Life was easy in the old garden, it hardly warrants mention.
Life in the new garden has been a journey of self discovery.
The biggest difference in the old garden and the new garden, besides soil and wind, has been sunlight. I can now grow vegetables (if my soil will allow me to.)
I've learned a lot about the soil in my garden and I've learned even more about me, as a gardener, and I think this year, I am beginning to understand and except my limitations and view them in more positive ways because I no longer fight against them.
I have learned, I am a "Big Bang" gardener. I make a big push in the spring, and in the summer, I get busy and walk away. Not all vegetables can handle that. I am actually proud that my vegetable garden is only 50 percent weeds. That is down from 95 percent the first year. Where others see shame, I see beauty and hope.
I have learned to plant determinate, long season veggies, because I either am not in town, or I will forget to go out and harvest the ones that need daily picking. I do better with popcorn, versus sweet corn. I do better with winter squash versus summer squash. Forget cucumbers, beans, peas, lettuce.
I have learned, I have to listen to the soil. While the soil is less hard pan than it used to be, it still has a long way to go to being happy and content. My soil does better with trees and shrubs with strong roots. Kiwi, grapes, blueberries, fruit trees, take to my soil better than radishes, carrots, and rutabagas. Pine trees and Hanoki do better still.
I have learned I don't have the time to water all day every day. I have learned the more water a plant needs, the closer to the spigot it gets planted. I'm not dragging hoses. I have learned, I LOVE ollas. I will use more of them in the future. I have gone to great lengths to improve the soil to the point I can utilize so-called "dry gardening" methods. This has been a wet summer, and today was the first time I watered in nearly a month. Even then, I only watered the containers. Of course, I put the containers out in the garden so whatever run off there is, waters the corn.
I have learned, I'm not getting younger, but I may, just may, be getting smarter.
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