Okay, lets start at the beginning. I'm a wannabe gardener with good intentions but no follow though. Meaning, I get real excited in spring, plan to start a garden, even buy supplies ~ seeds, soil, fertilizer, etc. ~ then nothing ever comes of it.
I recently read HomesteadinArcata's blog entry and was encouraged to "prosper where I'm planted," and it got me thinking. You see, I don't own my own homestead yet nor do we own our current home. However, we do live on a 3/4 acre lot which has the majority of the land in our backyard. We also have fairly large side yards, which the previous tenant used one for a raised garden bed. Our landlord would love to see that return and hopes we buy the house. Now, we have lived here for almost 3 yrs and each year I say I'm going to do it and it doesn't happen. One reason is ~ I don't really know what I'm doing. 
Can you see I need real help here?!  So, to provide you all w/a little info so you can help me get started, I'll list my needs and so forth. Oh, I have order seed catalogs for the first time from some of the sites suggested at another blog. Sorry, I can't remember which blog it was,  but I did manage to copy the links and sent out my requests yesterday. I found some new links today at Country Living's blog and plan to order from them as well.
Basics:
1. I live in Northeastern Oklahoma ~ don't really know or truly understand the zone stuff.
2. We currently have 3 rose bushes; 1 very large yellow rose, 1 small pinkish rose and the other is kinda pinkish/red with hints of orange ~ very odd ~ hybrid I think.
3. We have a cherry tree ~ not sure what kind either
4. Medium size Magnolia tree in front yard, with a small flower bed that grows every year ~ one of the nice features the previous tenant left, doesn't require me to think about, just water and mulch. Well, it could use some weeding ~ not sure what I'm doing here either.
Garden Selections I'd like to have:
Tomatoes
Lettuce ~ green leaf
Peppers ~ green, orange, yellow, red, jalapeno
Herbs ~ every variety imaginable ~ like to cook w/them
Potatoes
Cucumbers
Carrots
Green Beans
Proper flower beds in the front yard ~ I love pansies and petunias
That should be more than enough for starters, I'm thinkin'. I worn myself out thinking and typing this. Okay, I really need some help. I would love to have a spring & fall crops and year round flower beds or returning beds like the one around the Magnolia. Summer is just too hot to be out in the heat, plus the cost of watering the gardens in summer is not financially wise for us at this time.
That's all for now. I look forward to all your wonderful tips, suggestions, encouragement and support.
Thanks in advance.  Be blessed. | 
• Tue 3 Jan 2006 - Gardening Help
You want to accomplish a lot of diffrent things. Lets start simple. Tomatoes. This spring when everyone around you is running to the Garden center to purchase plants, join them.
Purchase a tomato plant (doesn't matter which one, just get one) While your there buy a 6 gallon paint bucket, and dirt. Of course you won't need the bucket if you have good dirt, and a sunny spot to plant. But lets assume you don't..
Bucket. Drill 1 or 2 holes in the bottom of the bucket for drainage, add 2-3 small rocks to the bottom for air flow and so water will drain easier, add dirt. Now for the fun part!
Take the tomato plant out of the pot it came in, with your finger tip loosen the soil around the roots, using a spoon or by cupping your hand, dig a little hole in the dirt in the bucket and plant your tomato plant. It is ok to cover up about half the stem with soil.
Water gently and your done!
As far as watering daily, when it is small water every other day or so, as the tomato plant grows buy a tomato cage to put around it. Keep watering and soon you will have delicious tomatoes!
We love to name 100 things we want to get done, then we get overwhelmed and do nothing. We have to take one step at a time. If we start with one tomato plant it will lead to other plants.
I'll have more gardening info on my blog! Sorry for the long post!
Urban Pioneer