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#340158 Jan 21st, 2011 at 04:48 PM
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Hey, I've never gardened before but have always wanted to give it a try, but with school and all I really don't have much time for it. I'm wondering if there are any low maintenance fruit or vegetable I could grow in new jersey and that grows each year rather than one time and then dieing, idk if fruit or veggies even do that or if its only those bulb plants (again I'm clueless lol). sorry I really am clueless, I doubt there are any that fit all of this but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. This is without a greenhouse though, either indoor or outdoor works although indoor would have to be pretty small. If there isn't anything that fits all of those requirements then please suggest some good relatively easy starter fruit or vegetable plants to try in new jersey, thanks in advance.

squirrelman #340162 Jan 22nd, 2011 at 12:49 AM
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Welcome, Squirrelman.
There are several things that will grow for you outdoors without needing replanting every summer. Lots of fruit like apples and pears will grow in your climate. And a multitude of berries.
Vegetables are slightly trickier. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are rhubarb and asparagus. But I'm sure there are others.
Your best bet may be to ask at your local nursery.
Maybe someone else will chime in with suggestions.


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squirrelman #340299 Jan 23rd, 2011 at 01:10 PM
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I went to a local nursery but the answer they gave me wasn't too helpful. I think the reason I got such a short answer was because they don't sell most of the seeds or trees/bushes ect I would want to grow. He pretty much just advised lemons or raspberries. I did some research online and it seems I live in a hardiness zone 6B. I wasn't sure if all of these are perennials (I think that's the term I'm looking for) or how hard these are to garden or how much sunlight they need. But things I was thinking about after reading are possible a dwarf blueberry bush for indoors if it can survive in my front windowsill, but I think a tree blocks most of the light and I'm not really sure how big these get, they sound pretty small but my windowsill is only about 1 foot by 3 feet and probably 3 or 4 feet high. But again I don't know if there is enough sunlight there even if it were enough space. Nor am I sure that a dwarf blueberry bush can survive in a 6B zone, probably since I think one of new jerseys main crops are blueberries, although I read somewhere that potted blueberry bushes require a different hardiness zone then ones in the ground because of natural insulation.

other things I was considering that I read about are cherries, white if possible, Asian pears, or plums or gooseberries. although I really am pretty clueless still. plums sound like a lot of work and I haven't even ever seen a plum tree in new jersey before. Asian pears would be neat but growing a whole tree sound like a lot more then a beginners task not to mention I would like something that could fruit relatively soon. although if they weren't too hard then it might be a nice long term thing to go along with something that would fruit sooner. But again I am pretty clueless and kind of think i'm getting in over my head so any advice would be appreciated.

squirrelman #340300 Jan 23rd, 2011 at 01:22 PM
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oh and I think I saw somewhere that strawberries grow well in nj but I read that a long time ago and I could be remembering it wrong. oh and by white cherries I meant ranier above.

squirrelman #340303 Jan 23rd, 2011 at 01:45 PM
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Yes, perennials are what you are asking about. A pear tree would take a couple of years, at least, to set fruit for you. So might a Ranier cherries and plums. But all can be grown in your zone, I think. Blueberries and other berries would produce much sooner. And best grown outdoors. Asparagus would also take about 3 years to establish cutting sized stalks. Rhubarb also a couple of years.
There are other perennial edibles but I am drawing a blank.


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squirrelman #340304 Jan 23rd, 2011 at 03:07 PM
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ok, thanks a lot for the help, I'll most likely try a blueberry bush or some other type of berry. do strawberries grow well in new jersey? that would be the most beneficial to grow of them. and are there any fruit plants that grow well indoors? I figure that's a no since even the small ones are bigger than most house plants.

squirrelman #340329 Jan 24th, 2011 at 12:33 AM
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You should definately be able to do blue berries, they grow frequenlty as an understory shrub up here, so they'll be ok with shade. Straw berries liek a bit more light but should be ok as well. Fruit trees take up more room and need to be about 7-10 years old before bearing fruit. Most vegetables do require full sunlight and are typically anual though easy to care for. I plant beans, and tomatoes every year along with cucunbers. I only water when its over a week between rain and only fertilizer once when pklanted (I always intend to do more but some how frequently forget) These veggies are easy to deal with.


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squirrelman #340335 Jan 24th, 2011 at 05:11 AM
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Plum trees will grow you you..I'm in zone 3B and have one.


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squirrelman #340410 Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:05 PM
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ok, thanks for all the replies, I think I am going to start off trying a dwarf blueberry bush and a strawberry bush. But I don't know where to get the seeds. I don't think any garden supply stores around here sell dwarf blueberry seeds and I'm not sure about strawberry either, ebay has them all pretty cheap but am I going to get decent seeds that way? They seem to be pretty knowledgeable sources listing that they are self pollenizing (or whatever the word is), and some other useful info as well as how to care for them in some cases, but I still don't know if that's where I should be getting them from. also I noticed most of these packets are sets of like 20 seeds for 1-2$, that seems a bit low to me, do most of the seeds not survive or something because I can't imagine being able to grow that many plants for that low of a cost (of course there's also other costs involved though)? because that would be a lot of plants otherwise.

squirrelman #340411 Jan 25th, 2011 at 12:19 PM
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Do check your local nurseries for strawberry plants now. And ask. If they don't have them they should be in soon.
I have never had luck with strawberries from seeds.
And I have never heard of blueberries from seed.


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squirrelman #340431 Jan 25th, 2011 at 11:02 PM
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I'll have to check again but I don't think I have ever seen fruit plants in my local nurseries, only tons and tons of flowers usually, maybe I wasn't there the right time of year though, I think I've been there in winter, spring, and summer though. Maybe I can find a better nursery around here, I'll have to check online to see what else is nearby.

squirrelman #340433 Jan 25th, 2011 at 11:22 PM
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You might have to ask.


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squirrelman #340434 Jan 25th, 2011 at 11:39 PM
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you mean ask the nurseries when and if they carry fruit plants? or if they know where I can find some?

squirrelman #340437 Jan 26th, 2011 at 01:24 AM
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Both, any, all. Really, they will best know when and where these things will grow for you.


~Tina
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squirrelman #341483 Feb 10th, 2011 at 05:57 AM
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I would also check to see if there is a university extension center that you can visit. They would know too.

Try this link: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/county/

Tom

squirrelman #341713 Feb 16th, 2011 at 08:25 AM
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Strawberries should do really well in your area. I know they do well in Canada..lol.
Strawberries can take time to get fruit from them. The first year you want to pluck all of the blooms from them so that the plant will grow better and produce better in the following years.
My uncle and father have strawberries and I have been thinking of putting in a bed.
Not sure if it is true, but someone told me that strawberries like acidic soil and to put pine needles where I want to plant and let them compost there before I plant.

If you want more then just fruit, but don't want a lot of hassel, you can try container gardening and place them outside on a deck or in the yard. One year I wanted green beans and used twine between the posts of my deck for them to grow up and placed the containers under the twine. It worked well and made a pretty privacy screen.

squirrelman #343067 Apr 2nd, 2011 at 02:11 AM
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Hello, back again, I have been waiting for the local stores to carry strawberry bushes and finally purchased two different varieties. They said to wait until it warms up a bit more before planting outside though but I decided to try making a raised garden, a few questions though. will 10 inches of depth be enough? I decided it might be a good idea to put a layer of wood down and then put borders on it to separate the planting soil from the normal stuff in my yard since our soil is probably full of chemicals (I won't get into why), also it says to plant the strawberry plants 18 inches apart, this seems like a bit much and i'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding it. Does that mean plant one and then count 18 inches and plant another? of 9 inches? (9 on each side = 18). Thanks again.

squirrelman #343069 Apr 2nd, 2011 at 02:32 AM
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oh and any suggestions for the bottom rather than wood? I was going to use a layer of wood to separate the good dirt from the bad, but was thinking cheap tiles or plastic or something else might be easier/cheaper.

squirrelman #343070 Apr 2nd, 2011 at 03:27 AM
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10 inches for strawberries would be plenty. 8" is good enough too. They will even grow in 6 inch deep pots. You can plant a little closer than 18 inches. Strawberries do spread and fruit better with a little space.
Cardboard or several layers of newspaper is good for separating your soils from each other. And biodegradable too.


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squirrelman #343071 Apr 2nd, 2011 at 04:02 AM
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Thanks, other than flattening out the ground this shouldn't be too hard to put together, one more thing, is it a bad idea to use treated lumber for this? its the same stuff we use for the deck and I'm not sure if I should worry about chemicals. its not painted but it has stuff to prevent rotting and such.

squirrelman #343072 Apr 2nd, 2011 at 06:16 AM
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If it isn't treated with creosote like telephone poles and things, it should be OK. I think we have taken out most known dangerous chemicals. Well unless you burn the wood. That may spread changed chemicals into the air that could be harmful.


~Tina
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What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)
squirrelman #343090 Apr 3rd, 2011 at 05:21 AM
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hmm I checked and it seems my wood does have creosote... guess I should find something else to use that isn't too expensive, that or cover it with something?

squirrelman #343091 Apr 3rd, 2011 at 05:56 AM
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I have heard that covering with plastic stops the stuff from leaching into the soil.


~Tina
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Drama Free Zone.
What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)

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