New RedHat Lady Here

[redhatlady]

Hi there I am new here and I would really love to learn about potting some veggies,I have bought some plants already,tomotoes,cayenne,bell pepper,I am just waiting on the weather to get a little warmer so I can put them in their pots is there anything* that I need to know about the care of these plants?I also want to get me a lemon plant,if I can do good with these I would love to plant some herbs because I love cooking with herbs.I have a light pole in my front yard and I wanted some flowers around the pole so I bought Salvia,atray of Red and a tray of Purple,I really wanted a flower that would come back every year but did not know what to buy any suggestions.:?

[Newt]

Hi Redhatlady,

I always recommend organic potting soil and organic fertilizers.* Most potting soil comes with synthetic fertilizers in them, so you need to be careful and read the bags.* If you purchase potting soil with synthetic fertilizers in them, don't use fertilizer for about 2 months or you risk burning your plants.

Here's how to grow veggies in containers and some guides for growing and harvesting.* I'll also include info on herbs.
http://www.ourgardengang.com/containerveggies.htm
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH032
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/hom...scene0391.html

Harvest:
http://www.savvygardener.com/Feature...egetables.html
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/L291-w.htm

Hot Peppers:
http://howtogrowhotpeppers.com/
http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/drying.asp

Herbs:
http://www.savvygardener.com/Features/herbs.html
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...ort/g06470.pdf

There is alot of info on this site as well.* Just look for the topics on the left.

I'm thinking you will grow your lemon in a pot and you mean a lemon tree.* Here's some info on growing those.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_trees_sh...367487,00.html
http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/growing/containers.html

For the plants around your pole you would need to know your hardiness zone and the sun conditions. You don't say what your hardiness zone is, but I suspect it's zone 7.* Here's a zip code zone finder.
http://www.gardenweb.com/zones/zip.cgi

There are many varieties of salvia, some are annuals and some are perennials.* I suspect yours are annuals and won't return next year.* That's ok, but do think about some perennials that have a long season of bloom.* There are daylilies that rebloom and some that are everblooming.* These are hardy plants and will be happy in full to part sun.* I like the Appster series for everblooming daylilies.
http://www.perennials.com/hea.html

Another perennial that has a long season of bloom is a hardy geranium called 'Rozanne'.* It will grow into a nice clump about 2' to 3' around and blooms in my daughter's zone 7 garden from the end of May or beginning of June until hard frost.* We planted it with the Appster daylily called 'Big Time Happy'.* The soft yellow and purple look great together.
http://www.rizreyes.com/files/Geranium_Rozanne_.JPG
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/p....asp?code=Y910

Don't forget to add lots of compost to the planting bed before you plant your salvia.* A 3" or 4" layer would be great.

Newt

[redhatlady]

Oh thanks for all this info my zone is 7 and I was talking about the Lemon plant in a pot,can I do that?Oh one more thing what is compost?

[Newt]

Yes, you can grow your lemon tree in a pot.* It's not really referred to as a lemon plant but a lemon tree.* I gave you some info on growing lemons in pots.* You will have to either grow it indoors or move it outdoors after all danger of frost and back indoors again before hard frost in the fall.* I forgot to give you directions on how to do that so here you go.
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1454.htm

Newt

[redhatlady]

Newt what is compost?

[Newt]

Compost is decomposed organic material.* It will add good microbes and nutrients to your soil, improve drainage and improve the texture of your soil.* It's made by mixing greens and browns together.* Greens would be things like grass clippings, used coffee grounds and veggie kitchen scraps.* Browns would be shredded newspaper and fallen leaves in the fall. * You can purchase it in bags or in bulk for larger areas.*** Here's some helfpul info.
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/fac...ter/index.html

Newt

[redhatlady]

Thank you.