Preparing for my first "real" garden...advice needed

Swing, your squash will have a tendency to sprawl so put it on or toward the end. The tomatoes and peppers will do nicely together. Onions can be inter planted with the beans and pick your okra when it's still fingerling size. Otherwise it is pretty tough and tasteless. Also use radishes between your plantings, it will help you see where you've already planted and help draw off pests. Just pull up the diseased radishes and destroy. :0

howdy swing. how did your veggie garden do? you never said anything else, and you posted last summer. hope it turned out well.

I'll be starting for first "real" garden this spring also, in southeast PA. So, any pointers for that area are welcome. I'm just now starting the planning so I'm a real newbie. I have lots of bunnies and critters in my yard and would appreciate pointers on how to keep them from eating my goodies. Someone suggested planting onions and garlic around the perimiter...true? When having soil tested, what do I need to know to tell the testers? Thanks.

You can get yourself a soil test from your local extension office. I'm not sure what is costs in PA but is $7 in VA. They send it to the labs at the landbank college and will send you back the results. That will give you a good idea of what amendments you need to add if any. To get a " good" test. Use a clean trowel or spoon. Get dirt from different areas of your property, clean the trowel/spoon in between digging. Put is all in the container and ship it off. If you don't understand the results talk to your local extension agent for information. :)

heya Lady my suggestion is surround your garden with a good fence, we have jackrabbits in nevada and they go under and over to get to veggies as well as mice and other varmits. enjoy your garden every day if you can just be in it and enjoy it. so much fun and can be darn rewarding.

Great thread, I'm starting a new garden this year and anything helps.

Well I just built the box for a garden myself.

I am looking forward to it but need lots of help of how to do it.

Please Help.

Thanks

Great thread! I've got my raised beds done and ready for a (hopefully) much better organized and tended garden this year; I'm loving all this advice. Anyway, my question now is: where do I get the clover? If half the world is viewing it as a weed, can I actually buy seeds for it? It's strange, clover was something I saw all the time as a child, but I don't seem to see it now; maybe I'm just not noticing. Anyway, it certainly doesn't pop up in my lawn, so I need another source!

Any farm and garden center should sell white clover. Or check some of the nurseries on the web, Gurney's and Burpees are 2 that immediately spring to mind.

OK, I'm definitely buying white dutch clover. I had lots of it in the yard of my apartment, which attracted lots o' bunnies too.

Any suggestions on how to and/or what kind of fence to put around garden?

Spring is so-o-o close here in southeastern PA....I can't wait!

Thanks!