Amid conversations with new gardeners, I’ve heard many say they feel like failures!
WHAT? No way…
Let me first commend you for getting dirty. YAY, you are making a difference in your life in multiple ways. We’ll explore that further in another Garden Scoop. However, as we have all experienced in our lawns, gardens and water bills, the drought continues. And here’s the proof:
In my own gardens, I have struggled with watering. My rain barrel has sat empty for weeks, my tomatoes are toast. The black fabric bags I used to plant in, for the first time, might also be adding to the issue. I’ve never seen them look so bad. Here’s a link on Growing Tomatoes from the University of MN Extension.
I had just watered this plant. It took time for the water to soak into the soil
I will give a high five to ‘Sparky XSL’ cherry tomatoes. They have withstood the drought, black bag and wind far better than any other tomato! They are also very flavorful. Their skin is almost crunchy, hence the extended shelf life, but I kinda like that! ‘Chef’s Choice Orange’ are also very tasty although not as abundant.
Sparky XSL & Chef’s Choice Orange
Sharp cheddar, roasted tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, basil, S&P = YUM
Heat, drought & wind have been the “norm” this season stressing plants to their limits. So, new gardeners, you are not failures by any means! The failing is in giving up.
9-8-23 my very sad rain garden that has experienced drought since it’s installation in late 2019
The main ingredient to gardening is that you enjoy the process. It takes time to develop a garden. Remember the saying, “The first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap”. I tried to find the origin of this saying but no luck! In the meantime, here is one that I wrote:
“The garden is no place to stress for success but to soak up some sun and renew your spirit”.
Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. I love the term, Wabi Sabi. It means “imperfect beauty”. The link takes you to a better understanding of this Japanese philosophy. And from Wikipedia: In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature.
Take the pressure off yourself and enjoy playing in dirt. If a plant isn’t working in the space you placed it, do some research, ask the experts (Gertens has a lot of them), get a soil test. I highly suggest you use University based information when researching issues. And accept the beauty of imperfection!
PS, I’m not saying don’t TRY to have a “perfect” garden, I’m saying don’t sweat it if it’s not. Just…
Keep on gardening,
