The Grass Doctor

Garden questions, how, when, where, how much?

I planted a small garden last year a few things didn't survive and so I am taking the time to really research what I did wrong, and how I can make it better. I am looking for a website that may have all the answers. I live in SE Kansas. Which is a little dry so I have to water a lot, my yard has little shade and is quite flat, so I can easily have a large garden. I plan to plant corn, okra, onions, radishes, potatoes, lettuce, spinach, beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, 4 kinds of hot peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin, strawberries, squash, cucumbers. (which this is only about 5 more than last year) How much space do I need to have between plants like the tomatoes call for 24 inches? How often should I water, do some plants require less water than others? Should I group some together, what should not be close to what and what attracts bugs? I know that watermelon, cantaloupe and pumpkin should be seperate but can they grow somewhat close to one another? Any suggestions on the strawberries, I remember my grandma kept them by themselves because they spread and I think she kept a wood edge around them? What kinds of fertilizers have the best results, anything that I may have that could be organic, egg shells, coffee, tea grounds, ect.? What about keeping the bugs out, I know about seven dust but anything I could use to keep the bugs out the I don't have to worry about my kids coming in contact with? When should I start planting, I know that our last freeze is shortly after Easter? I know that this seems like a lot of questions and in a way it is. I really had a hard time last year with squash and cucumber the plant got moldy and died half way through the season. I still don't know why though. Any advice is helpful and a website that may have all these questions would be great. Thank you so much for you time.

Public Comments

1. thats like 60 questions, but first of all, vegetables dont grow again by them self every year , everything you mentioned needs replanted every year" i better get 10 points for answering all this. " all the plants you described use the same amount of water. vines, pumpkin watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, all need 3 feet of separation. the compost you described , is right, and seven dust, isnt that harmful, but its the only sure fire way to keep the bugs off. if your last freeze is shortly after the spring equinox, then shortly after r is when you should plant???? it seems youve answered all your own questions. if your having mold problems, then put down straw underneath all the plants, it help the ground to stay damp, and keep the veggies of the wet dirt.
2. Since you have so many questions, and are bound to have more as time goes by, I think your best option is to find a couple resources you can readily get to to find answers. There are many sources of gardening information available. You can try your Extension Office, A local Master Gardener (helping people is what they are about), or on the internet. Some of my favorite places to get information is: http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/ http://www.gardenmaster.com/Pages/HowToGuides/HowToGuides.asp http://plantdiagnostics.umd.edu/index.cfm http://www.garden.org/home Of course, you can always do a search on particular questions and find lots of information. Your local library should also have tons of gardening books available.