I just started a garden but it’s not going well. The plants are growing they just aren’t producing much if any at all. I’m very new to gardening so maybe I’m not doing something right. It is so cool to see things you plant (whether by seeds or small plants bought in the store) grow, I like checking on them everyday. It’s a peaceful experience. Got so excited to see the plants grow and when I harvested the very small things that did grow. My green beans all died, my carrots aren’t growing (besides my dog knocked over my container I was growing some of the carrots in (the other ones are in a raised bed) when he ran out of the doggy door to chase a squirrel we believe. My husband found it tipped over and salvaged what he could but maybe 3-4 survived. It does feel a little discouraging that not a lot of vegs are growing but it’s my first time growing anything so I will keep trying. It must be me doing something wrong.
I have way too many questions for you. Your best bet would be to find someone in your neighborhood with a big healthy garden and ask them for help. Elderly folks with green thumbs are more than willing to help.
Where do you live?
How are your plants dying? Bugs? Animals? Are the seeds sprouting and the plant dying afterward?
Are you using fertilizer? How much, how often and how do you apply?
Are you using potting soil, local soil, mulch mixed with dirt?
Do you compost and use it?
Are there worms in your soil?
Live in S. Alabama. Don't know how they are dying, first time growing anything.
The only bugs I actually see on them is little brown ants. Have dogs but just the puppy tries to eat leaves, but the ones that he can't reach are the ones I have problems with, lol.
The plants from either seeds or bought small plants, grow good but either don't produce vegs/only produce like one veg/or start growing vegs then either the vegs dye &/or the whole plant dies.
I'm only using the veg garden soil from the garden centers (tractor supply & lowes) and I've thrown in some veg food(? the little bead things from miracle grow). Though I think my husband may have some miracle grow fertilizer that you add water too and poor in your plants, but haven't had time to try it (he actually just told me about it about a week or two ago).
We have a new puppy and he takes up soooo much of my day right now. But I go check on my "outside" (raised bed) & ones in buckets on my porch a few times a day. I don't mess much with them too much, just check to see if they need water and check how they are doing. I'm actually surprised I didn't kill them all from the start, lol. Trying to let them do their thing, you know? I like to see them growing, it's pretty cool to be able to grow something.
No compost as we don't compost. I haven't seen any worms, but that doesn't mean they are there I guess.
You are in zone 8. The higher the number, the hotter the region. Try to plant according to your zone. Instructions are on the back of a seed packet. I am speculating that you planted too late for your zone and then didn’t water them as much as they needed. They were too young and delicate to tolerate the hot summer sun and lack of water didn’t help. Raised beds tend to dry out quickly and need more water. Your soil sounds fine as does your fertilizer. I would till the soil around your plants once a week. You probably don’t have worms and tilling the dirt helps aeration of the soil, which worms do. If all of your plants are dying, then I assume that bugs are not the reason as certain bugs like only certain plants.
Next year, plant in stages. Cold weather crops that can take a light frost can be grown early, like lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli and cauliflower. As soon as the threat of frost is gone (yes, watch weather forecasts very closely), then plant the rest of your garden.
I hope that helps.
PS - if plants are really healthy but don’t produce, then there are two reasons that would cause this. Sometimes too much fertilizer will do this as the plant figures out that reproducing isn’t important as it’s life is just awesome. The other reason is lack of pollination. Consider putting a honeybee hive close by to help or you pollinating them yourself with a wet Q-Tip.
And one last thing. Plant have a consciousness. Don’t be afraid to lovingly talk to them from time to time.
Thank you so much for your advice! I'm not going to give up on gardening, at least not yet. Going to keep trying and learning where I can. I appreciate you taking the time to comment back.
Green beans are difficult to grow sometimes. A soil sample to your local farm bureau extension office next spring will help. I also keep putting seeds in the spots that are bare. A little fertilizer helps. Miracle grow every 3 weeks is good. If you can get a time release fertilizer try to find 10 10 10 mix. Your local stores or garden centers and even an FS will know what you mean when you ask for it. Gardening is a learning experience. Every year you will get better.
Thanks for the advice. This is my first time growing anything, so I just got veg garden soil from the store (tractor supply & lowes). Because I have back issues & balance issues, I have planted in buckets & a raised garden using the soil from the store.
That's great! I have an electric glass top stove so I can't can anything. Been wondering if I should get one of those food vacuum sealer bags & machines.
Me too; limited success so far but I'm learning. Like everything it takes experience to get good. I'm using grow pots which makes it more manageable for me as I can't physically do what I used to.
I'm using buckets & a raised garden bed my husband made for me. I can't do a lot of bending, which I do anyway but not supposed to or supposed to pick up anything remotely heavy. I have back issues which also transfer to my hips, along with Meniere's, I found that bending over or looking down (depending on length of time) can make my head a little off balance.
I just started a garden but it’s not going well. The plants are growing they just aren’t producing much if any at all. I’m very new to gardening so maybe I’m not doing something right. It is so cool to see things you plant (whether by seeds or small plants bought in the store) grow, I like checking on them everyday. It’s a peaceful experience. Got so excited to see the plants grow and when I harvested the very small things that did grow. My green beans all died, my carrots aren’t growing (besides my dog knocked over my container I was growing some of the carrots in (the other ones are in a raised bed) when he ran out of the doggy door to chase a squirrel we believe. My husband found it tipped over and salvaged what he could but maybe 3-4 survived. It does feel a little discouraging that not a lot of vegs are growing but it’s my first time growing anything so I will keep trying. It must be me doing something wrong.
I have way too many questions for you. Your best bet would be to find someone in your neighborhood with a big healthy garden and ask them for help. Elderly folks with green thumbs are more than willing to help.
Where do you live? How are your plants dying? Bugs? Animals? Are the seeds sprouting and the plant dying afterward? Are you using fertilizer? How much, how often and how do you apply?
Are you using potting soil, local soil, mulch mixed with dirt?
Do you compost and use it? Are there worms in your soil?
Live in S. Alabama. Don't know how they are dying, first time growing anything.
The only bugs I actually see on them is little brown ants. Have dogs but just the puppy tries to eat leaves, but the ones that he can't reach are the ones I have problems with, lol.
The plants from either seeds or bought small plants, grow good but either don't produce vegs/only produce like one veg/or start growing vegs then either the vegs dye &/or the whole plant dies.
I'm only using the veg garden soil from the garden centers (tractor supply & lowes) and I've thrown in some veg food(? the little bead things from miracle grow). Though I think my husband may have some miracle grow fertilizer that you add water too and poor in your plants, but haven't had time to try it (he actually just told me about it about a week or two ago).
We have a new puppy and he takes up soooo much of my day right now. But I go check on my "outside" (raised bed) & ones in buckets on my porch a few times a day. I don't mess much with them too much, just check to see if they need water and check how they are doing. I'm actually surprised I didn't kill them all from the start, lol. Trying to let them do their thing, you know? I like to see them growing, it's pretty cool to be able to grow something.
No compost as we don't compost. I haven't seen any worms, but that doesn't mean they are there I guess.
You are in zone 8. The higher the number, the hotter the region. Try to plant according to your zone. Instructions are on the back of a seed packet. I am speculating that you planted too late for your zone and then didn’t water them as much as they needed. They were too young and delicate to tolerate the hot summer sun and lack of water didn’t help. Raised beds tend to dry out quickly and need more water. Your soil sounds fine as does your fertilizer. I would till the soil around your plants once a week. You probably don’t have worms and tilling the dirt helps aeration of the soil, which worms do. If all of your plants are dying, then I assume that bugs are not the reason as certain bugs like only certain plants.
Next year, plant in stages. Cold weather crops that can take a light frost can be grown early, like lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli and cauliflower. As soon as the threat of frost is gone (yes, watch weather forecasts very closely), then plant the rest of your garden.
I hope that helps.
PS - if plants are really healthy but don’t produce, then there are two reasons that would cause this. Sometimes too much fertilizer will do this as the plant figures out that reproducing isn’t important as it’s life is just awesome. The other reason is lack of pollination. Consider putting a honeybee hive close by to help or you pollinating them yourself with a wet Q-Tip.
And one last thing. Plant have a consciousness. Don’t be afraid to lovingly talk to them from time to time.
Thank you so much for your advice! I'm not going to give up on gardening, at least not yet. Going to keep trying and learning where I can. I appreciate you taking the time to comment back.
Green beans are difficult to grow sometimes. A soil sample to your local farm bureau extension office next spring will help. I also keep putting seeds in the spots that are bare. A little fertilizer helps. Miracle grow every 3 weeks is good. If you can get a time release fertilizer try to find 10 10 10 mix. Your local stores or garden centers and even an FS will know what you mean when you ask for it. Gardening is a learning experience. Every year you will get better.
Thanks for the advice. This is my first time growing anything, so I just got veg garden soil from the store (tractor supply & lowes). Because I have back issues & balance issues, I have planted in buckets & a raised garden using the soil from the store.
It's a great way to grow. My brother in law just put all of his veg. in buckets. In the Fall I am going to teach him how to preserve it.
That's great! I have an electric glass top stove so I can't can anything. Been wondering if I should get one of those food vacuum sealer bags & machines.
Me too; limited success so far but I'm learning. Like everything it takes experience to get good. I'm using grow pots which makes it more manageable for me as I can't physically do what I used to.
I'm using buckets & a raised garden bed my husband made for me. I can't do a lot of bending, which I do anyway but not supposed to or supposed to pick up anything remotely heavy. I have back issues which also transfer to my hips, along with Meniere's, I found that bending over or looking down (depending on length of time) can make my head a little off balance.
where there's a will there's a way, right? Happy gardening :)