Newby getting overwhelmed

Hi everyone, I just wanted to introduce myself. I am new to DG. I live in KY zone 6. I have never done much serious gardening before last year. But last year we put a pool in our back yard and I was going to have it landscaped until the landscaper drew up a grand plan and then told me it would be about $20,000 for him to do it all. Yikes!!!! So I decided I could do it myself. So I got about 1/4 of the whole thing done last year and am working an phase b now. I have planted Nandina, Fothergilla, Shasta Viburnum, Knock Out Rose, Carlcephalum Viburnum, Sweet Bay Magnolia, Cross Vine, Arundo Donax, Hicks Yew, Itea, Liriope, Vinca, Oakleaf hydrangeas, Endless Summer Hydrangeas, Helebore, Fountain Grass and several others that I cant think of off the top of my head. So needless to say I am overwhelmed with trying to figure out when to fertilize what and when to prune what and so on..... BUT I have completely fallen in love with gardening!!!! I have sooooo many questions. I hope you all will be patient with me as I will be taking much more from DG than I will be giving at this point. It seems like everytime I walk through the yard I think of about 5 new questions that I need to ask somebody.

Chris

Ask away ! That's what it's all about !

You need to ask to get answers! And I need answers too! So ask, it just might benefit more than 1 person. I'd like to ask how to keep track of fertilization too. I thnk sometimes I'm guilty of over-fert. & other times I don't do it at all, cause I can't remember when they're due for fert. Oh well.......thanks, Michelle

Welcome to DG, my advice.... try not to do it all at once. Tackle 1 area at a time. Have a question..always ask.
Have fun, it is addicting.

Don't be shy about asking questions. We ALL started by asking. ☺

new gardening is always overwhelming for most of us, even if a landscaper came to do it all for you, you still need to learn how to care for the area, so always go ahead and ask, some of us have been gardening for many years, so for myself being old to it, I still learn from this site and from my own garden as I go along, no one knows everything, but between us all, we will eventually find the right way, we all have different methods too, but all roads lead to Rome in the end. good luck and welcome to DG, your in good company.

As for the fertilising, it all depends on the type you use, normally the packet or bottle will tell you how much and when to re do it, I find it easier to either use slow release types that last all season or the best I know is organic like animal manure added to the soil at planing time and reused each spring as I tidy and plant, the compost I make myself from kitchen/garden waste is my staple garden feed and soil conditioner as these help retain moisture and help aerate/feed the soil and make the soil easier to dig and grow plants/veg etc, but you will find your own way too, so find a good easy to read book that will also help you understand plants needs and conditions for the soil. good luck to you all. Weenel.

Hi, Welcome. I am new by 2-3 months and this place is great!

I agree with flowerjen on the take a section at a time. I am sort of in your boat this year too. We have lived in our home 5 years now but for the first 4 we have focused on our 1/2 acre veggie garden. This year I decided it was time for some landscaping and flowers, so 3 months into it, we are starting to look pretty good. But I picked one side of the yard to work on then did that until finished, then I moved to another spot.

If you try and take it all on at once you walk in circles, make a big mess and get less done. At least that is what I do.

Have fun, get dirty, let the birds sing to you while you work and sip lemonade, then every 30 minutes or so run in the house get on DG and ask questions. It is all so much fun!

Happy Gardening,
Susan
My project today!

susan, that fountain is so cute!

Thanks Jen,
I saw it Sun morning on HGTV ( Sunday AM coffe thing, I watch the gardening shows.) So we went to the store got the barrel and can and I already had the pump and we put it together took about 15 minutes. I thought it came out cute I am putting water lilies in it.