Food & Drink Gardening Advice Thread

Zyobot

Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
With food costs rising and supply-chain bottlenecks afoot, I figured now's a good time to learn a bit about gardening. Have found a few interesting YouTube channels (here and here) and some websites breaking down the basics (here and here), though at the moment, my living situation isn't "optimal" for growing much more than a smattering of herbs and small houseplants, at most.

Luckily, I'll be moving to somewhere more "ideal" around September-ish, so hopefully, I'll be able to do some actual gardening before the year ends. So, whatever advice y'all have for me on what crops to grow, what equipment to buy, or growing techniques that'll optimize my yield and the quality of my food would be much appreciated. Online resources are certainly good, but if you have any beginner-friendly books or more "thorough" references than what a casual Web search will pull up, please send them my way! (y)

Thank you in advance,
Zyobot
 

The Whispering Monk

Well-known member
Osaul
Before you get wherever you are headed, look around for an expert in gardening/plants for that area. Sometimes there's a local radio show on daily or sometime on the weekend that covers tips and tricks. Can search for a Master Gardener in the area as well.

Feel free to wander into the local garden centers for local advice. Not the Walmart ones but the dedicated nurseries.
 

Blasterbot

Well-known member
Make sure what you want to plant can actually grow in the area you want to plant. some things require more sun and some things need a bit of shade from time to time. when in doubt talk to some local people who have been growing for a while about what works good there.
 

Zyobot

Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
Make sure what you want to plant can actually grow in the area you want to plant. some things require more sun and some things need a bit of shade from time to time. when in doubt talk to some local people who have been growing for a while about what works good there.

Sounds fair.

Recall finding a USDA plant hardiness map that indicates regional temperature ranges in which certain plants may grow, though that still doesn’t offer the most “specific” advice in the world. The Southwest, for example, is a hotbed for succulents and other drought-tolerant species; water shortages aside, I’ve always been surprised at what they manage to grow there (such as the stuff shown here).
 

Blasterbot

Well-known member
it also if you are new to a community be a way to actually talk with and connect to some more normal people with a similar hobby. there is value in cultivating relationships like that. that they are also likely to be more self sufficient individuals would also be a plus. worst case scenario you end up listening to some old ladies talk about gardening for a while.
 

Zyobot

Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
it also if you are new to a community be a way to actually talk with and connect to some more normal people with a similar hobby. there is value in cultivating relationships like that. that they are also likely to be more self sufficient individuals would also be a plus. worst case scenario you end up listening to some old ladies talk about gardening for a while.

Would prefer to befriend gardeners more within my age range, but again, seems reasonable.

Been wanting to connect with people that work in more hands-on, "production-centric" trades, anyway, since their skills and input are always useful. White-collar professionals may enjoy greater pay and social prestige, but it's ultimately the farmers, ranchers, loggers, mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and other hard-working people who do the actual gruntwork that keeps modern civilization going who you need when our current, highly "managerialist" system has reached its limits.
 

Cherico

Well-known member
If you have a bunch of tomato seeds and want to grow tomatos.

Do not plant them all at once, seriously that was a horrible mistake, you wont be able to eat them all and you will get sick of it real fast and then get stuck trying to get the stuff to stay. Instead try to stagger the plants if you can.
 

Zyobot

Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
If you have a bunch of tomato seeds and want to grow tomatos.

Do not plant them all at once, seriously that was a horrible mistake, you wont be able to eat them all and you will get sick of it real fast and then get stuck trying to get the stuff to stay. Instead try to stagger the plants if you can.

When you say "stagger", I suppose that means plant just a few at a time and save the rest?

Figured that'd be another rookie mistake to avoid, as well. (My incoming setup will only allow for container gardening, anyway, which precludes large gardening beds to grow all my seeds at once.) Same logic applies to other crops, I'm guessing, which I also hope to raise as soon as I have enough experience and a good system going. Yams, potatoes, corn, all more "intensive" stuff that have their nutritional uses and above-average caloric input, in the event I have to provide most of the essential stuff myself.
 

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