New home, new garden! This is an exciting year as it is the first of hopefully many happy years of gardening at our new homestead. I am facing many challenges as we start over at our new home. Once again, the question of garden planning comes to the forefront. I have a friend who spends hours with graph paper plotting out how everything in her garden would be arranged. That works for many people, but this year, I am feeling my way forward; learning what plants will thrive in which microclimate.
The trick is to think about the future; what do I want to leave to the next generation? A pecan grove or a cider orchard? Tall, healthy trees filled with songbirds? A low maintenance permaculture garden, traditional rows, or raised beds? Alternative energy sources to fuel the water pumps? A tangled mess of underbrush perfect for habitats? One could become overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices when starting this large project.
I like the proverb “over-analysis brings paralysis.” It means that you can overthink a decision until you freeze-up into confusion and can’t move forward for fear of making a mistake. I knowthat I will make mistakes as I develop this new site, but I choose to see it as a learning opportunity, not a failure.
Take these raspberries, for example, they were planted where Jim was convinced they would do well, out of the way at the edge of our property. They barely made it through the winter. I am replanting them to a sunnier location, in less competition for nutrients. Was it a mistake? It’s never a mistake to allow your partner to try their ideas, so I choose to view it as gaining more garden wisdom.
Challenge yourself when you garden to keep experimenting with new or unusual vegetables. This year I am trying Chinese Pink Celery, exotic pole beans, and black radishes. I am trying beets again as all the garden groups rave about their nutritional values. While I admit Heirloom varieties, especially tomatoes, are finicky; when you bite into a sun-ripened Cherokee Purple or a classic Brandywine, the taste and subtle undertones of flavor is well worth the extra effort! For canning or dehydrating, you still need to focus on growing hybrid tomatoes as their yield per plant is at least double that of the tastier heirlooms.
I encourage you, even if you live in an apartment, to start container gardening. For the cost of a pot, potting soil, and a few transplants, you can have an herb garden right outside your kitchen or patio! This pot took me only a few minutes to fill and plant, but I have been harvesting fresh basil, curly parsley, rosemary, and oregano since April. The smell when you bruise the cuttings (rub them in your hands) is terrific. It’s so worth the effort!
It’s been a crazy year to start a new garden, but I love spending time alone tending my plants, watching the baby bunnies who thankfully neglect the raised beds, talking with my heavenly Father who loves me despite myself. Yes, I am blessed. A life filled with simple joys is what I hope all of you achieve, it’s different for each person, but it’s there for you. As I age, I look back and wish I had been kinder, more open to adventures, less concerned with what others thought of me and more worried if I was serving others well. Enjoy the simple life. Buchheit has the right mission statement. Relax and enjoy today! Be blessed!
