The leaves changing, the holidays coming, the last of the garden vegetables, it's just a great time of year. My husband would also add the grass not growing anymore and requiring weekly mowing. :) The garden has been such an adventure this year. To be honest, I thought we were crazy the day we dug up a 4'X16' patch of grass in the lawn to put in a garden bed but I had decided that's where I wanted it and my husband helped me get it done and we filled it in with dirt, compost, a little steer manure and some top soil. The other day we went out and picked tomatoes, dug potatoes and picked some squash. Home grown produce just tastes so much sweeter and I've really enjoyed seeing how excited my children get when they get to help harvest whatever we've grown. For dinner last Sunday we had potatoes from the garden and blackberry slump and most of the blackberries came from a small wild patch growing in our yard. We've also had zucchini bread that was made from our neighbor's zucchini (Thanks Sonja!) I also love pumpkins but have had no luck in getting them to grow the last two years I've tried. Hopefully after having such a good season this year I'll be a little braver with the gardening next year. Here's some things I've learned:
I'm pretty sure that's the extent of my gardening knowledge. I'm looking forward to next year when we get to try even more things.
1. Peas need something tall to grow up. Mine were 4-5 ft tall this year and fell over.
2. Peas and beans do better if planted directly into the ground. They don't need to be started early.
3. For whatever reason plants I buy small and plant early do better than larger plants put into the garden later.
4. Slug killer is a must for anything that grows on the ground.
5. Size matters. Our yellow zucchini grew huge but weren't tender inside. Pick it small and give the others a chance to grow.
6. Water tomatoes from the ground, not above, and evenly.
7. If you put stuff in pots you have to water it. I know, this is a no brainer but I forgot about some plants I had in the garage and they will only come back a few times from being wilted before they give up and die.
8. If you don't fill the space with something you plant, weeds will move in. Someone suggested covering with cardboard or newspaper topped with grass clippings at the end of the growing season. To prep for the next year you just till it all into the soil. (Mulch or compost works too.)
2. Peas and beans do better if planted directly into the ground. They don't need to be started early.
3. For whatever reason plants I buy small and plant early do better than larger plants put into the garden later.
4. Slug killer is a must for anything that grows on the ground.
5. Size matters. Our yellow zucchini grew huge but weren't tender inside. Pick it small and give the others a chance to grow.
6. Water tomatoes from the ground, not above, and evenly.
7. If you put stuff in pots you have to water it. I know, this is a no brainer but I forgot about some plants I had in the garage and they will only come back a few times from being wilted before they give up and die.
8. If you don't fill the space with something you plant, weeds will move in. Someone suggested covering with cardboard or newspaper topped with grass clippings at the end of the growing season. To prep for the next year you just till it all into the soil. (Mulch or compost works too.)
I'm pretty sure that's the extent of my gardening knowledge. I'm looking forward to next year when we get to try even more things.
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