I am really determined to become a successful gardener this year. Each year of failures leads to more knowledge which leads to success!
At our “suburbia” home, I have two raised garden beds that I have planted various crops over the years using the square foot method. I’ve been most successful with beans, onions, lettuce blends, and melons.
At the farmstead, we put in a larger raised garden bed with nine total squares. First, I thought about the plants that I’ve been most successful growing. Those are going to be the bulk of what I produce this year along with a few newbies. Second, I did a bunch of online research to figure out what to plant. I figured out what plants are good companion plants and which ones don’t get along. After all of that data collection, I made a diagram complete with pictures showing what would be planted where.
Why go to all the work of creating a diagram? I tend to forget what I planted. And, when they don’t sprout or grow properly, I can’t track what was successful and what wasn’t.
This year’s gardening goals are to #1 produce some produce and #2 figure out what I’m not good at growing. Those failures are what I will target the following year. One thing I have learned, is that gardening is a whole lot more than sticking a seed in the ground and watering it. Each plant has a different need. The failures help me learn what those needs are.
Happy Growing!