New Organic Veggie Gardener-needs HELP!

Hi everyone,
I am trying my hand at veggie gardening for the first time---took a plot in the nearby community organic garden as my own property is very shady. I am just clearing and weeding the space and would like ideas on what is EASIEST to grow
(Zone 6B) and requires the least amount of care. I need that feeling of success! (I don't care for zucchini or other squash, or brussel sprouts.) Any tips for controlling weeds and bugs? I did read about the hot pepper and garlic sprays. Thanks for any direction you can give me---I'm a real amateur!
SandyR

Sandy,

You can't go far wrong with beans. Easy to grow, easy to care for, and very prolific.

Things you start with plants instead of seeds, i.e., tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, also are relatively easier than direct sowing.

Good luck in your garden.


Brook

You might still find some cabbage starts in a nursery somewhere. I hand pick and squish a few bugs, throw others in a quart jar about half full of water with a little salad oil on top. Cabbage worms are the same color as the cabbage leaves, sort of velvety green you have to look close. Aphids can be blasted off things with a good spray from the hose, with any luck they will starve before they find your plants again. Have fun, let us know how it goes, we love success stories.

Thanks Brook and MaryE---appreciate your input! I will let you know how it goes!
SandyR

BTW, Sandy, your best resource will be the other gardeners involved in the community plots. Don't hesitate to ask them for advice. I'm sure you'll find them very forthcoming. And you'll be getting tips and techniques that have been proven to work where you are gardening.

Hi SandyR
I hope you have lots of success in your organic gardening venture. I have been gardening organically for a lot of years but don't regard myself as any kind of expert. It can be challenging unless you are blessed with ready made perfectly balanced soil. That is the key, getting your soil built up naturally with compost, worm castings, crop rotation. Starting small with the "square foot" method enables you to build up individual sections quickly. I actually create 12 to 18 inch square "planters" without bottoms (made from 4'cedar fencing slats which I buy on sale for a few cents) which I set halfway deep in the garden, then fill with a clean, organic soil mixture and plant individual maters, cukes, etc. this of course only works for small gardens, but lets you concentrate on developing your organic plots section by section. Really controls soil borne diseases. If you are converting a whole garden at once it can be very discouraging, and can take as long as 5 years to get the soil built up. Good luck and happy gardening!