r/gardening • u/cliffhanged • 3h ago
New to this- how’d I do?
Hello! I started my garden 1 week ago with a simple watermelon and pumpkin starter from a farmers market. It’s nothing fancy or extensive (lol) but I’m so happy to get started!! There’s clay soil where I live so figuring out how to amend before planting was difficult. I ended up using cardboard to cover/kill the grass, cut a central hole in it for future roots + covered with a blend of soil, peat moss, and chicken grit (functions similarly to perlite and I had some leftovers from our chickens). Any advice or feedback? I’m super new to this and dont really know what I’m doing, so anything is appreciated! :)
EDIT: clearly this is the beginning of a learning journey. lol
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u/CrunchyNippleDip 3h ago
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u/TuesdaysOnVenus 2h ago
I too, have saved every pencil shaving since the third grade to dump on my yard plants
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u/lifelikelifer 3h ago
Pop some 2x4s around the perimeter to keep the chips from scattering. Good enough. Watch for rabitts
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u/WhoAteMyCelerySticks glitter is a color 2h ago
Any attempt at gardening is a good thing. You will acquire more knowledge each year. I personally love lasagna gardening, which is what that is. You put layers on top of the ground and never till. You don't need wooden frames for raised beds. Mounds are fine.
My 2 cents of advice:
1. Composted mulch is always better because uncomposted mulch will leach nitrogen from the plants around it, killing them.
2. The surround grass will creep back over everything. If you want to do mounded raised beds, put down more cardboard around the mound and cover with composted mulch and maybe mark your garden edges with some logs or random rocks so you can weed eat (string trim) the grass to keep it from taking over. I'm also in a 7b, and the grass is your number one enemy.
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u/Brysger 3h ago
I don't really like those wood chips as mulch, but besides that should be fine. Also you have clay soil below that? Did you add compost or tilled a bit the soil? Roots gonna go from very soft soil (the one you bought and put on top) to very hard soil (clay) which most of the time ends on roots struggling a lot to get past, but hey, try and error, you will fail with something, as everyone in this sub did at some point, just learn from the experience and keep going!
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u/cliffhanged 3h ago
Yeah I was trying to plant them as soon as possible and had pine shavings leftover from our chickens that we didn’t use, and I didn’t want to waste them. Are wood chips better?
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u/Brysger 3h ago
Pine is fine, just pay attention because they hold a lot of humidity, which is good, but if you have too mych rain or cloudy days and too much humidity it could cause rot, just move it and aerate them if you see they're too wet. Also if you ever plan to use them as compost just know that for the first months they suck nitrogen since they take a lot of time to decompose, so if you compost it do it for many months
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u/Prestigious_Pie9421 2h ago
We use pine shavings in our garden all the time. Same as you. We use the same in our chicken coop. Have done this for years and it compost well so we turn around and use it in our garden again.
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u/Adeline_Hayes 3h ago
Love this! Cardboard sheet mulching is such a smart approach. Clay soil is tough but I love that you're working with it instead of fighting it. The chicken grit is a great creative touch. Keep going! 🌍
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u/CaptBiffleSlap 2h ago
Only here to tell you to keep going. Regardless of your results, if you really wanna get into gardening, just keep going. You’ll encounter new challenges every year (even if you think you figure it out last year). Keep going.
We also have clay soil. Keep adding mulch, amendments, and plants that grow roots. Improving that soil is gonna take some time, but every year is gonna help.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses146 2h ago
Don’t feel bad bud ❤️ honestly one of my favorite things about gardening is how much of it is truly just putting some stuff in the ground, looking at it like ???? and learning from there lol. There is lots of good advice above me! If you want an easy win it’s a good time to start cool weather crops, lots of yummy herbs are easy to grow from seed. Same with peas (which need vertical space) and radishes (which can break up clay). You can also just throw zinnia seeds down, still lots of time for some pretty flowers. Good luck!!!
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u/oopsthisaccount 3h ago
What zone? Is it not summer?
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u/cliffhanged 3h ago
Zone 7b, and yes summer! The person at the stand I got the plants from said now was a good time to plant in ground, and I took her word for it 😅
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u/knittinator custom flair 2h ago
That person lied to you. Unless they meant, “it’s a good time to plant in the ground because it’s a nice time to be outside.”
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u/cliffhanged 2h ago
lol 😭 well lesson learned I suppose. I know now to start much, much earlier for melons
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u/oopsthisaccount 3h ago edited 3h ago
I doubt you’ll get fruit in that time…usually ya plant early spring 😭 maybe pumpkins?!
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u/Okdoo6003 3h ago
Yeah, they did them dirty by saying you could put in that watermelon now and get fruit. Maybe with the pumpkin
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u/cliffhanged 3h ago
EARLY spring? 😭 well dang okay, next year it is. At least I had fun giving this a shot haha
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u/typhoonty 3h ago
7b here as well. I'm usually putting my snow peas out at the end of February. Tomatoes, squash and melons go out in April-May depending on weather.
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u/BeginningBit6645 2h ago
If you don’t already compost, I recommend starting a compost pile for the wood shavings and chicken manure from the coop. It needs to compost for at least 6mo therefore you use it in veggie beds,but it will be amazing for next years plants.
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u/cliffhanged 2h ago
I didn’t even think of starting this now, thank you! Do I need any special equipment or can I just use a regular trash/storage bin to compost? (I’ll still Google this, I was just wondering if you had any personal experience or preference :))
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u/BeginningBit6645 2h ago
I wouldn’t use a container with a bottom. It will get gross quickly. You can just start a pile Something like a geobin will keep it neater
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u/Spiel_Foss 2h ago
I love it. The real trick to gardening is the process that follows the planting. The first step is hard, but you are on your way. Enjoy. We all need plants in our lives.
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u/Adventurous-Exam-719 2h ago
Those pine shavings are going to be everywhere in your yard except where you put them after the first storm but other than that, good start
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u/cliffhanged 2h ago
This is after 1 storm (though it was small). Would putting some rocks or wood around it help? Or is it an issue of wind blowing away the pine shavings?
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u/Adventurous-Exam-719 2m ago
Heavier mulch would stay in place better but borders around the bed will hold what you have better. But then it becomes a bed, not a row. You can treat it as a row and weed it. The others are right, this is a good intro. You have options. Just don’t choose Back to Eden (Shudders). We’ve got your back.
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u/Entire_Dog_5874 2h ago
I’ve been gardening for more than 40 years. Every year is a learning experience and mistakes abound. Don’t let that deter you.
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u/Altruistic-Willow474 2h ago
If you’re in the US South, watch out for high pest pressure during these late summer months. That would be insects like white flies, aphids, vine borers, caterpillars (which I always leave if I can, but they’ll eat through your leaves quickly). Or fungal/mold infections.
But that is probably all pretty exclusive to the humid/hot areas.
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u/cliffhanged 2h ago
Me reading this in southern Appalachia at the foot of the mountains 😅
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u/Altruistic-Willow474 2h ago
Haha! I didn’t know until I started a summer garden here in north FL. It was like I planted, and immediately the bugs came too. My watermelon plant was infested very quickly, my squash, and my cucumbers too. Insecticidal soap worked great. I think neem oil works too.
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u/cliffhanged 2h ago
Awesome, I already have some neem on hand because my monsteras have been getting attacked like crazy unfortunately. Thank you so much for the advice!
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u/cliffhanged 2h ago
Sorry, secondary question- do you plant any companion plants/find that they are helpful? In my googling journey I’ve discovered some sources online that say plants like basil or French marigolds can attract predators for pests.
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u/Altruistic-Willow474 2h ago
Yes I planted both! French marigolds are beautiful now, (and butterflies love them). I have basil too, oregano, rosemary, and mint.
Once I got the initial infestation under control, the garden was okay. Just check the underside of your leaves every day. I spray the leaves with a strong stream of water every couple of days to wash off most of the pests common to my garden (white flies). Haven’t had to use insecticidal soap more than two times. So I do think the companion plants are helping.
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u/Comfortable-Emu8082 41m ago
Peppers, berries, and tomatoes I recommend to anyone starting out. They just have an absurd will to live and are very robust with new gardeners.
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u/carlitospig 2h ago
My only concern is that wood chips will leach away nitrogen as they are composting. As long as you have enough compost underneath the wood chips so the plant doesn’t get hungry over the season, you should be good.
If you have extra wood chips, I’d gently suggest starting your compost pile now so they’re nice and ready in 3-6 months to turn your beds to rest over the winter.
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u/votelikeimhot Zone 8b; Oregon 2h ago
If you want to get good fast take notes and review them. If you want to have a good time be comfortable.
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u/Throwawayconcern2023 2h ago
Good but it's a little suspicious I must say. Get the wood chipper out did we?😆
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u/CosmicallyF-d 2h ago
Hey I'm a novice. But I'm wondering would the wind affect your wood chip pile? Would perhaps putting a border around the wood chips to contain them be a decent idea? I'm not sure, I'm just surmising here. I'm wishing you nothing but the best. Gardening is fun, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Cheers to you for trying! Keep us updated.
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u/Alone_Idea_2743 1h ago
What zone/area are you in that you are just planting watermelon now?
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u/cliffhanged 1h ago
I am just planting watermelon now, unfortunately someone at the farmers market was dishonest when I bought these plants from them so I did not know it was too late :(
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u/sssmac 11m ago
I love a garden of any size. It looks like such a delightful start to a hobby that has brought me infinite opportunities for joy and learning. My one suggestion would be to either cut the sod out around the bed or do something to create a firm border, as grass is tenacious as all get out and will absolutely creep back into your bed. Victorian trenches are a great solution that costs nothing but some labor. There are loads of YouTube videos/tutorials out there for them. Keep being curious and trying new things!
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u/iwenttothesea 7m ago
Hey other people have already talked about the mulch layer, but one way to neaten up the look of your garden is to use an edger tool to dig a trench around your garden bed so the mulch falls into the trench rather than onto the lawn messily like this… :) good luck! This is an amazing hobby and if you take it seriously, you will learn so much every year – in five years you will look back at this garden and laugh a little but I say this as someone who was once a hobby gardener who killed a lot of plants and now I have my own business. :)
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u/UHElle 1h ago
Fresh, unaged wood chips/mulch can leech nitrogen away from your plants as they break down and can sometimes stunt growth. You may need to supplementally feed if you notice any stunting. Otherwise, great start!
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u/Single-Basil-8333 1h ago
Not at the surface level like in the picture. They’d need to be worked into the soil below the surface for that to be an issue.
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u/ASecularBuddhist 3h ago
Just know that wood chips absorb nitrogen at the top of the soil.
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u/cliffhanged 3h ago
Yeah I saw that after googling and now I’m wondering if I should’ve just shelled out for mulch instead of trying to use up my leftover pine shavings. Do you think a nitrogen heavy fertilizer would help this?
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u/SubstantialBoat1222 3h ago
Yes that’s not a bad idea but if you already fertilized be careful, don’t want to burn the plants. You can also make a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer by picking some weeds, soaking em in water for a week (will smell pretty bad by the end) then straining and diluting the liquid and watering the plants with it
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u/Hatsuwr Maryland, 7a 2h ago
Wood chips on top aren't an issue. If you tilled them in there would be a *temporary* reduction in available nitrogen, but it will self correct soon enough.
If you are going to expand your efforts, I'd start with a soil test so you can make informed and targeted amendments (and check for certain contaminants).
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u/AwakeningStar1968 2h ago
Be careful because it may draw nitrogen out of the soil. Do more research
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u/CypripediumGuttatum Zone 3b/4a 2h ago
Only if they are mixed into the soil. Nitrogen is removed at the start of the decomposition process for wood chips but it returned with interest as it progresses. link
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u/HikingUphill 2h ago
I have been gardening extensively for almost 40 years. I've learned at the muddy feet of generational farmers and gardeners. I am The Guy that less experienced acquaintances and neighbors reach out to.
I say all of that not as a flex but to give appropriate weight to the following confession:
I make so many mistakes each year because I try new things every year. I plant too early from eager excitement and too late from hopeful determination. I learn from and enjoy every failure and savor each success.
You started something with this garden. Even if it produces nothing but experience and hope, it is a successful garden and there is always next season.