What grows well in western Washington?

[HummusDip]

Is there a website or something or does someone just know what grows well here?

Like what fruits, veggies and flowers?

I want to get a few things once I have a little extra cash.

[3PeasInAPod]

hhmm, I don't know of a website.. but I think just about anything grows well here. Oh, wait, you could check out "gardening with Ciscoe" http://www.ciscoe.com/index.html

For veggies, we've had a garden for 2yrs now & we've found the easiest growers are:
green beans, romaine lettuce, zuchinni, broccoli, corn, squash

Things that needed more help & attention (& it could be b/c we are still learning):
tomatoes (they didn't come out as good last year), and we tried peppers & they didn't do so good.

For flowers, this year I've got:
dwarf sunflowers, tulips, sweet peas, & my rose bush does well every year, and my rhody. :)
We bought fruit trees last year & they're growing so well. I've got peach,apple,cherry,& pear trees...maybe this year we'll get some fruit on them..they're starting to bloom already.

[The Tickle Momster]

Do you know your garden zone? That will help you determine your growing season and what grows well. You might also go talk to your local nursery (not Home Depot).

We do sunflowers, zucchini, green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, carrots, radishes, etc.

Flowers - nasturtiums, sweet peas, marigolds, poppies, CA poppies, roses, any bulbs --dahlias, iris, tulips, daffs, etc

[HummusDip]

No, I don't know my zone. Where would I find that out?

Oh thanks Kristie for the gardening with Ciscoe website, he's that guy on the news! :giggle I saw a really cool episode where he showed you how to grow carrots in a big pot! I would love to try that.

I don't have much sun AT ALL where the location of my apartment is, but it will get some sun between the trees, so I hope they will do ok. Once we move here in a few months, we'll have a place with better sun.

I can't wait to get started! I just sold a bunch of stuff so by the end of the week I hope to go to Walmart and get the local nursery and get some stuff. :heart

Do you all use Miracle Grow or anything like that on your flowers or fruits/veggies?

[3PeasInAPod]

my dh uses some kind of organic miracle grow.. i'd rather use something more natural though....

[Mamaka]

You're in hardiness zone 8-9 which means a shorter growing season because soil doesn't warm up as quickly and then frost can be an the early-ish side. Starting seeds indoors or outdoors under a cold frame helps, plus choosing plants that don't mind cooler temps does too.

We do well w/carrots, swiss chard and other hardy greens, peas, onions, pumpkins, zucchini. Ds1 likes to plant sunflowers and they do fine. Tomatoes and peppers do fine as long as you get varieties that have shorter growing cycles; we usually get starts from someone local. The Farmer's Market in your town is a good place for that, MT, and the farmers there are really helpful suggesting varieties. My dad swears by early girl tomatoes but I don't think they're as flavorful as other early season kinds like oregon spring and willamette.

HTH. :)

[HummusDip]

Oh that helps so much! I will totally go to my farmers market, I forgot about that!

[canadiyank]

Yep, the farmer's market is an excellent place to buy local starts that will work in your area. :tu

[HummusDip]

Well I forgot I had a mini trip planned to Oregon to visit with friends and I had some packages to send out so I'm out of money again. :rolleyes2

But I still have a couple things listed on craigslist that hopefully will sell, and the rest of my cloth diapers that sold that I'm just waiting for the people to come pick up and pay me on! So once I get that, I'm off to the market to get some starts! yay!

[JoyGal]

I've had some delicious blackberries the size of quarters and fresh corn from the Coast :tu