggplant this year. We have herbs as well.

I hope everyone enjoys gardening this summer!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Are peppers hard to grow? What's their growing season like? Is it similar to tomatoes (late summer/fall) or more like cucumbers (mid-summer)?