Brand New Wannabe Gardener Here!
I am pretty much the newest of new to gardening and need some direction/advice. I've just moved into an apartment (side by side duplex surrounded by other side by side duplexes) in a city. The previous tenants were big into gardening and have this whole set up going and I'd like to take advantage of it. I've never gardened before but would love to grow vegetables specifically.
Along our partial fences they've got wooden boxes about 1 foot high or so and 1 foot deep that go all along the fence. They're on lattice fencing and I can tell vines grew up on them, but I don't know if it was flowers or vegetables or fruits or what. There's also an area in the back that's all buried under last years leaves in the back that's just straight in the ground. I think I spotted some shrubs there. And then they've got a bunch of pots.
I'm not sure what to do with what's here. Do I use the same soil that's in everything? Do I dig out the bits of twiggy looking plants out? Do I treat the soil? Do I replace it? The yard is also fairly shaded. Would the lack of direct sunlight be an issue? Am I too late to plant already? I'm pretty much completely unprepared and unsupplied at the moment.
I live in central Wisconsin, more to the east, and am pretty much on lakes and channels and such. I'm not sure what zone I'm in or how to find out. Is there a good site to find this out?
Also, I've been wondering about composting. I'm not sure if it's ideal to do in my neighborhood since I don't know how smelly it could get or if there's rules against it. I like the idea becuz I remember my grandma doing it in her garden when I was younger, but she had a bit of land to do it on. I think she did the heap method and I'm not really sure what she put in it except for the random left over fruit and veggie bits I seen her put in. Our city is also enforcing stricter garbage disposal laws and limiting how much we can bring to the curb each week and I figured this might be a better and more beneficial way to use some of it instead of tossing it.
I know that's a whole bunch at once. Even if someone could hit on one part of it all would be a great help. I've wanted to garden forever but never had anyone to teach me so I'm hoping to figure it out on my own eventually. Even book or website suggestions would be much appreciated! :)
Along our partial fences they've got wooden boxes about 1 foot high or so and 1 foot deep that go all along the fence. They're on lattice fencing and I can tell vines grew up on them, but I don't know if it was flowers or vegetables or fruits or what. There's also an area in the back that's all buried under last years leaves in the back that's just straight in the ground. I think I spotted some shrubs there. And then they've got a bunch of pots.
I'm not sure what to do with what's here. Do I use the same soil that's in everything? Do I dig out the bits of twiggy looking plants out? Do I treat the soil? Do I replace it? The yard is also fairly shaded. Would the lack of direct sunlight be an issue? Am I too late to plant already? I'm pretty much completely unprepared and unsupplied at the moment.
I live in central Wisconsin, more to the east, and am pretty much on lakes and channels and such. I'm not sure what zone I'm in or how to find out. Is there a good site to find this out?
Also, I've been wondering about composting. I'm not sure if it's ideal to do in my neighborhood since I don't know how smelly it could get or if there's rules against it. I like the idea becuz I remember my grandma doing it in her garden when I was younger, but she had a bit of land to do it on. I think she did the heap method and I'm not really sure what she put in it except for the random left over fruit and veggie bits I seen her put in. Our city is also enforcing stricter garbage disposal laws and limiting how much we can bring to the curb each week and I figured this might be a better and more beneficial way to use some of it instead of tossing it.
I know that's a whole bunch at once. Even if someone could hit on one part of it all would be a great help. I've wanted to garden forever but never had anyone to teach me so I'm hoping to figure it out on my own eventually. Even book or website suggestions would be much appreciated! :)