I LOVE listening to you. Started my first garden this past week. I can get all the mulch I want for free because I work at a lumberyard. You're my new gardening teacher :)
So glad I found your channel BEFORE I started gardening. I know I'll still make mistakes, but at least I won't make the preventable ones! Thanks, Scott!
This is my second year gardening and my husband built 3 raised beds for me (he has a lot of confidence). There is a lot of good info out there, but much of it is conflicting. So this video was timely. I never thought about a writer's or youtuber's location as a factor. Thanks!
I wish I had known about building soil and using organic methods. I also wish I had known how to water correctly. Last year did all with my first raised beds! SUCCESS!
In my first season,my wife was skeptical about my desire to have a garden. I have literally spent most of my life living on a boat. However I always wanted to grow something so she indulged me with my first planter in the back yard. 6 square ft. I grew a tomato and some bush beans which actually really worked out. Next year I had 2 planters,then the next I bought a metal raised bed. Now it’s my 5th year of having a garden and I wish I had maybe really talked to my wife about a plan to just section off a part of the yard and garden within that area. Instead,I have 5 smaller raised beds in opposite areas of my backyard which I thought would be good because they were sort of tucked away at the edges,but they’re not so convenient now when it comes to mowing grass and various other backyard chores and uses. Now I see my back yard in a different way and had I realized earlier that I actually was serious about having a garden,I would have placed my garden beds in a better location and just stuck with that plan. Instead,I now have to consider moving irrigation etc and redesign of my back yard to accommodate the various needs my family has for the yard. I think as a new gardener my best suggestion for a new gardener would be plan ahead and really think through your ideas for your garden. Where are the sprinkler heads? Lol Will your kids want to kick the soccer ball directly in front of your tomatoes? Are you going to mulch the entire garden area? If not,you better leave space for the lawnmower between your beds or it’s weedwhacker irritation all summer long! I could go on but I think most will get my drift. Thanks mr Scott for all your great teaching! It’s so valuable to us newbies!
You are definitely thinking about it the right way. I think you've graduated from being a newbie. Now you can start figuring out your plan and put it all together.
This is all great info. My suggestion to anyone getting into gardening is to think about health and safety. Even working in your own garden and when carrying out the most basic tasks, it's important to wear appropriate clothing and follow safe working practices. And think about long-term effects on back and muscles. How about a video on H&S in the garden?
Great idea, Dave. I've been thinking about doing a video like that because I wear a back brace, hat, sunscreen, gloves and long-sleeve shirts when I work in the garden.
When l was in VA, l transplanted cedar trees in a horseshoe pattern next to my garden. All my efforts produced miniature green peppers, etc. My son-in-law recently told me cedar trees put off something in the air that inhibits growth of some other plants. I'm in TN now, and will have a 1/2 acre in full sun. I'm moving there later this month and l'm chomping at the bit to get started on various planting options. I really do enjoy this channel 😊. Thank you for teaching us! ❣️
Good to know. I was considering planting trees as a wind barrier for my Greenhouse and Beds. I had not considered any interference they might cause. Now I will research.
I just moved from CA to PA and bought my first house. It has a HUGE garden - 21 six foot beds! I've been both excited and a little freaked out by it all. I've only ever gardened in Californian suburbs so it's like im a beginner again. I've been doing a ton of research and I just recently found your channel! I LOVE the slow, easy, calm manner in which you speak. I have found myself looking forward to listening to you in the car like a podcast. Thank you so much for your videos. I'm happy to subscribe and I look forward to my first year in a "real" garden!
Thanks so much, Deb. PA will be more challenging than CA, but you can do it. I might suggest you start small, rather than in all 21 beds. Figure out your climate, insects, soil, plant needs, and local gardener support in the first year. Then go gangbusters in the future. I just started a livestream on TH-cam this week and will do it every Monday. It's close to a podcast, so maybe you can listen to it while driving.
One of the things I learned is to not grow tall plants in small pots. Because they have a high center of gravity and catch the wind, they'll be constantly blowing over all day. Better to use wide, shallow pots to provide a sturdier base.
I have worked in the retail nursery trade for about 26 years and used to start my own seeds a long time ago.I got away from that. I am now retired and am getting back into all the things that I used to do way back then. Starting seeds and vermicomposting also. Im having a ball doing all these things again! I have 2 ft. high raised beds now so I don't have to be on my knees. My advise is to never give up!
Your first tip is really important! Many gardening books will tell you “full sun” for raspberries and blackberries and gooseberries, but, like you, I live in Colorado where we have lots of intense sunlight and low humidity. This makes afternoon shade more critical. Only some of the better gardening channels explain this, so this year (2023) I’m gonna succeed by giving them afternoon shade. Question: I’m going to try 30 gallon grow bags (with trays) on my flat roof garage (which has almost no shade) to grow cantaloupes. I’m thinking 1 or 2 plants per grow bag. Any suggestions? 1 or 2?
You can probably get by with two plants, but you may want to try a bag with a single plant to compare results. It can be tough to do it in our windy region, but you should also consider a plan for using shade cloth. You'll get not only direct sun but radiant heat from the roof top. The cantaloupe leaves will help to some degree, but draping shade cloth over plants can make a difference.
My first garden (spring 2005) was huge. I planted it mid-April and I was so excited. As soon as I finished planting everything, I discovered I was pregnant. I wish I had known not to plant so early because a frost came along around May 7 and left me scrambling to cover my plants to protect them. Then morning-noon-and-night morning sickness kicked my butt and it was all I could do to water the garden because it was so large, let alone pull weeds, etc. I wish I had known to start out small. The next garden I had was in 2017 and it was much, much smaller and I didn't plant it until mid-May! Planning a larger garden this year, but my now 14-year-old daughter can help.
I don't have a dedicated video on that but I mention it in a few. It depends on what you're using it for and how much sun you want to block. I favor 30% or 40% and buy in bulk from greenhousemegastore.com
I totally agree with everything you said, up to the last syllable. Haven't made many mistakes myself because I'm always asking, and looking at other gardens in the area. But I did learn from experience that you mustn't economise with tools. As you say, not necessarily many tools or fancy gadgets, but quality gear. It pays in the long run.
I still don’t know why I can’t grow tomatoes in pots. Cherry tomatoes are ok but I don’t think I ever get the yield others do, so I’ve learned I’m not good at container gardening. I think a good tip is to make a budget for gardening. I think about what I really need for the garden for a month before I get money in the budget for a new purchase. It’s made me get creative with supplies I already have by looking at scrap in the garage as possibilities for uses in the garden. Currently using strips of old trim in my garden as hoops. If it lasts a year, I’ll be pleased.
That's me as well ; D 2nd year owning the home and about to start my 2nd year as a gardener!! So exciting!!! My fiance and I started a very small patch garden at a house we rented about 4 yrs ago and I found out I love this gardening thing lol ; D Now I have over 400 square feet as an in-ground and I'm adding about 160 square feet of raise beds this year. It probably wont be everything I'm imagining at first, but it will get there!!
lol, the raised beds are great for me too, for drainage and to keep three of the four dogs out...the height doesn't bother my husky, she will still jump in and tear it up!!!
I always recommend your channel to friends who are interested in gardening. Your advice is practical. Using your finger to make the trench for the seed and using your finger to drop the seeds in actually gives you better control than using a fancy tool, and it's a great way to reground to the Earth which renews your energy. I thought for sure your Apple tree story was going to involve a black walnut tree.
I can totally agree with #5....but allot of things are like that. Remodeling a kitchen, fixing up the basement or going on vacation. Budget over what you expect to spend.
Yea, location...in Miami I struggle to find information to help with this extreme humidity and heat. There is a lot out there for cooler weather areas but not so much for tropical environments. I actually watch someone in Las Vegas, another in Australia, and from Costa Rica due to some of the similarities (heat and humidity).
I am in Brisbane, Australia, and I believe the weather is similar to Miami. I also found that there aren't many books that deal with this climate, even the Australian ones, as we have various climate zones and the type of food we commonly eat is mostly grown in the south. One can't live on Mangoes alone.
I’ve always assumed gardening without much of a winter would be fun and easy. I guess I’ve taken for granted the winter kill off of annual weeds and bugs. The grass is always greener on the other side, which in this case, is greener but that doesn’t mean you want it to be.
@@lauralaspe329 All my plants will wilt and struggle and underperform or die if it wasn't for "Reflective Shade Cloth". Im planning out my "real" garden and building now as i need to get ready for the prime growing months of December, January, and February. We will have nice warm weather and less humidity then....well, December will still be disgusting but the following months will be great!! The only other option is hydroponics or indoor growing. I have a friend who has opted for hydroponics....i will eventually try that out as well.
Great advice. Another point might be "be patient". That's one I really used to struggle with. Now I think about how great something is going to look in three years. :)
Quality gear is my #1 recommendation when people ask me about gardening. We each had a hoe when I was growing up, and a wheel hoe and a trowel for Mom. That was it. Well, Dad's tractor...he was a farmer lol.
I wish I knew how easy it is to make compost at home. I wish I knew how much fun worm composting is and easy it can be. I wish I knew about organic gardening. These are some of the things I know now from experience. Many of the things you mentioned as well that I am still learning more and more. Most of all I wish I knew how much more I had to learn and the best teacher was my own mistakes and how much fun it really can be. Now I know a lot these things and I love it and I keep on learning every day.
All my first round plants are up and growing except the peppers, they take an extra week. I'll direct seed another round and reuse the trays for another round later. That way harvesting can be spread out. My first time growing plugs. More personal for lack of a better word. Gives you a lift to see those little guys forging ahead from that tiny start.
I changed my wheelbarrow tires to solid tires after the third flat on my wheelbarrow. A wagon is nice as well. I use a wagon for smaller loads. Local seed exchange meetings are good for trading seeds and expanding your variety. , usually you can get plants for cheap as well. I got a swamp sunflower and two wild phlox plants for $3 total last year. The swamp sunflower blooms in September and October with nice yellow flowers.
Yep, I went with solid tires on about the third flat too. I agree a wagon is a nice addition. Seed exchanges are a great opportunity. Thanks for the suggestion.
You have some excellent advice. I live in NC coastal plains where it reaches 73% humidity and between 90 - 100. It is hard to find enough space where my shrubs get morning sun and no afternoon sun. Look forward to following you.
I wish knew more about soil when I started my garden at my new house 4 years ago. The soil in the area I wanted to put my garden was all rock and clay. I bought 20 tons of topsoil from a local company that excavates it from the same river bottom land that my family had farmed for 4 generations. I thought it was good and fertile. Little did I know the company was digging it from 30 to 40 feet under that once fertile soil. I couldn't even grow weeds that year. The next year I amended with alot of compost. Now the weeds really grew good, and I couldn't keep up with them because it was basically one big 20 foot by 30 foot raised bed. Last year I divided it all up, and had the best year yet. Another thing I wish I knew was to spend a little bit more time and money building the fence. I basically attached 2x4's to the 2x12's that I built the perimeter of the garden out of. Now 3 years old, they are starting to get loose, and I fear I will be redoing the fence in 2 or so years. Thanks for the awesome videos.
Hello I like your videos, just start to watch them last week because I’m a beginner gardener & thanks for all the help and instruction you’ve been informing us about. My soil is real bad after I build my raised bed do I just add soil on top or I have to dig up the bad soil 1st then put the new soil in
I'd like to see a video of how you control critters. I've had a tomato horn worm, and I think I have a rodent eating my still green tomatoes. I see a lizard there every morning, but I think he's just hanging out.
I have some videos where I discuss Integrated Pest Management for controlling insects, and I've discussed some deer and rabbit control in other videos as well. If I find other pests I'll do videos about it.
Thanks for pointing out more pitfalls. The ones I am sure to try and avoid are 4 and 5. Simply because I am on a tight fixed income and there isnt a lot of money to spend on fancy tools or extras for the garden. I have gotten real good at finding free resources. I do mostly container gardening so far, wicking buckets specifically. An example is that 5 gallon buckets are at least $3 and you need 2 of them for a wicking bucket. But I know a few friends that rescue cats. I get at least 6 Tidy Cat buckets a month for free, and I have been saving them since last fall. Granted they are not as sturdy as a 5 gallon bucked from Menards. But they are free and are easily replaceable. Another is that I wood chipped 1/3 of my back yard with free wood chips from a website that connects gardeners and tree services and cardboard from dumpsters.
The cat buckets are a great idea. Try checking with the bakery at your supermarket and ask if they have empty frosting buckets. They're almost always available for free,
@@derekcox6531 I noticed a few video's with them being used as containers so the idea isnt mine. But they do work well, I had cucumber plants in 3 of them last summer using tomato cages to trellis them up. I watch a lot of video's just for ideas, like the kiddie pools I will be using for beds. I got them out of the trash last fall.
Another good video Scott great gardening talk i can set and listen to your entire video with out getting board, i made the same mistake years ago when i got a book on fruit from the Royal Horticultural Society ,great book , one problem its was from England.
@ Gardner Scott good morning Gary from AZ , I need some guideness on these seeds , when I plant the seeds in a seeds pods things you get a Lowe's I put the mix in those cells I get that when I put them under the light do I have to put the lid on top of seeds or can I leave the lid off please help me on this thanks Gary 😊
I wonder if you could speak to wateriing these raised beds? I'm moving to Albuquerque, NM which you know is very dry. I haven't found on any of your presentations suggestions regarding this. Any would be much appreciated!
Thank you for the great advice Gardener Scott. I am new to gardening and will start my victory garden today. Your knowledge has helped me out a lot already in my preparations. It's gonna be exciting times :) Take care and enjoy the plants!
boy is that not the truth. Really enjoyed the video. I've done a lot of these mistakes 😂 myself . But I do try to learn from others people's mistakes and stuff that works for them saves me money and headaches. Thanks for the info. And I really like that you say there's so many different ways to garden. It is a sign of someone that actually knows what they're talking about.
i wish i had listen more to the older gardeners that had your experience . i wish i had bought more land that was dirt cheap . i wish had planted alot more fruit trees .
Any good ideas on how to identify bugs? I need to know which insects are the bad guys, and which are the good guys. I know a bit, but I'm in a new place, and know how much I don't know. Are field guides worth the price?
I find field guides to be of some help but they often include bugs I don't have and don't include bugs that I do. There tends to be a handful of insects that are most common in different regions and a simple search of their characteristics can give quick results. I searched "yellow striped bug" to find pictures of the cucumber beetles in my garden. Then it's a matter of recognizing and remembering when you see them again.
I've heard of this book, Garden insects of North America : the ultimate guide to backyard bugs, written by a Colorado State University entomology professor, Whitney Cranshaw. I don't know how good it is, but it might be a place to start.
Love your videos Scott ... I don't have many fancy tools and manage to get by with the basics. I was recently inspired by your bee hotel video and have just installed my own 😁🌺🌺 so can't wait for my new visitors to (hopefully) arrive soon.
One thing I noticed watching different gardening TH-cam channels/videos is that everyone has different ways of doing things (because they “swear by it” that it works wonders for them!) I say, well that is fine and dandy for them but it doesn’t mean it work for the rest of us! Lol - But anyway, I am a ‘Trial by error’ type of guy - if it works for me, then awesome! But if it doesn’t, well then I (learned) NOT to do it again! Happy gardening Scott! 😉👍
I wish I knew that okra plants grow to nearly 10 feet tall, how to plant potatoe seeds and harvest, squash growth. Had a successful garden for most part in summer 2019 but I am looking forward to a more successful 2020 spring/summer. Momma J’s country garden.
Thank you Gardener Scott! #5 really hits home; it does cost more than you think and the alkaline soil (in our case water too). Had a young woman come by here the other day and told me she wanted to start a garden. I tried to explain a few, simple realities to her and haven't seen her since. LOL! BTW, Do you have any advice on obtaining wood or plastic pallets at a decent price? I really could use a couple of them. I do NOT want to buy the lumber and build them. Thanks much!
Check for light industry in your area. A number of businesses have barrels or boxes delivered for manufacturing and then just stack the empty pallets behind their building. Many will be glad for you to take some away.
I feel like it's too late to plant right now. We're getting stone delivered in bulk cheaply to make a raised bed. But, looking at the price of soil too fill it, it just looks so expensive. I thought it would be cheaper and that we could do a 2-1 ratio of top soil to compost, but the top soil at our local nurseries I have now seen bad things about it and no information is included at all about what is in the top soil. I saw your video on using leaves, grass clippings, sticks, and your own soil, but I am pretty sure that would take many weeks to months before the sticks and everything would break down enough for planting. Is it too late to start doing that? Should we just be preparing our soil for next season?
Great advice! Thanks for sharing with us! Newish gardener here and learning as much as I can to be successful. I like experimenting with different growing methods and just enjoying the gardening experience.
Hi, Amy. I think gambling a bit in the garden can be fun and educational and I do it often. I discuss and show some of what I've done in other videos. Planting a zone higher, especially with a good microclimate identified, can lead to surprising results. For the important plants that I want to harvest I am conservative and choose plants less than 90 days, but I still try varieties longer than that to see if something works.
Hi gardener, Scott! Thanks for your videos. I am living in southeastern Idaho and starting a garden for the first time. I've decided to go with a couple raised beds yo start since its spring. Then in the fall woth use your method to create taller, stacked beds. Do you think I'll do okay with single raised beds using top soil, compost and exsisitmg dirt? Thanks.
It's not a bad idea to test amended soil at some point, but if you test the basic soil you can assume that the compost will improve it. Cardboard isn't necessary unless you're trying to kill the plants and organisms below it. I don't use it in my vegetable garden.
I'm a bit late watching this video but I have a question on lumber for raised beds. I generally use cedar because it lasts longer but all lumber has gotten really expensive lately partially due to Covid. Do you think it's worth paying up for cedar?
Something it took me a while of experimenting to learn. Really, it's just easier to bite the $ bullet and fence against rabbits. None of those other tricks work very well. Fencing works great. A few t-posts and chicken wire does the trick. For $100, a typical gardener probably will be able to fence off everything important. Rabbits usually leave potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants alone, so those plants can stay outside the fenced area.
it started with tomatoes and then peppers and then youtube put how to grow potatoes in a 5gal. bucket in my recomended and i said huh i can do that now 14 types of potatoes in ground and bags squash.zuccinni, cucmbers ,beans chard,kale,onion,asparegus,rassberrys,blueberrys,salad mix,spinich..new bed for carrots.couliflower,brockly,cabbich,sweet potatoes,and watermelon,damn i used to have a pool.
I bet that wheelbarrow could tell some stories. You could do an epoxy dip on those handles and easily see another 20 years with it. Products nowadays just aren't built like that. Break and replace ideology is awful for our environment, gardeners take note! Solid video as always Scott, Good Gardening.
I watch a lot of garden videos on TH-cam. Maybe you could help with my main concern: What growing zone are you in? You said Colorado, so that's Great , but seriously, there needs to be a garden channel control that tells all who share videos: What Zone?????!!!!! THX
Here are some things I wish I knew before I started an outdoor garden after 20+ years of not gardening outdoors: 1) In the plastic seed pots, you put 2 or 3, but in the biodegradable seed pots, only put one in each. 2) If you plan on doing a no till, low weeding garden, make sure you have the compost on hand and apply it immediately after you lay your cardboard. Don't apply the cardboard on a windy day. 3) Don't start yelling at the computer if it doesn't automatically tell you clearly which seeds need to be sown in full sun, partial sun, or low sun. Throwing things doesn't help either (although you may feel better if you throw the right thing). 4) learn which seeds to sow first in a green house, and don't blame the computer if you can't find the information easily- see tip three above.
@@GardenerScottWill you please take a question about companion planting. I'm planting both an herb garden and a medicinal herbal garden both. Because many medicinal herbs use the flower, I want to plant those together randomly- almost like you see mixed wild flowers. I'm looking at spreading English Lavender, Echanacia, Peppermint, Fennel and possibly Catnip randomly on the same patch of land, but I don't know how they will interact. If it's not good to have these together, what's a way I can still get the feel of these looking random while still getting the best medicinal and floral yield?
I'll do a companion planting video soon. I wouldn't worry about whether plants are good together as companions. Consider how big they'll grow, whether one would shade another, what there water needs are, and fertilization requirements. Lavender and Echinacea can grow big if not pruned so as "companions" they might crowd each other, but have similar water needs so could easily be in the same bed. Peppermint spreads easily and can overwhelm a bed so should be planted in a pot; catnip is similar, so they can go together. Fennel can go anywhere, attracts beneficial insects, and is a great visual component among lower plants. I think a random mix can look great and be productive by just thinking of them as plants and flowers growing according to their needs.
Intend to write all of these down. Its to late for me but maybe somebody i know is young enough to benifit. Thanks...the most important thing i wish i had known was the biology of soil.....used to memorize the magazine organic gardener but even there in the late 60's and early 70's there wasnt a through explaination between dirt and soil.
What I lean: 1.Work WITH Mother Nature NOT against her. The word seasonal crop actually means SOMETHING. Yes, you can overcome nature and have it your way. But, at what cause? It will always be easier to ally your garden with Mother Nature (More productive, less burden, less headache) than choking her to do your bidding. 2. Variety is the key: short / medium / long term crops. As they said, don't put your chickens all in one egg...or something.
Number one thing. YOU WILL FAIL!! My first vegetable garden i planted was pole beans, onions, potatos, carrots, squash, corn, and tomatoes. The only thing that grew was the potatoes. That was years ago and slowly I learned and now I can grow around 12 different vegetables. Still can't nail down corn. Any advice for Northern Minnesota?
Thx for all the great info you provide
I love your jacket Scott!!
I wish I had known how many not yet experienced gardeners give advice on the internet
I LOVE listening to you. Started my first garden this past week. I can get all the mulch I want for free because I work at a lumberyard. You're my new gardening teacher :)
That is awesome! Thanks!
So glad I found your channel BEFORE I started gardening. I know I'll still make mistakes, but at least I won't make the preventable ones! Thanks, Scott!
This is my second year gardening and my husband built 3 raised beds for me (he has a lot of confidence). There is a lot of good info out there, but much of it is conflicting. So this video was timely. I never thought about a writer's or youtuber's location as a factor. Thanks!
I'm glad to help.
Hello
Such good advice, thank you! I am realising how grateful I am for my climate (same as your zone 10) I can grow all year.
I wish I had known about building soil and using organic methods. I also wish I had known how to water correctly. Last year did all with my first raised beds! SUCCESS!
I LOVE me some Gardener Scott! just straight chill
One thing I like to do with tools is each paycheck buy one tool from my list. It doesn’t kill the wallet and before long you have a heap of tools
I wish I had begun a compost pile much sooner than I did.
I recently started watching your channel. Thank you for sharing your experiences in gardening.
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoy them.
In my first season,my wife was skeptical about my desire to have a garden. I have literally spent most of my life living on a boat. However I always wanted to grow something so she indulged me with my first planter in the back yard. 6 square ft. I grew a tomato and some bush beans which actually really worked out. Next year I had 2 planters,then the next I bought a metal raised bed. Now it’s my 5th year of having a garden and I wish I had maybe really talked to my wife about a plan to just section off a part of the yard and garden within that area. Instead,I have 5 smaller raised beds in opposite areas of my backyard which I thought would be good because they were sort of tucked away at the edges,but they’re not so convenient now when it comes to mowing grass and various other backyard chores and uses. Now I see my back yard in a different way and had I realized earlier that I actually was serious about having a garden,I would have placed my garden beds in a better location and just stuck with that plan. Instead,I now have to consider moving irrigation etc and redesign of my back yard to accommodate the various needs my family has for the yard. I think as a new gardener my best suggestion for a new gardener would be plan ahead and really think through your ideas for your garden. Where are the sprinkler heads? Lol Will your kids want to kick the soccer ball directly in front of your tomatoes? Are you going to mulch the entire garden area? If not,you better leave space for the lawnmower between your beds or it’s weedwhacker irritation all summer long! I could go on but I think most will get my drift. Thanks mr Scott for all your great teaching! It’s so valuable to us newbies!
You are definitely thinking about it the right way. I think you've graduated from being a newbie. Now you can start figuring out your plan and put it all together.
I didn't knew about tending my soil but tending my veggies.
I wish I knew how much I would love gardening
lol, we don't have a winter down here in Miami....although I wish we did! Things grow year round...
So jealous... I live in ND and we defiantly get winters here lol
This is all great info. My suggestion to anyone getting into gardening is to think about health and safety. Even working in your own garden and when carrying out the most basic tasks, it's important to wear appropriate clothing and follow safe working practices. And think about long-term effects on back and muscles. How about a video on H&S in the garden?
Great idea, Dave. I've been thinking about doing a video like that because I wear a back brace, hat, sunscreen, gloves and long-sleeve shirts when I work in the garden.
@@GardenerScott You're the man!
When l was in VA, l transplanted cedar trees in a horseshoe pattern next to my garden. All my efforts produced miniature green peppers, etc. My son-in-law recently told me cedar trees put off something in the air that inhibits growth of some other plants.
I'm in TN now, and will have a 1/2 acre in full sun. I'm moving there later this month and l'm chomping at the bit to get started on various planting options. I really do enjoy this channel 😊. Thank you for teaching us! ❣️
Thanks. Enjoy building your new garden.
Good to know. I was considering planting trees as a wind barrier for my Greenhouse and Beds. I had not considered any interference they might cause. Now I will research.
I just moved from CA to PA and bought my first house. It has a HUGE garden - 21 six foot beds! I've been both excited and a little freaked out by it all. I've only ever gardened in Californian suburbs so it's like im a beginner again. I've been doing a ton of research and I just recently found your channel! I LOVE the slow, easy, calm manner in which you speak. I have found myself looking forward to listening to you in the car like a podcast.
Thank you so much for your videos. I'm happy to subscribe and I look forward to my first year in a "real" garden!
Thanks so much, Deb. PA will be more challenging than CA, but you can do it. I might suggest you start small, rather than in all 21 beds. Figure out your climate, insects, soil, plant needs, and local gardener support in the first year. Then go gangbusters in the future. I just started a livestream on TH-cam this week and will do it every Monday. It's close to a podcast, so maybe you can listen to it while driving.
Any hobby costs money; choose the one you like.
One of the things I learned is to not grow tall plants in small pots. Because they have a high center of gravity and catch the wind, they'll be constantly blowing over all day. Better to use wide, shallow pots to provide a sturdier base.
Garage sales good places to pick up basic tools. Good video Gardner Scott thanks for sharing God bless you and yours.
I have worked in the retail nursery trade for about 26 years and used to start my own seeds a long time ago.I got away from that. I am now retired and am getting back into all the things that I used to do way back then. Starting seeds and vermicomposting also. Im having a ball doing all these things again! I have 2 ft. high raised beds now so I don't have to be on my knees. My advise is to never give up!
Absolutely. Don't give up!
Your first tip is really important! Many gardening books will tell you “full sun” for raspberries and blackberries and gooseberries, but, like you, I live in Colorado where we have lots of intense sunlight and low humidity. This makes afternoon shade more critical. Only some of the better gardening channels explain this, so this year (2023) I’m gonna succeed by giving them afternoon shade.
Question: I’m going to try 30 gallon grow bags (with trays) on my flat roof garage (which has almost no shade) to grow cantaloupes. I’m thinking 1 or 2 plants per grow bag. Any suggestions? 1 or 2?
You can probably get by with two plants, but you may want to try a bag with a single plant to compare results. It can be tough to do it in our windy region, but you should also consider a plan for using shade cloth. You'll get not only direct sun but radiant heat from the roof top. The cantaloupe leaves will help to some degree, but draping shade cloth over plants can make a difference.
@@GardenerScott thanks Scott
My first garden (spring 2005) was huge. I planted it mid-April and I was so excited. As soon as I finished planting everything, I discovered I was pregnant. I wish I had known not to plant so early because a frost came along around May 7 and left me scrambling to cover my plants to protect them. Then morning-noon-and-night morning sickness kicked my butt and it was all I could do to water the garden because it was so large, let alone pull weeds, etc. I wish I had known to start out small. The next garden I had was in 2017 and it was much, much smaller and I didn't plant it until mid-May! Planning a larger garden this year, but my now 14-year-old daughter can help.
That's a great lesson to share. I hope your larger garden and assistant make for a great season.
You are the best and your beautiful and kind wan okay?
as spring approaches, i'm getting caught up in MORE more more cool gardening toys! thank you for pointing out the potential pitfals.
It is very insidious.
Do you have a video on how to choose a shade cloth Scott? That's my big question right now and if you use them which brands do you like?
I don't have a dedicated video on that but I mention it in a few. It depends on what you're using it for and how much sun you want to block. I favor 30% or 40% and buy in bulk from greenhousemegastore.com
I totally agree with everything you said, up to the last syllable. Haven't made many mistakes myself because I'm always asking, and looking at other gardens in the area. But I did learn from experience that you mustn't economise with tools. As you say, not necessarily many tools or fancy gadgets, but quality gear. It pays in the long run.
Absolutely. Thanks!
thank you :)
I still don’t know why I can’t grow tomatoes in pots. Cherry tomatoes are ok but I don’t think I ever get the yield others do, so I’ve learned I’m not good at container gardening. I think a good tip is to make a budget for gardening. I think about what I really need for the garden for a month before I get money in the budget for a new purchase. It’s made me get creative with supplies I already have by looking at scrap in the garage as possibilities for uses in the garden. Currently using strips of old trim in my garden as hoops. If it lasts a year, I’ll be pleased.
Very true video$$$$$$ I wish I knew 🤦🏽♀️Thank you for sharing 🥔🧅🧄🥕
first time large garden first time home owner still learning as im going
That's me as well ; D 2nd year owning the home and about to start my 2nd year as a gardener!! So exciting!!! My fiance and I started a very small patch garden at a house we rented about 4 yrs ago and I found out I love this gardening thing lol ; D Now I have over 400 square feet as an in-ground and I'm adding about 160 square feet of raise beds this year. It probably wont be everything I'm imagining at first, but it will get there!!
@@Jovi2584 heck ya every year we will make it better good luck on yours this year
hardening off seedlings....never knew about that but now i do, lol.
Scott, i wish i knew about your channel 2 years ago lol. You have taught me so much thanks
lol, the raised beds are great for me too, for drainage and to keep three of the four dogs out...the height doesn't bother my husky, she will still jump in and tear it up!!!
I always recommend your channel to friends who are interested in gardening. Your advice is practical. Using your finger to make the trench for the seed and using your finger to drop the seeds in actually gives you better control than using a fancy tool, and it's a great way to reground to the Earth which renews your energy.
I thought for sure your Apple tree story was going to involve a black walnut tree.
I can totally agree with #5....but allot of things are like that. Remodeling a kitchen, fixing up the basement or going on vacation. Budget over what you expect to spend.
You sure are right!! It's always more cost than i think it's gonna be. Always. 😁
Yea, location...in Miami I struggle to find information to help with this extreme humidity and heat. There is a lot out there for cooler weather areas but not so much for tropical environments. I actually watch someone in Las Vegas, another in Australia, and from Costa Rica due to some of the similarities (heat and humidity).
I am in Brisbane, Australia, and I believe the weather is similar to Miami. I also found that there aren't many books that deal with this climate, even the Australian ones, as we have various climate zones and the type of food we commonly eat is mostly grown in the south. One can't live on Mangoes alone.
I’ve always assumed gardening without much of a winter would be fun and easy. I guess I’ve taken for granted the winter kill off of annual weeds and bugs. The grass is always greener on the other side, which in this case, is greener but that doesn’t mean you want it to be.
@@lauralaspe329 All my plants will wilt and struggle and underperform or die if it wasn't for "Reflective Shade Cloth". Im planning out my "real" garden and building now as i need to get ready for the prime growing months of December, January, and February. We will have nice warm weather and less humidity then....well, December will still be disgusting but the following months will be great!! The only other option is hydroponics or indoor growing. I have a friend who has opted for hydroponics....i will eventually try that out as well.
Great advice. Another point might be "be patient". That's one I really used to struggle with. Now I think about how great something is going to look in three years. :)
You're right. Patience was one of the things I mentioned in the early video.
@@GardenerScott I had a cat trying to climb in my lap when I first say down distracting me. I missed that! Darn cat. Great videos!
Hello Linda how are you doing and this guy is the best right?
Quality gear is my #1 recommendation when people ask me about gardening. We each had a hoe when I was growing up, and a wheel hoe and a trowel for Mom. That was it. Well, Dad's tractor...he was a farmer lol.
Quality is definitely important. Thanks.
Great video! Thank you!
Statuettes and lights can help with looks also
I wish I knew how easy it is to make compost at home. I wish I knew how much fun worm composting is and easy it can be. I wish I knew about organic gardening. These are some of the things I know now from experience. Many of the things you mentioned as well that I am still learning more and more. Most of all I wish I knew how much more I had to learn and the best teacher was my own mistakes and how much fun it really can be. Now I know a lot these things and I love it and I keep on learning every day.
Thanks for a great list of good lessons, Dee.
All my first round plants are up and growing except the peppers, they take an extra week. I'll direct seed another round and reuse the trays for another round later. That way harvesting can be spread out. My first time growing plugs. More personal for lack of a better word. Gives you a lift to see those little guys forging ahead from that tiny start.
That's great, Tom. It's a wonderful feeling.
I wish I had found your channel years ago. What a wonderful channel you've built =)
Thank you very much!
Always great info
I changed my wheelbarrow tires to solid tires after the third flat on my wheelbarrow. A wagon is nice as well. I use a wagon for smaller loads.
Local seed exchange meetings are good for trading seeds and expanding your variety. , usually you can get plants for cheap as well. I got a swamp sunflower and two wild phlox plants for $3 total last year. The swamp sunflower blooms in September and October with nice yellow flowers.
Yep, I went with solid tires on about the third flat too. I agree a wagon is a nice addition. Seed exchanges are a great opportunity. Thanks for the suggestion.
You have some excellent advice. I live in NC coastal plains where it reaches 73% humidity and between 90 - 100. It is hard to find enough space where my shrubs get morning sun and no afternoon sun. Look forward to following you.
Thanks, Mary.
I wish knew more about soil when I started my garden at my new house 4 years ago. The soil in the area I wanted to put my garden was all rock and clay. I bought 20 tons of topsoil from a local company that excavates it from the same river bottom land that my family had farmed for 4 generations. I thought it was good and fertile. Little did I know the company was digging it from 30 to 40 feet under that once fertile soil. I couldn't even grow weeds that year. The next year I amended with alot of compost. Now the weeds really grew good, and I couldn't keep up with them because it was basically one big 20 foot by 30 foot raised bed. Last year I divided it all up, and had the best year yet. Another thing I wish I knew was to spend a little bit more time and money building the fence. I basically attached 2x4's to the 2x12's that I built the perimeter of the garden out of. Now 3 years old, they are starting to get loose, and I fear I will be redoing the fence in 2 or so years. Thanks for the awesome videos.
Thanks for sharing your story. I hope each year is better from now on.
Hello I like your videos, just start to watch them last week because I’m a beginner gardener & thanks for all the help and instruction you’ve been informing us about. My soil is real bad after I build my raised bed do I just add soil on top or I have to dig up the bad soil 1st then put the new soil in
I'd like to see a video of how you control critters. I've had a tomato horn worm, and I think I have a rodent eating my still green tomatoes. I see a lizard there every morning, but I think he's just hanging out.
I have some videos where I discuss Integrated Pest Management for controlling insects, and I've discussed some deer and rabbit control in other videos as well. If I find other pests I'll do videos about it.
thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom with us , i really appreciate
I'm very glad to help. Thanks.
Thanks for pointing out more pitfalls. The ones I am sure to try and avoid are 4 and 5. Simply because I am on a tight fixed income and there isnt a lot of money to spend on fancy tools or extras for the garden. I have gotten real good at finding free resources. I do mostly container gardening so far, wicking buckets specifically. An example is that 5 gallon buckets are at least $3 and you need 2 of them for a wicking bucket. But I know a few friends that rescue cats. I get at least 6 Tidy Cat buckets a month for free, and I have been saving them since last fall. Granted they are not as sturdy as a 5 gallon bucked from Menards. But they are free and are easily replaceable. Another is that I wood chipped 1/3 of my back yard with free wood chips from a website that connects gardeners and tree services and cardboard from dumpsters.
Kilz z the tidy cat buckets are a great idea!! Talk about up cycling! 👍
The cat buckets are a great idea. Try checking with the bakery at your supermarket and ask if they have empty frosting buckets. They're almost always available for free,
@@derekcox6531 I noticed a few video's with them being used as containers so the idea isnt mine. But they do work well, I had cucumber plants in 3 of them last summer using tomato cages to trellis them up.
I watch a lot of video's just for ideas, like the kiddie pools I will be using for beds. I got them out of the trash last fall.
Another good video Scott great gardening talk i can set and listen to your entire video with out getting board, i made the same mistake years ago when i got a book on fruit from the Royal Horticultural Society ,great book , one problem its was from England.
Thanks. I love seeing English gardening shows, but now know it's just for looking.
@ Gardner Scott good morning Gary from AZ , I need some guideness on these seeds , when I plant the seeds in a seeds pods things you get a Lowe's I put the mix in those cells I get that when I put them under the light do I have to put the lid on top of seeds or can I leave the lid off please help me on this thanks Gary 😊
I discuss that in some of my seed starting videos. The cover should be in place to help the seeds germinate. After germination the cover can come off.
Ok thank you 😊
I wonder if you could speak to wateriing these raised beds? I'm moving to Albuquerque, NM which you know is very dry. I haven't found on any of your presentations suggestions regarding this. Any would be much appreciated!
Good suggestion. I have a video on that planned when my winter is over and I actually have plants in the beds to water.
Thank you for the great advice Gardener Scott. I am new to gardening and will start my victory garden today. Your knowledge has helped me out a lot already in my preparations. It's gonna be exciting times :) Take care and enjoy the plants!
Good for you! Enjoy it!
boy is that not the truth. Really enjoyed the video. I've done a lot of these mistakes 😂 myself . But I do try to learn from others people's mistakes and stuff that works for them saves me money and headaches. Thanks for the info. And I really like that you say there's so many different ways to garden. It is a sign of someone that actually knows what they're talking about.
Thanks so much.
i wish i had listen more to the older gardeners that had your experience . i wish i had bought more land that was dirt cheap . i wish had planted alot more fruit trees .
We tend to waste our youth when we're young.
thats another tshirt scott , youth is wasted on the young .
Any good ideas on how to identify bugs? I need to know which insects are the bad guys, and which are the good guys. I know a bit, but I'm in a new place, and know how much I don't know. Are field guides worth the price?
I find field guides to be of some help but they often include bugs I don't have and don't include bugs that I do. There tends to be a handful of insects that are most common in different regions and a simple search of their characteristics can give quick results. I searched "yellow striped bug" to find pictures of the cucumber beetles in my garden. Then it's a matter of recognizing and remembering when you see them again.
@@GardenerScott thank you
I've heard of this book, Garden insects of North America : the ultimate guide to backyard bugs, written by a Colorado State University entomology professor, Whitney Cranshaw. I don't know how good it is, but it might be a place to start.
Fantastic video as usual 👍
Thanks, Dan.
Love your videos Scott ... I don't have many fancy tools and manage to get by with the basics. I was recently inspired by your bee hotel video and have just installed my own 😁🌺🌺 so can't wait for my new visitors to (hopefully) arrive soon.
That's awesome!
Can you make a video on how to harvest seed for the next planting?
Like how long do you leave the fruit on the vine, how to dry the seeds, etc. :)
I have quite a few videos on collecting seeds. Here's one: th-cam.com/video/WSEICaCyUa8/w-d-xo.html
One thing I noticed watching different gardening TH-cam channels/videos is that everyone has different ways of doing things (because they “swear by it” that it works wonders for them!) I say, well that is fine and dandy for them but it doesn’t mean it work for the rest of us! Lol - But anyway, I am a ‘Trial by error’ type of guy - if it works for me, then awesome! But if it doesn’t, well then I (learned) NOT to do it again! Happy gardening Scott! 😉👍
Thanks, Jeff. 👍
I wish I would’ve known to watch Gardner Scott five years ago
We are in the same zone my man
You are this best
Thanks!
I wish I knew that okra plants grow to nearly 10 feet tall, how to plant potatoe seeds and harvest, squash growth.
Had a successful garden for most part in summer 2019 but I am looking forward to a more successful 2020 spring/summer.
Momma J’s country garden.
Good lesson. Thanks.
Thank you Gardener Scott! #5 really hits home; it does cost more than you think and the alkaline soil (in our case water too). Had a young woman come by here the other day and told me she wanted to start a garden. I tried to explain a few, simple realities to her and haven't seen her since. LOL! BTW, Do you have any advice on obtaining wood or plastic pallets at a decent price? I really could use a couple of them. I do NOT want to buy the lumber and build them. Thanks much!
Check for light industry in your area. A number of businesses have barrels or boxes delivered for manufacturing and then just stack the empty pallets behind their building. Many will be glad for you to take some away.
@@GardenerScott "Light" industry? Can you give me some examples? I have no idea what those might be.
Wish I knew how rewarding and healthy growing food would be years ago
I feel like it's too late to plant right now. We're getting stone delivered in bulk cheaply to make a raised bed. But, looking at the price of soil too fill it, it just looks so expensive. I thought it would be cheaper and that we could do a 2-1 ratio of top soil to compost, but the top soil at our local nurseries I have now seen bad things about it and no information is included at all about what is in the top soil. I saw your video on using leaves, grass clippings, sticks, and your own soil, but I am pretty sure that would take many weeks to months before the sticks and everything would break down enough for planting. Is it too late to start doing that? Should we just be preparing our soil for next season?
It's not too late. As long as the top eight inches or more is amended soil you can grow in it.
Wonderful video!
Thanks!
Great advice! Thanks for sharing with us! Newish gardener here and learning as much as I can to be successful. I like experimenting with different growing methods and just enjoying the gardening experience.
Thanks! Keep experimenting, enjoying, and learning. 👍
Hi Gardener Scott! I just discovered you this season, but have wanted to be a master gardener since I was 10yrs old watching PBS
Hi, Amy. I think gambling a bit in the garden can be fun and educational and I do it often. I discuss and show some of what I've done in other videos. Planting a zone higher, especially with a good microclimate identified, can lead to surprising results. For the important plants that I want to harvest I am conservative and choose plants less than 90 days, but I still try varieties longer than that to see if something works.
Hi gardener, Scott! Thanks for your videos. I am living in southeastern Idaho and starting a garden for the first time. I've decided to go with a couple raised beds yo start since its spring. Then in the fall woth use your method to create taller, stacked beds. Do you think I'll do okay with single raised beds using top soil, compost and exsisitmg dirt? Thanks.
Single beds with a blended, amended soil will be fine. Get one season under your belt and you can add bigger beds at the end of the season.
@@GardenerScott thank you! Is it necessary to test the amended soil?
Also, do you think it's a good idea to lay down cardboard and cut the areas where I'll plant? Or is it too late in the season?
It's not a bad idea to test amended soil at some point, but if you test the basic soil you can assume that the compost will improve it. Cardboard isn't necessary unless you're trying to kill the plants and organisms below it. I don't use it in my vegetable garden.
@@GardenerScott thank you!
how many times have you misplaced that utility knife?
Not many.
I'm a bit late watching this video but I have a question on lumber for raised beds. I generally use cedar because it lasts longer but all lumber has gotten really expensive lately partially due to Covid. Do you think it's worth paying up for cedar?
I don't use much cedar because of the cost, but it's worth it if you like the appearance of the wood.
#5🙆🙆🙆🙆😂😂 feels like the preacher's talkin directly to me 😂😂👍👍👍👍👍👍×10000000
👍
Something it took me a while of experimenting to learn. Really, it's just easier to bite the $ bullet and fence against rabbits. None of those other tricks work very well. Fencing works great. A few t-posts and chicken wire does the trick. For $100, a typical gardener probably will be able to fence off everything important. Rabbits usually leave potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants alone, so those plants can stay outside the fenced area.
This is so true!!
That's a good plan... protect what needs protection.
it started with tomatoes and then peppers and then youtube put how to grow potatoes in a 5gal. bucket in my recomended and i said huh i can do that now 14 types of potatoes in ground and bags squash.zuccinni, cucmbers ,beans chard,kale,onion,asparegus,rassberrys,blueberrys,salad mix,spinich..new bed for carrots.couliflower,brockly,cabbich,sweet potatoes,and watermelon,damn i used to have a pool.
My story exactly! Ain't life grand?
@@speakez2305 yes it is i quit smoking in sept. and to give myself insentive i get to have the money saved for me todays went on compost!
At least you don't have to clean the pool any more.
@@GardenerScott my wife did that now she tells me how much i spend on my garden,
Amen!
Great advice, thank you
Thanks.
Thank you!!! 💚🌎🌱♻️
You're very welcome.
Hello party how are you doing?
I bet that wheelbarrow could tell some stories. You could do an epoxy dip on those handles and easily see another 20 years with it.
Products nowadays just aren't built like that. Break and replace ideology is awful for our environment, gardeners take note!
Solid video as always Scott, Good Gardening.
Thanks! Epoxy is a great idea.
I watch a lot of garden videos on TH-cam. Maybe you could help with my main concern: What growing zone are you in? You said Colorado, so that's Great , but seriously, there needs to be a garden channel control that tells all who share videos: What Zone?????!!!!! THX
I'm in Zone 5b. I mention that in many videos but not every one.
Yes, you're good about that. It's all the other sites that don't do that- that's what needs fixin!
Here are some things I wish I knew before I started an outdoor garden after 20+ years of not gardening outdoors: 1) In the plastic seed pots, you put 2 or 3, but in the biodegradable seed pots, only put one in each. 2) If you plan on doing a no till, low weeding garden, make sure you have the compost on hand and apply it immediately after you lay your cardboard. Don't apply the cardboard on a windy day. 3) Don't start yelling at the computer if it doesn't automatically tell you clearly which seeds need to be sown in full sun, partial sun, or low sun. Throwing things doesn't help either (although you may feel better if you throw the right thing). 4) learn which seeds to sow first in a green house, and don't blame the computer if you can't find the information easily- see tip three above.
Those are great lessons learned. Thanks, Monica.
@@GardenerScottWill you please take a question about companion planting. I'm planting both an herb garden and a medicinal herbal garden both. Because many medicinal herbs use the flower, I want to plant those together randomly- almost like you see mixed wild flowers. I'm looking at spreading English Lavender, Echanacia, Peppermint, Fennel and possibly Catnip randomly on the same patch of land, but I don't know how they will interact. If it's not good to have these together, what's a way I can still get the feel of these looking random while still getting the best medicinal and floral yield?
I'll do a companion planting video soon. I wouldn't worry about whether plants are good together as companions. Consider how big they'll grow, whether one would shade another, what there water needs are, and fertilization requirements. Lavender and Echinacea can grow big if not pruned so as "companions" they might crowd each other, but have similar water needs so could easily be in the same bed. Peppermint spreads easily and can overwhelm a bed so should be planted in a pot; catnip is similar, so they can go together. Fennel can go anywhere, attracts beneficial insects, and is a great visual component among lower plants. I think a random mix can look great and be productive by just thinking of them as plants and flowers growing according to their needs.
Gardening is addictive I wish I knew what I really wanted from the beginning. All well nothing ventured nothing lost. Just lessons for life. God bless
It is an enjoyable and frustrating addiction.
@@GardenerScott yes it is however a healthy addiction. God bless
Snow, if you can see it....you're too close.
Intend to write all of these down. Its to late for me but maybe somebody i know is young enough to benifit. Thanks...the most important thing i wish i had known was the biology of soil.....used to memorize the magazine organic gardener but even there in the late 60's and early 70's there wasnt a through explaination between dirt and soil.
What I lean:
1.Work WITH Mother Nature NOT against her. The word seasonal crop actually means SOMETHING.
Yes, you can overcome nature and have it your way. But, at what cause?
It will always be easier to ally your garden with Mother Nature (More productive, less burden, less headache) than choking her to do your bidding.
2. Variety is the key: short / medium / long term crops. As they said, don't put your chickens all in one egg...or something.
First 3-6-2020 5:15 pm Eastern Time
ack, you beat me! ; )
Just as it was released. 👍
Number one thing. YOU WILL FAIL!! My first vegetable garden i planted was pole beans, onions, potatos, carrots, squash, corn, and tomatoes. The only thing that grew was the potatoes. That was years ago and slowly I learned and now I can grow around 12 different vegetables. Still can't nail down corn. Any advice for Northern Minnesota?
I've had mixed results with corn. Rich soil, adequate moisture, and block planting can help.
สวัสดีครับ
สวัสดี
👍👍👍👌☺️
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Gardeners spend more than a billion dollars a year in the US! More money is spent on gardening than any other hobby!
That's a great statistic that we can brag about.
5 more things I wish I had known before I started gardening. Grammar police.😉
I don't dispute that, but I like the colloquial aspect of "wish I knew".
@@GardenerScott it's not colloquial. It's wrong. Same as "I was sat." it's just bad grammar.