When my partner and I bought our house, one of the things I was most excited about was starting a garden. My father (who grew up on an honest-to-goodness farm) always had a vegetable plot in his backyard, my mother (and her mother) grew flowers, and my new next-door neighbours were a pair of elderly Italians whose entire backyard was given over to vegetables. I felt like I had truly arrived.
We’re now going into our fourth year of gardening. The first few were veggies only; last year, we finally had the backyard landscaped and added flowers to our repertoire. Here are some things I’ve learned…
1. The weeds are faster than you think. In early April the temperature was barely above freezing, and the frost date was still more than a month away, but the weeds were already up and going.
2. Easy = good. We’ve grown tomatoes and zucchini year after year, because they take care of themselves. Stick them in, water occasionally, and get all the veggies you can eat. Carrots, on the other hand…the first year they grew stunted (but so. tasty.), while the second year they never grew at all, and this year is looking like a repeat of the second. Alas.
3. Variety = also good. Every year, I’ve planted some tried-and-true things (see #2) and also tried something new, just for the sake of interest. One year we had a mystery plant that turned out to be a cantaloupe. Last year we tried acorn squash, which was pretty neat just because the products were so big, and bell peppers, which were fascinating to watch as they formed (I had never thought about where peppers came from…). This year we’re trying scarlet runner beans – can’t wait to see what they do.
4. Be very, very careful about things that spread by seeds or roots. When we bought the house, the entire backyard was dirt – good dirt, mind you – and a good portion of it was chamomile. That stuff self-seeds like crazy. We dug it all up and even ended up replacing a lot of the dirt, but we’re still getting chamomile here and there. And we have mint. Lots of it. Good thing we love mint chutney…and mint in our cold drinks…and mint tea…
5. In most cases, it’s almost impossible to water too much. (Yes, it’s possible to drown your plants if you’re really dedicated, but I assume you’re a busy person with other things on your mind besides standing around with a hose.) Your garden will thank you.
6. For a flower garden, just follow the same rules as above. Last year we planted a bunch of perennials. Some of them died over the winter, while others are coming back bigger and better than ever (see #2 – plants that come back all by themselves are your friends). This year I’m going to add some new ones, plus some annuals, and see what sticks.
7. Remember to stop and enjoy! I love making the rounds of my garden to see what’s changed – especially in spring, when every few days brings something new. I admire the flowers, I check up on each vegetable seedling, I look anxiously at the plots where I put in seeds that haven’t come up yet. Then I dig up as many weeds as I can (see #1) and finally plop down on my patio and admire the results.
So far this year, I’ve planted tomatoes, beans, carrots (in theory – see #2), herbs, and hot peppers. This weekend I’m going to finish planting the veggies. I haven’t started on the flowers yet, not counting the perennials, but a combination of bad weather and being away has resulted in a slow start. I’m not beating myself up for it; what gets done gets done. Then I’ll follow my own advice in #7. Can’t wait!
You and your dirt and being able to go outside in summer. 😛
In a much more my-size attempt, I’ve started sprouts in a mason jar. The seeds are sprouting! It’s pretty cool. The child was disturbed when I explained I was doing it so I could devour the TASTY TASTY WEE BABY PLANTS.
The child may change her mind when she tastes them. 😀 You could try fresh herbs on the windowsill, too. But yay for sprouts!
Sounds like you’re getting the hang of it. I just don’t have the patience for gardening but I applaud your success.;)
My kid? Taste a green thing? The horror!
I’m probably going to try herbs, but I’ll have to do it in my bathroom, the only place Duke the Cat can’t get at them. I have a skylight and intense sunlight, so it might work.
Duke the Cat eats yummy plants. And not yummy plants, and plants that could kill him, and things that were plants once (broom straws) and things that RESEMBLE things that were plants once (plastic broom.)