Comments on: Lessons Learned From My First Garden

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:38:07 +0000

This was our first year in planting corn so we didn’t know that we needed to pick the corn right away. We planted our bell pepper plants to close to our jalapeno plants and they crossed pollinated so our bell peppers were a little hot. Our potato seeds did much better in our own clay like dirt with added rabbit and chicken manure than they did in a raised bed with peat moss…go figure.

I’m going to try the egg shells around the tomato plants this spring to see if there is a difference.

We had to put a fence up around our strawberry raised bed because we found a squirrel eating our berries. The squirrel was taste testing them to see if they were ripe and he would drop the ones that were not ripe on the ground.

Next season I can not procrastinate on picking the blueberries because literally over night we had not a single ripe blueberry left on 12 bushes because of the birds. Thousands of blueberries gone!

Thanks Kendra for the lessons learned post.

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:35:44 +0000

Plant marigolds around your garden… especially around tomato plants! They do a great job of repelling pests and make the garden even more colorful and beautiful!

Also, during the spring and summer, plant Cosmos and zinnias. These annual flowers are beautiful, start so easily from seed and attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds like crazy! The Cosmos get really tall so you can plant them around your veggie garden and by the time they get good and big (they take a while to get big and bloom… kinda like sunflowers) then they provide some very light shade at a time that’s hot and the veggie plants can use it. The zinnias come in many different varieties. Here in Louisiana I’ve been successful with every variety I’ve tried but that could be different elsewhere. These two flowers, I find, are the best bang for your buck and do a great job of attracting those workers to the garden!

I’ve had an interest in gardening all my life (even as a small child). Both sets of grandparents are avid gardeners and they both tell me that no matter how long you’ve been doing it… you are always going to be learning. It’s trial and error. You can get lots of tips from people, read lots of books, etc. but each and every area of soil is different… position of your land is different, etc. Don’t be afriad to experiment and don’t be afraid to fail sometimes.

Again, thanks for sharing with us!

By: Deanna

Deanna — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:10:27 +0000

My biggest advice is to look at gardening like a journey. Unfortunately it is such a long journey that you may never reach the destination. Be patient with yourself. Involve your kids. They may do some damage but the learning they get from it is priceless. Play around, try new things but most of all enjoy it! Keep a journal of what worked and what to change. Start right now getting your beds ready for spring. Till in manure from the goats (tomatoes grew there for a reason) and chickens. This will also help with pest control and weed control next year. My dad comes over with the disc on his tractor and turns my soil after turnip greens are all picked. I then begin planning my garden for next year. I map it out what needs to be done when and where. I have a weekly to do list. I post it…everybody knows what needs to be done. ( I have older kids who help out alot) Every year I learn something new. This year I produced almost all the veggies we will use for the whole year but it didn’t happen all in one year. I have been gardening for my family for about 6 years. Some years I put more money and time than I got in return but don’t give up. You will eventually reap the rewards. How about fruit trees? This is a good time to put in an order to arrive in spring. Try pears… they are easy to grow fairly pest resistant and great canned. I can’t make enough canned pears to last the year. Apples are next but a little harder to keep disease and pests away.

By: Renata

Renata — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:01:44 +0000

Thanks for sharing as I didn’t know some of these things. I’m coming into my second summer here & unfortunately my garden last year looked a lot like yours. Now I’m diligently fertilizing fortnightly & watering every couple of days. So far it’s looking better – although it’s only early days yet.

By: Lanna

Lanna — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:12:08 +0000

Keep notes.
Pay attention to companion planting. I.e. pole beans and garlic = smaller garlic and an awful bean yield.
Have fun with it. Whether you’re goofy like me and go for the “fun” colored things like purple beans or purple carrots or yellow carrots or whatnot, experiment. Some things flop, some things thrive – you jus t never know.

By: Nancy M.

Nancy M. — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:07:17 +0000

My list is similar to yours. I know I definitely need more pest control. I tried to do it too organic and that did not work out well. I also learned since I have sandy soil that I need to water it everyday.