Hi all!
DH and I bought our first house back in August 2016. Spring is coming up and both of us are fully engaged with the idea of tearing out the backyard "grass" (coughweedscough) and irrigation system, and dedicating 1/2 to 2/3rds of the entire back yard to gardening. That comes out to about 2500 sq ft of potential gardening space.
Goals:
Grow some of our own food, get more veggies and actual good stuff in our diet, and stop eating as much fried meat.
Plant 1 or 2 drought resistant trees to eventually provide shade for house and garden area (south by southeast side of house)
Get outside more and get more sunshine in the summer; both of us have a low vitamin d issue, and I have seasonal depression. Bring on the sun!
Obstacles/Questions:
We're city kids - Both of our moms had gardens when we were way little, but not as we were older kids/teenagers; we don't really know what we're doing
Irrigation system - should we preserve it for future rental tenants, or seriously tear it out?
What's the best style? A lot of people seem to be fans of raised beds! But I've also heard about trench composting... or should we start by smothering the grass/weeds?
What are the easiest things to grow? The best things to grow? I know there's symbiotic relationships between certain vegetables... But what are they?
Which things are better to start from seed, and which things are better to buy already started? Do I need a greenhouse to start seeds? When should I start seeds... two weeks ago probably?
Anyway, if anyone has a good suggestion for a gardening blog or podcast that literally starts from step number zero, how not to kill a plant, I'd love to give it a read. I am also willing to buy a book on this, but would rather not spend extra on this project if I don't have to. :)
- Kayla
PS. Bonus points to anyone that can provide a landscaping blog or podcast with a step by step, reliable guide to laying pavestone patios without incurring sinkholes/low spots. I'd like to turn the other 1/3rd of the back yard into a pavestone patio with an updated outdoor clothesline and fire pit. I've been involved in laying a brick patio before, and I know it's a buttload of work to do, and I want to get it right the first time.