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Welcome, Gary. If you haven't done so yet, you should start preparing the soil where you are going to plant your veggies. They need a well-tilled and improved soil to be able to develop good roots and derive nutients from the soil. It takes years to have a "black gold" type of soil, so get started on that early. Organic matter such as leaves and grass clippings composted and then added to your bed and tilled in work well for starters.
Planning your crop is the next thing. Most veggies need some space or supports. Tomatoes and cukes are easy and the most fun to me, but they need supporting structures. Look for cages or "teepees" or grid trellises now that you can probably buy cheap at garden centers and have them ready for next year. Then in January/February 2010, start buying your seeds. Timing your planting is crucial for a successful harvest. You can start seeds indoors in late winter/early spring to get a jumpstart or wait to buy bedding plants at the garden center if you don't want to mess with seed starting. Whichever you do, your beds need to be ready when it is planting time Good luck!!
Strawberries and blueberries are easy, but you have to keep the critters off. Birds and berry-pcking rodents like chipmunks and squirrels can beat you to the harvest. These fruits can be netted to thwart thieves, but usually aren't 100% bandit-proof. Blueberries like acid soil--the more the better, so be careful about what you mix in the soil for them. Read up on soil alkalinity and acidity and pH. Get a soil test for all beds, just so you know.
I fess to pouring salt on snails, but your ideas are good, Snail. No salt for you!! :-)
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