Tips for beginning gardener

WAPFTampaBay : Message: Re: [WAPFTampaBay] Tips for beginning gardener:

For a great immediate guide to what to grow right now (and although it's cold outside, there are tons of winter crops to grow). I would recommend getting some organic seedlings from just about any health food store. Typically, I've seen most of them carry herbs and tomatoes. Growing from seed is pretty tough and tomatoes are especially tough if you are just starting out - but, don't take that the wrong way! TRY EVERYTHING!

In the community garden, we're growing sweet potatoes, lettuces, chards, herbs, tomatoes, beans, sugar snap peas.

The extension service is a great online source: http://hillsborough.extension.ufl.edu/HomeGardening/HomeGardening.html They have an online guide to what to grow now. Every seed pack you purchase will show the time of year to plant and how much space you'll need. With a small plot, you will want to plan out that space well so the plants aren't fighting each other to produce food.

One thing I will recommend is: stay organic. The poisons created for pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers can all be avoided by keeping your food organic. Making a healthier you and a healthier earth.

We (the community gardeners) get our seeds from Seeds of Change http://www.seedsofchange.com/, and from vendors at Sweetwater Farms http://www.sweetwater-organic.org/ like Willow the Herbalist. Willow is not online - but, I can give you her number if you would like it. The Lotus Pond (community garden at 6201 Lynn Rd, Tampa 33625 961-3160) might have seeds/plants to exchange.

Once you start poking around for sources of organic plants, supplies (like Worm's Way http://www.wormsway.com) and the like, you will see just how much support and interest is out there for good healthy food, and getting back to understanding and knowing our food and how important it is to keep it organic.

Like one other respondent said: It's a Great Adventure!

-r