And read "teaming with microbes" by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis

The whole system can be used indoors as well

Regardless always go soil over hydro, unless you're in space, even then that's debatable

I just like hydro and aquaponics for the technical aspects. It helps to soothe my Autism.

Haha gotcha

@Why Tea that's a clever set up to protect your cantaloupe

It worked great! Another round of 'em ripened too so I got to re-use that cage.

Have a small backyard garden. Had a bad year for the most part. But want to grow cotton, just a few for the heck of it and was done here by original settlers, so should grow. Ordered seeds twice online, but I think they were duds.Nothing even came up. Anyway, tips on time of year or anything. Never seen a cotton field and fascinated by it, especially being a Southerner.

Take that back. Did see cotton fields on way back from Virginia, but they were in flower stage so doesn't count!

How did you prepare the seeds (if at all) and what care did you provide right after planting?

🤔

@Why Tea No prep of seeds. Just planted as instructed and watered immediately after. Kept moist through the days. Nothing ever grew.

Well that sucks. I've certainly had bad luck sometimes with seeds that just did nothing.

Looks like a tiny plant that subverts and takes over your whole garden.

For some plants we always buy seedlings or young plants, just to avoid the hassle/risk, despite the extra cost.

The wife's dad, however, is some sort of wizard with seeds and grows almost everything he can from seed.

Yeah. I just like more natural way of going by seed. But certainly has it's setbacks.

@Deleted User Low light. Makes sense, likes to be in the shadows as it wonders.

@GoyMeetsWorld If I remember correctly, that's exactly how it got it's name

Of course!

Does anyone have any good informative videos or online articles that would help me start looking into an in-home mini garden? I am in college, and have a small patio deck that I can do a small box garden or multiple plants. Thanks!

Have you seen these garden wall things? You can make it with old pallets to save $$

That looks absolutely perfect and what I want to do. It's nearing the Winter though (Winter is coming lol), so would it be a good time to pick up the hobby now?

Or wait until the Spring?

What zone are you in?

I live in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Eastern Time Zone is that is what you're looking for

No hardiness zone. So you're in zone 6 which isn't good for winter planting without a greenhouse. You can look around for supplies now and start your seeds in late winter/early spring indoors.

That would be fantastic! Would you mind in I reached out to you again at the end of winter for some questions?

Not at all. Here's a pic of a pallet being used as a mini garden. Since pallets are free and everywhere it's a cheap easy way to do these gardens:

I really dig that! Awesome job!

That's not mine but I plan to do these mixed in with my garden to save space.

Very pretty

We love the pallet planters at my house. Be sure to use pallets that are not chemically treated. They have stamps on them with different designations.

^^^Yes. Whenever using wood to make a garden container make sure it's not chemically treated.

@Deleted User O wouldn't use pallets for gardening, fam. It's usually made from pressure treated lumber

Oops, didn't read all the way down

My bounty, from a 4x4 plot of soil

Does anyone have any suggestions for what to plant in a fall garden? I’m limited to an area that has practically full shade, so I’m restricted in what could successfully grow there.