New gardeners need help!

Makes perfect sense @S-H , great advice!

 

Of course, those who are constantly trying to sell us something related to gardening, (making it seem like we will all be doomed without their products) - Will ALWAYS hate a person like me...

 

As @S-H says, nature knows best and top gardening practices imitate nature or even speed up certain natural processes.

 

Just like you need food,, so do the plants ! Not sure what kind of organic fertilizer you are going to use !

 

The link is to a video that has good tips for beginners.

 

About the squash, it’s okay to plant 2 or 3 together so don’t worry about separating them.
After they’ve grown a bit, if you decide that one is struggling just put it out of its misery...cut it off a few inches above the soil line. Do this early in the day so that the wound can heal.

 

Subscribe to leadfarmer73 on you tube. He’s HILARIOUS and gives good tips on backyard gardening.

I’m relatively new but in my 4 years of container gardening, I’ve learned these IMPORTANT things:

1. Plant more marigolds than you do food crops. Cannot EVER have too many marigolds
2. Buy NEEM for soft bodied insects, their eggs and larvae. Some disagree but it works for me.
3. Buy Bt for caterpillars. Store it away from sunlight. But there is NOTHING more horrifying than looking eye to eye with a 4 inch horn worm
4. Use Alaska fish fertilizer. It stinks to High Heaven but it WORKS
5. Take LOTS of photos of everything including supplies.
   
6. Keep a journal of EVERYTHING including soil purchased, amendments, seeds, weather conditions when planting, pests and their eradication.
7. Don’t even THINK you’re gonna sleep late. The early bird catches the worm and so does the early gardener!

 

Thanks @Acquanette !
That is precisely what we ended up doing with the potted squash we started indoors; just snipping the smallest sprout near the base of the stem. I imagine that is what we'll need to do with the ones we direct sowed by seed in the garden, once they get big enough to decide on the keepers. Good to know it should be done in the early morning!
Thanks again!

 

Great! Thanks again @Acquanette ! We appreciate all the tips! The journal sounds like an especially good idea!

 

Hi everyone,
Here is the most recent video.
Does anyone have advice on the most effective way to apply fertilizer to a garden?
As always, we appreciate you and thank you!

 

Looks like you did fine with the fertiliser. This kind of fertiliser can also be used to incorporate into your soil before planting too. Just be careful of using too much as your plants could get nutrient burn.

 

Thanks @Odif , it's a relief to know it looks like we applied the fertilizer correctly!

 

When you direct seed the squash Plant at least 3 seeds per hill and do not cull any ! Just separate by about three feet,, fertilize well every two weeks and let them be ! Do spray the base of the plant at the ground and about 8 inches up the stem with some insecticide to prevent borers and squash bugs ! I spray the leaves lightly at least every 7 to ten days ! Pyrethrin is approved for organics,, its made from chrysanthemums !

 

Thanks for the advice @mart !
Do you think borers and squash bugs will definitely be a problem and we should preemptively treat or should we wait and look for signs of the pests?

 

I almost never use pesticides on my gardens, I think you should just wait and try identify if something starts eating your plants. Also speak to local organic gardeners for more specifics about gardening in your area. They can tell you about certain challenges maybe. Another way of increasing soil fertility in a new bed is to get some organic compost from a local gardener or use lombric compost, you only need a few handfuls. You either sprinkle it on your new bed or mix a handful in a watering can, stir well and water your bed with it. This will introduce good bacteria and fungi to your bed.

Your onions looked fine to me so I said nothing. Be careful watering plants on their leaves, some do not like it.