My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant’s point of view.
~ H. Fred Ale
Since I started my garden the third week of May, I was sure that everything would die. Every flower or plant that I’ve tried to grow in the past has always bit the dust early on. I heard all kinds of advice imaginable and I started to think if I didn’t follow everything, my garden would be a sure failure.
But what I’ve learned over the past 6 weeks is that the process is unique for every gardener and the best tips and tricks are those learned from personal trial and error. There is no better teacher than experience and the lessons that I’ve learned will stay with me always!
Here are some lessons I’ve learned over the past 6 weeks…
1. Plants aren’t always better than seeds.
Case in point- my pea plants! The pea plants that I started from seed have grown three times the size as compared to the plants I bought in the store. Next season, I will plant more seeds now that I have more gardening confidence.
Pea plant planted from seed…huge!
2. Greens are great for beginners!
Next season, I will likely plant more varieties of greens as I’ve seen how easy they are to grow. Very low maintenance! Umm, except for that spinach failure…
3. Keep your garden within arm’s reach.
This year, I decided to put my potted tomato plants on the opposite side of the house because that’s where the most sunlight is, but honestly it’s a huge pain in the butt to water them so far away. I might move them to the other side of the house and just make sure they are in direct sunlight! When your garden is in arm’s reach, you are much more likely to water them on a regular basis. Try to keep everything as close as you can.
4. Raised garden beds are amazing!
We used this raised bed tutorial and I’m so glad we spent the extra time, money, and effort to build raised beds. Raised bed gardening is beneficial for several reasons, including better drainage, more aeration in the soil, less bending over, more control over the soil, closer plant spacing, and an earlier start to the season and later end (due to the raised bed being warmer than the ground).
5. Don’t be afraid to crowd a few plants
I followed plant spacing guidelines to a tee when I planted everything (I even measured with a ruler!!), but now that I see the growth, I know I could have spaced things closer together and still had success. Next season, I won’t be so afraid of a little crowding here and there! Also, with a raised bed, you can plant closer.
6. Chicken wire is great for keeping small animals out, but annoying when gardening.
We haven’t had any major issues with small animals eating our plants thanks to the chicken wire. However, occasionally I will see a bunny eating my KALE through the chicken wire! The bunnies are too cute to get mad at…and can you blame him? That’s good kale! I laugh when I see a leaf nibbled on next to the wire, but again, it has only happened a couple times.
With that being said, the chicken wire is really annoying when it comes to gardening because it’s always in the way. Unhooking it eats up time, so I usually just bend it down when I’m weeding and picking.
7. Before picking herbs, give them a rinse with the hose.
This way, you won’t have to fuss with washing them once you bring them inside!
8. There are no mistakes in gardening, only learning experiences!
The best part about gardening is that you are in the trenches learning every single day. There is no better teacher than experience! I’ve learned much more by actually doing it, than from reading a book. I will never forget about my bolted spinach and if I plant it again, I will try another variety more resistant to bolting and I will plant it earlier in the season!
9. When picking kale and lettuce leaves, pick the outer leaves and leave the inner ones
Seems logical, but I had to Google this before I did it!
10. Plant only the produce that you LOVE to eat.
Only plant produce that you get excited about. Kale is one of my favourite vegetables, so I planted the most of it- 20 plants. I’m not worried about having too much because I can always freeze it and enjoy it all winter long!
11. Nothing is better than tasting fresh peas.
Sweetest peas ever.
12. Seeing a bell pepper sprout is like Christmas morning :)
Happiest moment of gardening to date!
More progress pictures…
The tomatoes have surfaced :)
The tomato plants didn’t want to wrap around the pole and one of the plants actually fell over!! I don’t know if it was from another animal or from the wind, but I loosely wrapped a twist tie around the upper stem to support them. Seems fine now. :)
Peppers are growing!
This is our banana pepper plant. Long and slender. :)
Cucumbers! Which have little pricklies on them…..cuteness.
Our two cucumber plants have grown the most out of any of the plants in the garden.
Here they are May 28, 2011:
July 7, 2011:
BEETS! Grown from seeds (which I’m especially proud of)
Carrots sprouting ever so slowly, also grown from seeds. :) And a few weeds to pull out!
The peas love to hook onto things for support.
Another pea plant which was planted from seed is doing well. It managed to hook around a stick for support.
I laughed when I saw that the plant has grabbed onto this long piece of grass (below) and strangled it!
I also read that I should put string across the pea plants horizontally so they can spread out more…I’m hoping to do that this weekend.
And the best lesson of all?
13. Mother Nature knows best!
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that nature is pretty darn good at working things out for itself! While it’s important to take care of a garden, it’s equally important not to smother the plants. Like a mother sending her child off to their first day of school, sometimes you just have to let them go grow. :)
Initially, I was watering too much and the plants began to yellow and die. Once I backed off a bit and let it do its thing, the plants just took off with growth!
Weather means more when you have a garden. There’s nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it is soaking in around your green beans. ~Marcelene Cox
That romaine looks lovely! Glad you’ve learned alot with your garden, and have taught me some things as well. Your ending quote resonated with me, as we have had lots of rain in FL the past few days. I can’t help but think of how happy my grass and plants are :) Happy Friday Angela!
Im the same when it rains…I just think about my plants! Its totally changed my perspective about rain…
Your gardens are looking great!! I think you’ve inspired me to try some raised beds next year!
Wow everything looks great! :) You have done an amazing job! Especially as it was your first time! Will be coming to you for tips when I eventually start my own garden! :)
Lahve! I’ve discovered the same things. Especially with growing from a seed — it works wondahs!
I don’t know if you did anything wrong to your spinach. I’m a little farther south than you (buffalo) but my friend is a spinach farmer and they lost a huge part of their crop this year to bolting, then they had a mad dash to salvage what they could. I guess it was just a really terrible year for spinach!
yea I heard from a lot of ppl who lost their spinach this year!
Angela the garden, your plants (all these images too!)…they look amazing! You should be SO IMPRESSED with yourself and what you’ve done. Going from pretty much nothing to pretty much amazing-ness! :)
The sweetest peas ever? I just did a post 2 days ago on my love of sugar snap peas. I wish I could help you eat yours…haha!
I dont have a garden, I don’t have a yard. I just am moving into a place with a big enough balcony that I could do a container garden. Then again, I have such amazing farmers markets here, for $2 bucks, maybe I will just buy some sugar snap peas and leave it to the green thumb pros. :)
Happy weekend!
I learned so much about my little garden attempt from reading this!
1) Overwatering= yellow planst! I thought that meant I wasn;t watering them enough… Oops!
2)totally agree with the seeds over potted plants! I thought I had just ‘lucked out’ with my gorgeous basil plant, but now I think its because I planted it from seed! And its SO big and pretty!! I’m the most proud of this plant (But it already needs a bigger pot!)
3) Spinach ‘bolting’? What does this mean? I’ve never grown spinach before (I’m gonna try and google it)
So I just googled ‘bolting plants’ and discovered that this is what is happening to my lettuce!! I thought a weed had gotten in there somehow! Ha ha, silly me!
I looove this post, Angela! It gives me hope that my black thumb will not always curse my plants, and maybe someday I’ll have a garden just like yours! I agree – snap peas are THE BEST off the vine!
I will be starting a garden next year. The previous owner of our house put in beautiful raised beds, but we have a puppy this year and his goal in life is to dig to the bottom of said beds. Hopefully he will have outgrown this phase by next spring!
Congrats on your flourishing garden! Glad to see more grow-your-own converts (it really becomes a necessity when you consume a lot of produce!)
Great summary lessons. My peas (from seed) have gone crazy!!! But, my lettuce (from plants) have been a dud and have gone to seed like your spinach. Isn’t it so exciting when you first see progress? Just saw my first strawberry – super tiny, need my macro lens to photo it – but it’s there! Did the chicken wire thing too. All my veggies look like they’re in jail, but good thing – four small deer came through the yard and would have wiped me out in minutes. Kale is almost ready to eat. Thanks for the picking tip – I would have picked the whole thing!
I’ve the spinach is the only thing that didn’t work out – you really can’t beat that especially for your first year! The garden looks great – I wish I had the space.
I’ve always been scared to plant my own garden, but seeing all your success on your first try gives me some encouragement. Maybe next summer I’ll give it a shot! And if I fail… well then there’s always the year after that!
Your garden is so beautiful! Love it.
I love this post, such good lesson! You’ve done a great job. I think cucumbers from a garden are one of the best things ever. They’re so fragrant, which you usually don’t associate with that particular veggie!
Ahem, SECOND sweetest peas ever. ;)
heh ;)
i love gardening. i used to have a huge garden on the farm and then when I moved into a city I had a community plot. Now, all I have is some pots in the parking lot. I just love seeing things grow and providing for myself, independent of grocery stores. You’re doing great!
I am so happy for you and your gorgeous garden! I can’t wait to have my own house someday, plant my own garden and eat right from it–how fun! May your green thumb streak continue!
Are pea plants not the cutest things ever? When I was little my parents used to grow them and I was obsessed! Soooo yummy! I live in an apt now and can’t have a veggie garden… though it is on my bucket list :)