5 Tips So You DO NOT Make the #1 Gardening Mistake
Don’t worry, y’all, I have made this mistake as well, sometimes more than once.
I am a little slow on the uptake.
But the # 1 reason that your garden isn’t working for you, is you’re trying to grow things that just don’t want to grow in your area.
It’s like sticking a round peg in a square hole, to use the cliché .
I get it though. There are some things that I REALLY, REALLY want to grow and I’ve tried and I’ve tried; but at some point I had to realize that working against nature, well, it just wasn’t working.
Growing in the south has been a huge shift for me. I grew up in the Indiana, and even though I have been here (Southeast Texas) for 13 years, I still have to adjust my thinking and tactics at times.
Let me give you an example. I want to grow tomatoes soooooo badly. I think it’s more a nostalgia thing from my childhood; but growing tomatoes is rough around here, man. I have had great success, but also epic failures.
There is the heat and humidity to contend with; and don’t even get me started on the stink bugs.
I have tried different tactics. Earlier planting, planting in different areas, planting in large containers, and planting different varieties. I have even tried different methods of pruning. I’m 8 years in on this piece of property and I still haven’t had consistency.
Pumpkins are another example. They have huge squash vine bore pressures and haven’t adapted well to growing in my area, that’s why there aren’t u- pick pumpkin patches here. Pumpkins are imported from other areas in the fall.
Blueberries are another. I would LOVE to have blueberries. It’s not that you can’t grow them in Texas, there are quite a few blueberry farms (all at least an hour north of me), they just don’t want to grow in my area. Believe me, I’ve tried.
So as we are coming into the time of year when planning next year’s garden is in the works, I am sure you are starting to think what you want to plant.
Before you order those seeds or buy those plant starts, here are some tips:
Share seeds with other gardeners and famer’s that save seeds from year to year. Growers will save the seeds from the plants that do the best in their area each year. The more a plant is grown in an area, the more adapted it becomes to the climate and pest pressures.
Don’t fall for the beautiful pictures in the seed catalogs: I am a seed addict. I will straight up admit it, and I have fallen for the too- good-to-be-true descriptions of new hybrids and heirloom varieties offered in plant catalogs. But you need to stick to local nurseries, garden fairs and sales put up by local farms. These are a great way to explore the possibilities and meet up with fellow gardeners who can give you invaluable inputs.
Plant perennials that are zone specific and/or native: Perennials are going to come back year after year without much work from you. Native plants are already adapted to your specific area and will do well without your help.
Know when to quit: Some plants just aren’t going to do well no matter how hard you try, and that’s ok. You don’t want to waste your time or resources trying to make something grow that isn’t meant to grow where you live. There are so many options to choose from.
It’s all one huge experiment: That’s your new thought when you feel frustrated. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different spots in your garden area, test your soil, amend your soil, change varieties, do some research. So what if it doesn’t work. You have eliminated something and can move on to the next try.
Blueberries, I’ve finally said no to, that is until their comes a variety that is going to do well in my microclimate.
I haven’t given up on the tomatoes and pumpkins; at least not yet. I still have a few experiments up my sleeve to try.
Would you like to have your kids learn the homesteading/farming skills like those above necessary to have a self-sustaining life? Join me in Feburary for a Spring Planting Party and learn what plants grow best in this area. Register for the waiting list HERE and be the first to be notified for the next class.
