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I have a HUGE garden every year and can my own sauce for the winter. Most plants are easier to buy potted and then transfer although I do start some from seeds inside a warm, dark room about a month before. Herbs are easy and pretty much take care of themselves and you won't have to plant new ones every year. Just make sure that your soil is turned over and throw in some manure before you plant. Keep up with your weeds and thin out your carrots so that they can grow big. Have fun and remember.........they are only veggies :)

I have a big garden as well....and this year it's getting bigger, we moved into a new house last fall with more yard. We grow alot of veggies, and herbs, and have both bought plants, and grown from seed. It is easier buying the plants, but starting from seed is alot of fun, and a great feeling of accomplishment. Just remember to keep the seeds moist & warm, and not too much light, otherwise they'll get leggy before you get them in the ground. We also use black garden fabric to both keep moisture in, and weeds out...it works great! Many herbs will winter over, but if you live in a cold climate like myself, there are alot that won't....like basil. Ask advice about that at a local garden center, and remember, whatever won't winter over, you can always freeze or dry to enjoy in the winter!

I share the garden alongside my shop with my friend/landlord, his cousin who lives in back, and a friend of ours who doesn't have room for her own garden. At about 1000 sq ft, (which is about half the size it was until the 1950's), it provides plenty of produce for all of us, and then some!

My friend's grandfather started the garden when he first arrived here from Italy over 100 years ago, and his father took over after that, until he passed away himself about 15 years ago.

The garden has always been one of the best in town. It's at about the same elevation as a lake about 100 yards away, so it holds moisture well, and it's bordered on three sides by stone walls that retain warmth, which his real important at the end of the season up here in Nothern MN.

While I know my friend's dad and grandfather would hardly be impressed with the meager results of out less-than-meager labors, we like to believe they would appreciate out keeping up the tradition.

And while the fresh vegerables are certainly great to eat, the philosophical aspects of maintaining this garden are maybe just as important to us.

Yes we've got a garden; about 16'x14' raised bed. It is a constant battle to keep the morning glory and blackberries from reclaiming the ground but we keep trying. The Pacific Northwest has a short growing season so we tend to put out plants rather than seeds. Our experience is that potatoes take a disproportionate amount of space so we stopped planting them. The question about planting spuds is not straightforward. If your starters have not been treated to prevent sprouting (most supermarkets sell the treated ones) go ahead and cut them up making sure that you have an eye on each piece and a big enough chunk to nourish the start until it gets established. I do herbs in pots a little closer to the kitchen door.

I do container gardening as well, since I live in a townhouse and my backyard is essentially rock with two inches of soil on top! I have successfully grown herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers in large pots - with a trellis type mechanism to support them. This year, I plan to attach the trellis to my eavestrough to support the cucumbers better. I live in Canada, a zone 5 area, so I can't overwinter much in the way of veggies, but in past gardens (in past houses) I have had great success with radishes, green onions, lettuce, beets, carrots, peas.... I love veggie gardening!