Beginning Gardening

Beginning Gardening Series

Check out Gina's new gardening video series to learn about beginning gardening practices. Gina will cover a variety of gardening topics such as vegetable gardening, herbs, planting trees, woody plants, and perennials! She will also discuss what you should be doing with your garden at certain times of the year.

Have more questions about the videos or other gardening questions? Reach out to Gina at gmanders@purdue.edu

Check out Gina's other videos on Purdue Extension Floyd County's YouTube Channel! 


Be sure to check out Purdue Extension's Home Gardener's Guide. This publication is designed for the home gardener, whether a beginner or an old hand. We hope new gardeners will find it basic enough and that experienced gardeners will find new ideas and solutions to some of their old problems. Included is information on the planning, planting, and care of vegetables. In addition, there is a garden plan and planting guide showing the distance between rows, when to plant, how much to plant, etc.

One of the first steps to gardening, is selecting a site for the garden plot! Things to think about are the amount of sun/shade the area will get, how wet the area is, and more because all these different factors play a large role into what plants will successfully grow in your garden. At this point, it's even important to know where things like your utilities and septic lines are! 

Did you know that the Fall is the best time to test your soil? Whether it is for gardens (new or existing), lawns, and trees so that it can be amended before the growing season begins again in the Spring. In this video, Gina gives you tips and tricks on how to collect your soil for a soil test! Soil testing can help you decide how to amend your soil depending on what you're planting by looking at the calcium, phosphorous, potassium, and pH levels.

We offer soil testing in our office so if you're interested, click here for more information! Please bring any soil samples into our office Monday-Friday between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The soil test results from Our Community Garden are in! It's time to analyze them to learn how we can help our soil  improve or what plants would grow well in the soil. Follow along and learn how to interpret your own soil test results!

When Spring is right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about what to plant in our gardens for the year! Whether it is vegetables or flowers, purchasing the right seeds and knowing how to care for them is extremely important to the plant's success. Learn different tips and tricks from Gina on what to look for when purchasing seeds! 

Check out some other helpful resources when it comes to purchasing the right seeds! Remember, don't plant invasives! 

With temperatures reaching the mid 90s, Gina shares some tips and tricks on how to help your garden during a heat wave! Watch for some watering tips, learning signs of distress, and more!