Monday, July 5, 2010

Learning the Hard Way

I'm in my third season of gardening. It all started with some pumpkin seeds that I harvested from the Fall one year. Then, on a whim, that same year, I bought a few tomato seeds and one of those little trays from one of the big box stores with the little pots. I watched in absolute amazement as my plants took off. I used my garage to start the seeds, then transplanted into my makeshift garden area (which wasn't big enough).

Before the next season came around I was ready for it to turn warm in January. Over the Winter I had planned to section off part of the yard to grow. I needed more space. I bought more seeds which I started inside. This time, in addition to the normal staples, it was beans, cherry tomatoes, corn, and cucumbers, oh my. As the ground thawed it was time for me to break in a special shovel I bought to removed the grass in nice squares. I would replace the soil with top soil form the lawn and garden store and till it all in. Again, absolute amazement. Despite a few setbacks, like leaving some cucumbers on the vine too long, it was a very productive year.

Not to be outdone, I determined in the off season that this year was going to be better than ever. This year I added the rain barrel to the guttering on the house. I composted during the off season and used that dirt. I added new plants, like peppers and zuc. I had learned what needed space and what didn't. So, I packed them in where I could. I bought books on natural ways to get rid of critters.

However, there is one lesson I still haven't learned. Leave a cucumber on the vine too long and lose the whole plant. Yes folks as of today, I learned again........the hard way.

4 comments:

  1. sorry to hear about your cucumber...i've done that before too. this is my third season of gardening also and the obsession does seem to intensify every year.

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  2. Thanks. Right now I'm growing strictly fruits and veggies. I would like to add some flowering plants that would add color as well as benefit the fruits and veggies (help rid the garden of pests, etc..) Do you have any suggestions?

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  3. yeah certainly--i'm growing borage and nasturtiums, both are beneficial, beautiful and edible. nasturtiums are super easy to grow from seed, and supposedly borage will reseed itself so you only have to plant it once.

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  4. Thanks for the suggestion, I will try it!!

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