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Hello Friends,

How does one start a flower garden? I want to start a garden, but I am not sure what plants grow well around where I live. I actually do not know anything about plants. I read online that I live in zone 10b (Miami,Fl) I guess that means I can only grow plants that grow in that zone. Does anyone have any tips on how to start a garden? I want to grow nice flowers & green plants. I just don't know where to begin. Thanks to whoever answers.

Thanks In Advance,
William Hayden

Living in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 10b means you can grow any plant that will survive a normal winter in zone 10b. You will have a much greater selection than I would although some of the plants I can grow here would not do very well during your hot and humid summers.
Many people will tell you to go out and buy plants and stick them in the ground, but if you start with a good, in depth look at your soil first, and work on making that in to a good healthy soil the plants you do grow will do much better with less work for you. Talk with the people at your local University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service about having a good reliable soil test done so you can adjust your soil to meet the needs of your plants. Most all plants will do well in soils with a pH in the 6.0 to 6.8 range while some (Rhododendrons and Azaleas for example) need a much lower soil pH to grow well.

Hi William and welcome to the garden board.

Wow, you can grow just about anything...outdoors without many worries of frost and freezes. Tropical vines and plants...you have a whole wide selection to choose from. As Kimm said, you basically won't be limited as us in the more northern climes are.

Kimm gave you good advice. Start with your soil. From what I've read, most Florida soil is more sandy....therefore a good soil test with follow up suggested amendments.

How large is the area you wish to plant? Are you talking beds, borders or foundation plantings? Will the area be in full sun, or do you have some shade?

This will be fun. There are many wise people on this board and some are from Florida. They can steer you toward the right plants to purchase after your soil is tested, tilled and amended.

ve

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vera ellen,

What both Kimm & VE forgot to tell you is...decide WHERE you are going to plant first. Taking a garden hose and "drawing" around the area you want to plant will give you some idea of how much area you will have. Also, by using the garden hose...you can adjust your boundries before it becomes a permanant spot!
I would also suggest that you visit a few plant nurserys in your area to see what is available there. You should have a wide range and your area will grow tropical/sub-tropical the best.

Well duh, old age and memory loss...things we take for granted and forget to share with new gardeners. Thank you GaKaren for catching the mistake. Should have been the first thought!

ve

William:
Good advice here. I'd suggest reading all you can. The internet is a great resource for all sorts of gardening information. Also add "lasagna gardening" to your google search. It is a great way to start a new bed with less back-breaking efforts. Additional advice I would give to a beginner is to NOT go for the pricey (usually translates to larger) items when selecting plants. Go for the smaller ones and check the label for proper spacing. This way you get to enjoy watching them grow and don't get too upset when you lose one. And you will lose some, we all do...even experienced gardeners. I wish you luck - this is a very exciting time for you. I remember fondly when I was a newbie. Take lots of photos so you can document your hits and misses and years from now remember too.

Hmmm, wonder what happened to the OP?

William, please post pics of your garden area so we can give you the best advice and know you are a serious poster. There are so many spammers around these days that I hesitate to waste my time unless people are serious posters.

I don't think the OP really exists...we've been having lurkers etc. on the boards lately.

quote:

Originally posted by mgt:
I don't think the OP really exists...we've been having lurkers etc. on the boards lately.

mgt, I think you're on to something. I think William is Dabney's buddy. If you look at his posts they are similar.

"Hello Friends"... Others offering unsolicited advice and never any follow up. See also my post on the various spammers that seem to be infecting the place lately: http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/for...1057842/m/2393908767

I think joyluck, mgt & Sparky nailed it...spammer!

This really is getting old. I guess some folks just don't get the mental health help they need. It's a shame!

Since this is spam....

Instructions for how to start a garden...

First thing you do is dig a hole. Second thing you do is either put seeds or a plant in the hole and cover. Third thing you do is pray that it grows!

Exactly!!!

quote:

First thing you do is dig a hole. Second thing you do is either put seeds or a plant in the hole and cover. Third thing you do is pray that it grows!

Love it!