What I've Learned
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Gardening is a never ending learning process. In this video I will talk about what I've learned in the past year. Please comment on what you've learned in the past year!
MENTIONED PRODUCT
Self Watering Seed Trays: bit.ly/3JYGDU0
MENTIONED VIDEOS
Drip Irrigation: • Easy Drip Irrigation f...
Grazon & Salt: • Did I DESTROY My Garde...
Gopher Baskets: • How to Keep Gophers & ...
Teepee Trellis: • Planting Sweet Peas //...
Favorite Seed Starting Method: • My New Favorite Seed S...
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Hey Guys, I’m Brian from Next Level Gardening
Welcome to our online community! A place to be educated, inspired and hopefully entertained at the same time! A place where you can learn to grow your own food and become a better organic gardener. At the same time, a place to grow the beauty around you and stretch that imagination (that sometimes lies dormant, deep inside) through gardening.
I’m so glad you’re here!
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Don't rely on my kids to water my vegetables when I go on a 1 week business trip in the middle of June. 😂
Same
This is the first vacation in 50 years that my plants did well thanks to my daughter in law. My kids were the worst.
That’s how I lost the near extinct type strawberry (Fairfax) plant I’d nurtured for a year. Asking a neighbor to water. They didn’t. I have no chance to get that variety again. 😭
Or husbands…..😂😂
@@Shanaboyeror wives!😂😂😂😂😂
I learned that leaving leaves on the ground over the winter till mid spring is the best thing. I have never had as many ladybugs on my red currant bush as I am having this spring. I attribute this phenomenon to the fact that I left the leaves on the ground. I learned that caging my blueberry bushes with chicken wire and single layer of burlap worked to keep the rabbits and squirrels away during the winter. I also learned that saving seeds and then starting plants from seeds the next spring saves a lot of money. The seed companies charge an arm and a leg for 10 seeds in a packet plus shipping. Also, I have learned a whole lot about solitary bees. My first time Blue Orchard Mason bees started hatching a week ago. They all took off into the distance. I thought to myself, what a waste of money. Yesterday, one of the females returned to my backyard and got busy pollinating my blueberry bushes. (That was the main point of getting them.) That one solitary bee, with its shiny black butt, made my day. Update as of 05/20/23: Now I have 3 of my female Mason Bees back in my backyard busy pollinating my blueberry bushes from sunup to sundown. They are living up to their reputation as hard workers and being friendly. They are getting along nicely with 3 bumblebees.
I agree on the leaves. We just started gardening when we moved here (actually the same time Brian moved!) and have a few ginormous trees in the backyard. We mulch the greenhouse and all the beds in the backyard with the leaves from those trees, and last summer there were more ladybugs than I had ever seen in one place in the greenhouse. I mean swarms of them. So thick there was not a single inch of plastic that wasn't holding at least one, and they were landing on me as soon as I opened the door. The hard part is not swatting your arm when you feel the pinch of them landing on you! Their little legs are sharp! LOL Plus the leaves add a ton of nutrients back into the soil when they break down. We usually cover all the beds at least 6" deep, and in the walkway in the greenhouse, closer to a foot deep. We also got a new thornless blackberry bush that came up on it's own after we planted 11 of them last fall. They are all fully loaded and purple right now. We just can't wait to harvest them!
My biggest take away from this year, home grown herbs are far far better than store bought.
Check out Lemon Basil. It's soooo delicious. My daughter likes to chew the straight from the plants.
This❤
@@thegirl4genius797trying it and lime basil and cardinal basil too❤
Lettuce leaf too❤ I love basil ❤😂😂😂
I fell in love with Thai Basil last year after buying a plant. So this year I’m growing my own. I’m also trying other varieties of basil and a few other herbs this year 😊
They last way longer too after you harvest them
I started gardening last year and the biggest thing i learned is, plants are more resilient than i think and i should not be afraid experimenting in the garden. If things dont go to plan you try again and keep going till you figure out some way that does work.
a portion of the garden or plants are always "for science"
I have learned so many things this year. The biggest was NOT to try to do everything new at once. I did a full garden plan for a garden I hadn’t even built yet. I started seeds for the first time and did WAY too many. I learned soil prep and construction. I tried hugelkultur. I tried companion planting. I started composting. I started to run drip, but ran over budget. I wouldn’t try to do “all the things” again. I’d start small and work my way up. However, I learned SO much through trial and error-even through the total failures. I’ve been keeping a garden journal, so I can build on my knowledge. It’s been an exhausting Spring, but a fun and educational one.
@Tracysop1, I did all the things you mentioned as well. Nearly killed me. I'm glad I'm not the only one who dives in head first! Best of luck to you! 😊
I’m doing all the things too. Waiting for irrigation help… I planted too many tomato seed starts and had to plant them all. Just couldn’t get rid of the excess. Ill be drowning in tomatoes. Which is a good thing.
Me too! Raised beds, seed starting, irrigation, fencing to keep out deer and rabbits. Hope I don't have to add electric for bears! I had to move all the dirt by myself😂 had too many seedlings as well. Next year will be much more relaxed building on the first years start up work!
One thing l’ve learned this year is that even at my age there’s still a lot to learn. Remembering what I’ve learned is the hard part. 🌷💚🙃
Very well said!😁
Same!!! I say I'm going to write it down then I forget to write it! 😂😂
Yup 😂, isn't that the truth!
😂😂😂 Same here!!! ❤ I😊 have to write every thing down.
@@tesswagner895 🤣🤣🤣 I get distracted so easy now a days too. Ridiculous.
Haha the most important thing i ve learned about gardening is probably the fact there s endless challenges and always always so much more to learn 😂
Having to fight bugs these past 2 years. Especially white flies 😞 I noticed where I had garlic there were no bugs. Planted garlic everywhere no matter what season it is. Also the dried garlic leaves make the best mulch for my strawberries and other plants.
I am 67. I learn new things every season. I learned I did not like 1/4” soaker hoses for my containers. I learned that leaving a pile of wood chips for a year makes wonderful compost. I am learning which varieties of lettuce don’t get bitter like others do (Merlot is still going strong and not bitter yet. Others have already bolted). I learned that barky soil from last season in my containers become beautiful soil full of mycelium and worms this year. I learned to pinch the top of my peppers this year. Course that experiment is still in the works. I learned my Purple Leaf Plum makes edible fruit. 😁 I am still learning how to graft. First time didn’t work.
I've failed at grafting 2 years in a row. Still trying to figure out what went wrong.
Grafting is so intimidating. I'm going to attempt but tbh I'm really scared😮🙊😬
I am a certified master gardener and there is so much I do not know!! So much more than I know! I have learned a ton about fruit trees and berries this year. I have lived in zones from 300 miles south of the Arctic Circle to the Gulf Coast. A big learning curve. I learned about worm castings and azomite this year. Yes learned about persistent herbicides too. First year I had an invasion of pill bugs that ate up my green beans and damaged some strawberries too. Also first time having rats eat my tomatoes. We have trapped 5. We don’t leave our cats outside at night. Yes and mulch everything. Love the automatic seed watering system. First time I have been successful in starting gerbera daisies. Almost all germinated.
I learned not to compare my garden and gardening skills with others on RUclips! I started getting anxious and judging my results with others with much more experience! Also, I learned to plant vegetables that my family likes rather than randomly choosing vegetable seeds. Thanks Brian for all your advice.
Yup. It's the stakes I heard.
I seriously cannot wait to see the cottage garden full and lush. It's going to be so gorgeous!
You'll have to show before and after photos once you have the coop, paths, etc. complete. It will be remarkable all the changes.
I'll probably make a whole video on the process
@@NextLevelGardening Yay!!!! Hope so!!❤
I've been growing gardens off and on for around 50 years and what I do now is totally different than what I once did, but still get decent results. What I learned this year is that they make 100 gallon grow bags, they aren't expensive, and that you can grow corn in them but I haven't seen the results yet. The corn is about 8" tall now so I will know in a month or two. Google says you can do it, so I decided to try it.
Two days of rain and the corn is well over a foot tall. If these 24 plants produce, I will plant a second crop since I live in Tennessee and should have time.
I've learned it takes an awful lot of soil mix to fill even a 4'x4' bed. I've learned I can start seeds inside and I've learned that there is a fairly big difference between reading about doing something and actually doing it. Thanks for sharing all that you do!
I learned that Roly Polies (Pill Bugs) are no friend to plant shoots. I'm kind of lazy about up-potting so I tend to put new plants out pretty quickly when they're still fairly soft and tender. I'm now cutting the bottom off plastic pots and using them to protect my new plants. I'll remove them before the plant gets too big to slip off the protective pot. It gives the plants a good start.
Cool idea!
Just had damage for the first time from these pests!
This is my 3rd year at gardening and I learned that a regular fertilizing routine is a game changer! My plants look so happy and healthy this year and the fruit production is going to be amazing.
Brian I had your book on my Amazon wishlist and I got it for Mother's Day today!
I learned that topping some plants like zinnias and peppers make bushier plants. I learned from you Brian, that you should not prune suckers out of cherry tomatoes as you would other tomatoes. I enjoy this channel so much! Happy Mother’s Day to all!
Oh no!! I forgot that about the cherries and just clipped a few. Good thing it's still early on
I watched a big pepper producer's video from last fall of his experimenting with pruning pepper plants. He didn't get more peppers either way, but his unpruned plants made slightly larger peppers with thicker walls than the pruned, so his untopped plants produced more money due to more weight. I am doing half and half this year to see what happens.
@@vonheise great idea!
Thank you so so much for this video!! A lot of times people don't want to share their mistakes. As a new gardner I very much appreciate the wisdom that you have learned and pass it on to us!
This year I learned that Mother Nature can often have different plans than me.
I grew a huge number of zinnias last year, and they formed the majority of the landscaping for our newly built house. I got so many compliments (you can imagine how yard full of zinnias stood out in a new neighborhood with practically no landscaping at the other houses). So, I saved thousands of seeds and planned to use them to do the same thing again this year. I spread a copious number of seeds, and soon I had what seemed like a jillion plants. So proud! Then, a month later, I noticed the buds didn't look like zinnias. It turns out they were petunias that had reseeded from just a few petunias I had in the front bed last year. Pretty, but I wanted zinnias. LOL Oh, and I found out the reason NOT ONE of my zinnia seeds germinated is because I didn't save them correctly.
Also, I kept digging up what I thought were weeds out. I probably took out at least 10. It turns out they were dwarf phlox that had reseeded from last year too. Thankfully, I managed to not remove two of them, and those are growing nicely. Hopefully, they'll reseed again next year. I've promised them I won't dig up their offspring if they do!
Yikes. Very humbling.
How did you save them? Just want to make sure not to make the same mistake. Do you wait for them to dry out and then harvest seeds?
Yes, from what I saw in a video after mine failed, they have to dry on the plant until they're completely dead. That's pretty gnarly-looking, though, so if I were to do it again, I would tie strings on the few I want to save, and maybe even tag them with the color/variety, and then let them dry. Then, I would deadhead the rest as usual so there would still be regrowth.
One flower will yield a lot of seeds, so you don't really need that many.
I just saved the flowers as I deadheaded them and let them dry out. That method definitely doesn't work. 😢
You might want to do a bit more research on this, though, to make sure I haven't missed something.
@@ALightAngel Thank you! Trying to save money and this is the first year using seeds that we saved. Things are just now coming up, so hoping things go well
@@reneejmj Looks like you're already having success! Great. Here's to a productive gardening season.
👍🌻⚘️🪻🌷
I moved from WA to FL last year and WOW. I've learned I had it really easy in WA lol. A big one though, the importance of air flow. Oh, and that planting timing in FL is crazy.
Yes it is! When you order a load of good soil in Florida, it is terrible. Hello from 9b, Sarasota
@@Anne--Marie So true, been growing gardens in central florida for awhile now, learned a lot from this channel, esp. things I've been doing wrong. good luck with this hot weather and lack of rain.
@@d.faulkner8210 Self sufficient me is another good channel with similar growing conditions, though he is in Australia. Between the two channels there is enough information to grow your own food!
Newer vegetable gardener here, I've historically only had success with flowers. Ive earned that I can grow vegetables with knowledge! Thanks to you my tomatoes and peppers have been awesome for two seasons now. Making compost isn't all that difficult. Tons more also thanks to RUclips channels like yours.
Going into my 3rd year, but still making mistakes yet still learning. The main thing I definitely learned in gardening is "PATIENCE, PATIENCE AND MORE PATIENCE "
I have gardening books as far back as Gutenberg (1500s) in my Prepper University library database. Their ancestral knowledge was based on logic and study - thinking and analyzing - their land, plants, seasons, planting schedule, ... and their common sense has proven more valuable than modern science and experiments.
I have been learning about the value of swales in the garden, not only for redirecting water away from my building, but to feed the fruit trees and garden areas. I have also learned the value of woodchips to bring good juju to the garden, moisture retention, and how they actually build soil. (Thanks, Weedy Gardener)
This past week I learned how to test straw within a week to see if there's an issue by comparisons on bean plants. I also learned you can inoculate the straw with mushroom. "Research suggests mushrooms can convert pesticides and herbicides to more innocuous compounds, remove heavy metals from brownfield sites, and break down plastic."
I’ve learned so much mostly from you but also other RUclips videos
My husband and I have been married for almost 57 years and have had a garden 50 of those years. But because of what I’ve learned, this year we are doing things much different. I think one of the most important things is about how important fertilizing is. We’ve never really done it. I’ve used miracle grow inconsistently over the years but never again. We are trying to use all organic products. We’ve even mixed up our own potting soil. I’ve grown all of our seedlings this year too. I’m just sad we didn’t know all of this years ago. Thank you so much for sharing all of your valuable knowledge. I even bought your book which is excellent. Keep up the good work. I follow both of your channels. ❤
This year I learned how beneficial my fresh home compost is. I’ve gone through great lengths in the past mixing the correct parts of each bagged soil components (peat moss, perlite, box store cow manure), with marginal success… but this year when I added some fresh compost from the pile, the plants took off and look beautiful.
Could you share what you did?
This year I learned the importance of fertilizing a few weeks BEFORE planting. I got new beds and dirt and everything I grew was so stunted even though I started putting down slow-release fertilizer when they got their first true leaves. I finally pulled it all out and started over and everything went gangbusters. Apparently starting off with nutrition in your soil is important.
I adopted a retired tom cat last year. He is inside/outside and has made a HUGE difference in pest management from squirrels and chipmunks. He even keeps the field mice out of my gardening shed. He is loving his life and I am loving my relatively pest free garden.
i never knew that about mushroom compost. I always thought that that was the best soil/compost to use, thank you for that tip!
I didn’t either until today 😢
Biggest thing for me is learning to not try to force plants that don’t want to grow in your area/zone. Try to pick the things that work best for your climate. I’m in the PNW, and technically zone 8b, but some things just don’t work well. Secondarily, I’ve learned to not overcomplicate things. Plants want to grow, and seem to always find a way. Give them what they need and nature handles the rest.
Those self watering trays are fabulous! I ordered 2 when you showed them and now I’m ordering 6 more!
I already ordered smaller trays with domes that have dials you can open or close, and bottom trays. However, I'm thinking of converting them... somehow.
This year I have started to learn about seed starting and serious container gardening
The biggest thing I have figured out is to create a soil blend for my raised beds. I mix equal parts of topsoil and potting soil with peat moss (20%) add composted manure, home ground egg shell powder, organic 5-5-5 fertilizer, and put a center line of 6 inches high of straw or mix of leaves and grass clippings at the bottom center of the bed. I evenly and lightly spread the eggshell powder and fertilizer over the top of the bed and rake it in. I got an enormous tomato harvest for the second time ever. First time in a regular garden.
Mulch is great. It keeps the soil moist, adds nutrients, unless you use ground up tires-- never use that, and keeps weeds from growing. This is one of the reasons why I may be one of the few people on earth who loves autumn leaves. Don't use walnut leaves as they may not be so good. Bless you Brian and all of yours.
Something I learned in just the last few weeks is that onions are best grown from seed. Unfortunately, I learned this after having purchased onion sets very inexpensively and planted them. I truly learm something new about gardening every year!
When direct seeding peas especially, I find there are four direct assaults that take place at different times and I have to protect against them all. First I've discovered the robins wait out of sight as I sow seeds. They cautiously approach after I leave the garden and anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes later they jump in and start pulling up the seeds. When I put on row cover immediately after sowing I have a hundred percent germination. Next, when seedlings are breaking ground and up to three or four inches tall the mice come along and chew them off just above the ground where the stem is very tender. That means tenting the row cover up until the plants are about 6" tall when the stems have toughened up and are not so tasty apparently. Then the bunnies come in. Unlike the mice, they eat the whole plant, not just the most tender part. So I tent the row cover up higher. After a foot tall I'm fine until I actually have peas at which point the chipmunks climb up, pull all the peas out and leave brown shriveled pods on the plant. So now when I plant peas I start by choosing varieties that are three or four feet high at the tallest and put up a row cover tent tall for them to grow from seed to that height.
“Now, we have Scar…” and then I laughed out loud at your Disney accuracy of the visual of Scar prowling on the roof just like Scar pacing on the cliff. Perfection.
Hey, Brian! Another thing that might be eating your beans is cutworms. Try putting diatomaceous earth up the stem and 2 inches around the base. I replanted beans 3 times one year because of them. They love zinnias too. Had to laugh at the "poor waterer" part.😂 Been there!
Hi
I am from Berthoud, Co and from Croatia, where I have summer house and where I started planting and following your channel. I have one large raised bed and about 10 self watering containers I've build... My raised bed has irrigation drop by drop. It is going on great so far, and I come back to your channel often. I learned how to prune tomatos and also, a bit different, but cucumbers too, I was taking photos and videos of my proces, using similar food for my plants.. very happy so far. We are on Mediterranean climate now. Best regards and TY
I"m a long term gardener from a family of gardeners. My biggest learning curve at the moment is the rapid changes in weather/climate from month to month here in Aotearoa/NZ. I think we may be feeling it here more dramatically, being an island country, rather than a large continent. The learning is that I can not predict the seasons any longer. This past summer, here in the southern hemisphere, has been incredibily wet, with days and days of continuous rain (not usual). Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers all rotted on the plant. Last summer was a drought, months of very little rain. Summer is lasting longer, as is winter, but this can change at any time. So the new norm here, for my garden, is unpredictable change. One way to manage this is to only grow certain very weather sensitive crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, egg plant, cucumber etc in a green house. Which I have never needed to do. So no taking the seasons for granted any longer, and keep a very keen eye on the garden and its response to the changing weather patterns. Thanks for your always thought provoking videos. Hugely appreciated.
Also have installed a irrigation system for my garden and for the first time this year I can go off without worrying my plants are watered. Going to expand it around my front yard for my flowers. You gave my the courage to try all these things and I haven't been disappointed.
The plant Gopher Purge will get rid of all gophers for at least 1/4 acre. It is a bi-annual and if you let it go to seed, you will have lots to share! Best lesson ever!
Last winter I was rolling back through your videos and came across a GAME CHANGER for me. Every year has been a battle against tomato hornworm. I thought I tried everything from sprays to powders. One of your videos said to plant basil in with the tomatoes. OMG! I did that and this is the first year I haven't had a single hornworm! Family, friends, and neighbors are now benefiting!
Hi, Mr. Lowell,
I gardened for 65 years beginning with my grandfather. I had gardens from New England to Florida and in Italy. I am now in Southern California about halfway between Riverside and Palm Springs at 2500 ft elevation.
This spring I had a problem I never had before. As usual, I planted my vegetable seeds a week before my last frost date. I waited and waited; seedling would poke through and disappear by the next morning! No animal footprints and no bugs during the day. I was perplexed. Onions, garlic, kale, mint, and numerous flowers were untouched, but hostas and basil were consumed.
I went out at night and found SLUGS! Due to the extremely wet SoCal winter, slugs over-populated and were everywhere. I treated the soil, re-planted, and finally getting seedlings. Have you heard this from other SoCal viewers?
--
Dr. Gregory A. Hepner
Commander, U.S. Navy (retired)
I have learned so much this year. Being a beginner between soils and seeding. Mulching and so forth. Your channel has given me so much knowledge thank you!! 💕💕
Hi Brian, yes learned a lot through trial and error. Learned even more by watching you! Your home stead is starting to look like a paradise, can't wait to see it once you have it looking exactly how you want it to be!
It would take hours to list everything I've learned! First thing has to be starting tomatoes from seeds and filling the cups with soil as they grow for a good healthy root system. By April 30, I had Kelloggs Breakfast plants 16" tall in gallon pots with stems as big around as my thumb. I learned more about watering although sometimes I hovered over my seedlings 😂 (recently retired!). Feeling more confident now growing my own food 😊
I agree that tomato starting video was a game changer for me!
I learned that squash and cucumbers and I guess Mellon's with hairy stems will root from cuttings. Most things planted in dirt can be planted in straw or wood chips. How to make individual drip systems for plants. That there are perennial vegetables. A lot of plants can be grown indoors under light, meaning harvest year round. Green beans will grow indoors on a sunny window sill. Tote boxes are fabulous pots. Use sticks and twigs in the bottom of containers and put straw and soil on top to save soil. Grow from seeds. That's a start. These RUclips channels are my classes. Thanks for making these videos!!!
I learned that in the high desert, burying food scraps is the most efficient soil improvement method. My fancy compost makers dry too fast . We live & learn. The bricks on the chimney look great!
I learned that my garden journal has become my best friend lol. I journal everything I've been learning over the winter and now that we are just coming into planting season, I know pretty much where everything is gonna go and what each bed needs. And a lot of it I've learned here 😀
I've done that too and I love a proper journal more than some random papers of notes placed here and there... I started this when I was worried that I forget something important that I've watched a video from. Then I just started adding sections of planning... I love to see my hard cover journal on the table and don't mind showing it to any guests that visit☺ It is so much easier to get things done in planting season when you already have everything planned. Sometimes I decide to change my mind but I surely update it on the journal... Happy planting!🌿🌻
@@noora7773 that's awesome 👍 happy planting to you too!
Brian, when I plant beans and cucs outside, I immediately cover them with tulle. Before they sprout. That way they are not stolen and come out happily. I use a lot of tulle in my garden for years.
I love your show. I’ve learned sooo sooo much, mostly for this channel. A biggie is that planting peppers outside too early can stunt their growth. I learned that I can over winter peppers, taking inside my stunted peppers, which grew the next summer when planted at a warmer time. I also learned to relax and enjoy my garden. And… plant more flowers, they work wonders for the health of the garden and mental health for me. Thank you again for your being you.
What I've learned... how to correctly plant tomatoes and other plants. That not all plants can just be stuck in the ground without any special consideration.
Also learned that I can install a drip irrigation system myself, that I don't have to hire a pro to do it.
Mulch... I'd always thought adding bark to a flower bed was all about looks. Had no idea it served a very practical purpose.
Seeds... learned that I can plant seeds indoors, plus all about grow lights, bottom watering, hardening off, etc.
You've taught me so much! Thank you 🙂
Thanks to you I learned how to use tulle to outwit squash vine borers. I have more squash and zucchini than I’ve had in years!
In 2020, after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis which limited the use of my hands, I had to give up on maintaining the numerous flower beds that were my pride and joy around my house. I went into depression, then I got better, bought a few metal raised beds and started some vegetable seeds. I have now been growing tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, kale, etc, for three years, within my limits, and I have made ALL the mistakes that other persons are describing here. Lord knows that I have started too many tomato seedlings! And spent too much on tools and things. But here it is. After Brian mentioned the benefits of gardening on mental health in a recent video, it suddenly hit me. I learned that I forgive myself for going overboard and making all those mistakes, because after all, growing a vegetable garden is not about saving on groceries or eating fresh organic food... well, yes it is of course. But most importantly, it is about gaining back power in my life.
I have learned that I can grow vegetables in the fall and winter here in Savannah, Georgia! I just thought you could grow vegetables only in the summertime and now my horizons have been expanded. Thanks to you, Brian! Thank you.
I have a Growing Spaces greenhouse and have to keep reminding myself not to go by the first and last frost dates for my zone. I have to keep records of the temperature inside the greenhouse to figure that out. Also, the seasons are way different. I planted summer crops last month. And I'm in Colorado. It's a total mindset change. I wish everyone bountiful harvests.
Mulch is an absolute necessity on Florida’s sandy soil. Our state is basically a very large sandbar. I prefer cypress mulch because it lasts longer. Our heat and humidity break down vegetation quickly, so making compost is easy. I will pull imulch back to add compost, then recover and add more mulch. Summer is our rainy season, but being so sandy means we don’t even have storm sewers in most areas. We do have retention ponds, however which capture plenty of water for the dry times.
The main thing I have learned is no matter what I do, the climate will decide. What they are spraying above our heads is definitely stunting growth compared to 10yrs ago. Here in my region, Kansas/Missouri border, one summer it could hit 110F for over 3 weeks.. Or, like last spring, April was first week spring, then 70s, then 80s and the 3rd week hi 90s - in April..!! Then May 1st came and the temps dropped to freezing and killed all my apple blooms and from May through June was 40s-60s so our growing time was reduced to 60 days, things such as my watermelon made it all the way till the last and boom.. bloomed too late. Last year the heat was so intense my corn I only got 3qts when I should had have 30qts. So what have I learned? Well, I plant what is native to the area, I forgo ALL the pretty annual flowers because the sun will burn them halfway through summer - and I toss tons of seeds all over.. Seeds everywhere.!!. and then.. I pray for a good harvest. Compared to 25yrs ago, I am just about ready to wrap up my garden outside and cover everything with a covered greenhouse.. yea.. that is what I learned.. Today, May 14, my Broccoli is baking in 80+ heat for the last week or so and probably will only put out little shoots... Yea, KC is not known for growin broccoli is it.. lol. Anyway, I love gardening and understand now how the old timers from way back when felt when harsh times came... Of course, I do have a supermarket across the street with highly polluted veggies at sky high prices.. hooo hummm.. lol. but now I digress..
I've learned in Florida - quite an adjustment for me - to place cardboard in the bottom of the hole for new transplants. The cardboard helps to retain moisture while the plant becomes established in our freely draining soil. The cardboard will eventually decompose, but it gives the plant a good start.
Oh, that's a good tip! Thank you!
Great idea. I'm in Florida too.
I learn every year that I always start my seeds too early but I can't help my self. I also start way too many and can't throw away any plant that I have grown. However, my neighbors and friends love it that I do as I share with everyone and then plant what is left somewhere in my garden.
This garden season I planted cilantro in the middle of my raised bed cucumbers on one side and beans on the other. No pests!!! The other raised bed planted oregano in the middle with peppers/Squash on one side and tomatoes on the other. No pests!! (so far). Oh I trimmed my onion tops and have big onions plus I dehydrate and use them. I'm always learning every day.
In the last year I learned the importance of proper soil preparation prior to planting. I also learned about Neptune's Harvest from you. That has been a game changer. This year's garden is the best I've ever had . Most crops are growing very vigorously and lush. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. 🙏
I moved to Arizona from Kansas and am in high desert. Been here 12 years and am still learning what will grow here. Brown thrashers and Quail are real destructive. They will pick off things that are just coming up . Lettuce that was grown inside and put out will be picked to the ground
5:00 very true. Mistakes and failures are how unfortunately our kind learns. Also gotta love the good old construction saying "I hope you run into a lot of trouble so we can see how you're gonna handle it", or just an opportunity to learn.
A great mindset to go with, where you're expecting yourself to make a lot of mistakes, it's more so learning from them that counts :)
7:00 still waiting on Brian buying stock in a gopher wire company /s, lol
I learned just last week that zinnias should be pruned. Mine were too tall and I just googled "pruning zinnias" and there came the information that you should prune to increase flower production and make the stem more sturdy... I also sowed them indoors too soon and they became hard to manage with their tall stems when I was bringing them outside every day when the temperatures were high enough. Now they are planted on my balcony, and I have taken the top cuttings to try rooting them in water...I found a video where a woman did this and I think it is awesome way to be able to sow less seeds indoors but being able to almost double the amount of plants soon! My cuttings are growing roots only after few days. Many would feel it very difficult to prune a flower but since the top is saved and you're growing a new plant out of it, the pruning feels a much more enjoyable process... This would be a great video idea since I couldn't find one from big plant youtubers' channels😉
Another thing I learned this spring is how to revive old container potting soil. There are a lot of videos about this. I used to throw away perfectly usable potting soil. Now I wouldn't anymore. If the soil is wet and smelly (because of anaerobic bacteria action), that can be salvaged too! I just piled the soil into a wide bowl/tub and let the spring sun dry out the dirt. I turned and mixed the dirt every day to get the moisture content down. The soil was ready to use when it didn't smell bad anymore but just regular soil. I added some fish blood bone fertilizer, horse manure pellets and worm castings and it was perfect again👍 The process took less than a week.
I learned also about high density spacing. I can plant and sow so much denser than the seed package tells me to. I am forced to do it anyways because I only have a balcony garden currently, and I always plant as much vegetables and flowers there as possible. The mind blowing technique is the method of sowing salad seeds 1cm apart and leaving 10cm space between the rows. Then harvesting every day with "cut and come again" method. I learned this from MIgardener. I'm eating salad every day and the salad container looks very aesthetic too!
I love love love the self-watering system you suggested. I too FINALLY grew flowers, lots of them from seed. That has never happened for me.
What I learned is to ask for help. I have had health issues but my 7 year old grandson and my 10 year old granddaughter have helped my in my garden more that I could hope for. I have been keeping a small garden of tomatoes for 50 years and I think my desire for a garden has been transferred to my grandchildren.
That's funny right there Brian. 😆 LOL I've learned we better get help from someone who knows and has learned. My dear sweet precious Mother in law was 80 and she told me, Baby I'm still learning. Happy Mothers day Emily 💓 we Love yall ❤ 💕 💗
I too have learned that I can't trust seedlings outside. Lost peas, beans, lettuce... ugh! I think my nemeses are rats and raccoons - but just guessing. Something is also climbing my Greenstalk and eating my strawberries. Have started seedlings inside and hope to get them out and growing soon. But this cool weather has also been an issue. I thought last year I'd finally figured out how to grow in my tiny urban garden, but now I'm learning that each year is different!
Gardening is a full time job. Working 10-15 hour days takes a lot out of a person and doesn’t leave a lot of time for gardening. But it can be done with the help of drip watering.
After losing all 10 of my zucchini squash plants to vine borers I watched your videos on how to inject BT into the base of the stem to kill the vine borers within.
Also, I replanted a new batch of zucchini plants and wrapped the stems with aluminum foil as you suggested.
Love your book.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Amend the garden with compost each year. Softens the soil and feeds the soil. Dig on some bone meal, fish meal and worm castings. Makes a huge difference!
I've lived in So Cal for over thirty years the first thing I learned after a lot of time and materials and labor is learn to enjoy watering your plants, grass, trees, etc. with a hose. Because it is a very cerebral relaxing time to think and be one with your plants and its a good excuse to be away from the family for a while, it's your quiet time and you can observe each plant more closely. It does not take long to realize that a sprinkler system for grass doesn't really help trees or roses or veggies and its just too hard to define all of the different areas of your living yard. And if you want to change things up you don't have to mess around changing the sprinkler heads and lines plus your water bill is cut in half as you walk around with your hose and baby each one of your plants. Second plant fruit trees. In Southern California make sure you dig a huge hole with good soil and supplements and drainage and don't expect fruit for at least five years. Be sure to make sure your tree is getting bigger and healthier every year, and you may need to thin out the middle of some trees. And pay attention to how much cold weather each fruit tree needs to bear fruit, and pay attention to which fruit trees need companion trees to cross pollenate. Fruit trees are also the greatest way to supply shade to your veggies and flowers. Third, and this is a tough one, all my vegetables are in containers. One gopher can destroy twenty plants in one night and sometimes it takes days to trap them. A couple of gophers can ruin days or weeks of hard work. In the past I have not found gopher cages or chicken wire to be that effective, they always seem to find a way to get through. And fourth learn when and how to plant winter vegetables. After eating fresh veggies for half a year frozen, canned and imported veggies just don't make it. And last I get a lot of enjoyment out of growing potatoes and asparagus and eggplant (eggplant takes a lot of room). Try it they are fun and easy. And one other thing. I am now retired, so I will now be able to use all of my suggestions. Sometimes with work and kids and everything else you just don't have the time. You start a season with good intentions but it just overwhelms you and you feel like you have failed. So maybe just start out with a half dozen tomatoes a few peppers.
I enjoy your column,
Thanks
As you did i learned how important mulching was last year. I use straw (not hay!) and it really helps. It's getting hotter in the summers now in Illinois and it is great.
This is my first year of container gardening. I researched all winter and have been following you. I tell my daughter ytou are guru Gary haha I have learned that I don't do well with seeding indoors...they become spindly and then die. But I learned that potatoes and onions love being around me . I have learned to just enjoy. If something doesn't work, something else will.
Awesome video ! I am learning that Gophers are hard to drown with a hose in the burrowing hole as they dig fast in mostly sandy loam. I learned Gophers love Cilantro !!! Yes, my cats love hunting Gophers and rats....I wish they would leave the lizards alone ! Yes, I have lost so many seedlings because a cut-worm comes out at night just to decapitate plants: beans, Sunflowers and Zucchini . I discovered that corn meal spread around will kill snails, slugs and Cut-worms, hopefully Pincher bugs too. I learned that Flea-beetles love Eggplants !! , I did not even know that I had Flea beetles who knew holes on the underside of leaves....apparently Dawn soap can kill them, or you can smash them quickly before they leap. I keep my Paper wasp around as he is a great hunter for caterpillars on corn and tomatoes...a small green inch-worm like voracious insect. The Ladybugs take care of the white-flies and aphids as I don't use any poison in my garden. For snails and slugs...I go out early in the morning to destroy them as I look under pots. It helps to put a pot on a brick to keep it up higher and less desirable for pests to hide under.
I have new polytunnel greenhouse that I added to my garden thjis year to to extend the growing season, so I can get an early start, and grow later in the year. March 19th, we had an unseasobnable hard freeze. I thought the polytunnel would hold enough heat to keep it above freezing inside, and it does hold heat as it protected my warm weather plants down to 27F, but 12 hours of freezing temperatures as low as 23F was too cold for it. I lost all of my pepper, tomato, and squash seedlins. I learned that I need to use supplimental heat for prolong freezes, or temps below 27F. That led to problem number two. I needed to start new seed starts. I ran into a zero gerrmination problem. I though it may be bad soil, and replaced it with another brand of pottting mix-same problem. I took the seed trays outside, and started getting seed starts within a week. The heat mat was heating the soil too hot for germination (104F). I learned that I need to use temperature regulators in conjunction with the heat mats to better regulate the soil temperature. January and early Feberuary it is cooler inside the house, and balances the excess heat, but when it is warmer, in March, the heat is too much.
Great tip about the heating mats! I use them every year but now I will pay attention to how much heat they generate, just to be on the safe side.
I’ve learned I can grow strawberries!! And I’m still learning so much about companion gardening, trying to learn more about where to flowers that deter pests…and that marigolds are not the best for that!
I’ve learned seed starting and up potting from your videos. I never thought I could do this but I had about 95% germination! I am giving away dozens of plants b/c I couldn’t bear to thin my precious seedlings!
I learned a little more about companion planting. I started it last summer, and I’m implementing it again this summer. And even in my container garden on the patio. I have broccoli, onions, artichoke tomatoes, peppers, mint, and carrots, growing in containers on my patio garden. I learned which ones do just fine and which ones don’t do as well. A lot of vegetables do better in ground I knew that already but now I know which ones that I’ve tried will work better in the garden and in the pots.
Thanks to your book on companion planting I've incorporated more flowers in my raised bed garden and have many more pollinators and beneficial bugs. I live in Southeast Alabama and have incredible pest pressure. I've used those gofer and mole ultrasonic stakes and they work ok but I had to put mole and vole control out on the ground. I found grains I believe had organic ingredients that i sprinkled out on the ground and watered in and no more moles. I will have to do that again. Thank you for showing us your successes and failures. Love your channel.
I love the main point of this video- it’s a process that’s not perfect! Thank you for your honesty.
I'm in central NC and have a container flower garden. Using bone meal has improved the health of everything--- but not for lavender or nasturtiums. I have many snapdragons, but the bees can't get inside the blooms. I had one monarch caterpillar out of six grow to becoming a butterfly bc I have a one year old milkweed plant ( no caterpillars last year on the new plant). I didn't trim my bird sown blackberries last fall, and didn't have many berries at all. I didn't cut back my plumbago and it is spindly and has few flowers. I didn't grow nasturtiums or zinnias this year and I really, really miss them. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, best way to learn is to share.
I learned too may things to list, but one of the most important was understanding fertilizer and how much npk each plant needs. Now I can mix my own blends and give each type of plant what it needs to thrive.
I learned I needed to plant more flowers to bring in more pollinators for my veggies. Great video with tips and encouragement. Thanks Brian!
We learned a lot from you and this channel this year. One item is around the vertical gardening. We also added egg shells to the holes of the tomato plants and will see how that goes this year. Our harvest last year was tremendous. We love Roma tomatoes so that is the lion's share of that crop. We also had a tomato we purchased to eat that actually sprouted and we are growing a number of tomato plants from that one as well. We enjoy your channels very much.
Be aware of really deep digging soil in order to "improve" drainage. You may be turning up weed seeds that have lain dormant for years. "Hello thistle!" Build the soil up with compost and moderate...or even no...digging.
I keep a garden diary and write down my new things and try to keep it up. I have implemented so many new ideas this year but i am certain that some of these will change.I put in some raised beds and pulled out all my pots to plant new things.
I've learned to not start more seeds than I have room for or can care for! I have my lights, etc set up in my basement and have a finite amount of space. I promised myself I'd not get carried away this year. HAHAHAHA! I have over 200 tomato plants and close to 100 pepper plants, not counting all the other things I've got. I have LOST MY MIND! Fortunately I have friends and neighbors who love my crazy. This time of year my husband goes walking around the neighborhood giving tomato plants to random strangers. I'm known as "the tomato woman" by way too many people. :)
Nice summary. For people who might not see every single video of yours, periodic summaries can be helpful, short and sweet. Thanks as usual.
Yes, agree. Mulch! Most important thing I've learned: One must be very cautious using manure (Grazon) Knowing the source is so important. I made it through an episode of suspected Grazon contamination a year ago. Luckily, I didn't go crazy fertilizing with it and so far, this planting season, things are looking much, much, better.
8:47 I live in Oklahoma and have the same problem with seedlings outdoors. It was packrats😂. Get some bucket traps with bird treats as bait, you'll clean up. I freeze them for snake food 🎉
The thing I have learnt this year is to experiment with companion planting. I usually plant sweet peas to attract the pollinators but this year I have planted alyssum, nasturtium and calendula between the vegetables to deter the pests too.
I'm just getting back into vegatable gardening this year since helping my dad when I was young some 40+ years ago. A lot more and easily assessable information now then there was then. I've never started seeds indoors before except a bean seed in elementary school so this year was my first attempt.
My first attempt was a failure do to not getting enough light. I didn't use or own a grow light or heat pad and the window light wasn't good enough. Second attempt was a success. I brought them outside sooner. I'm starting off with using grow bags which is new to me and next year I'll start a raised garden.
I also learned that soil that has been sitting in a pot outside for a year unused needs some revitalization. I got seeds to start in them but seemed stunted compared to the ones I started in new fertilized seed starting soil.
Last year was my first year on drip irrigation. I had such a better harvest due to having such a more consistent watering
I have learned a great deal about moles and voles this year, my yard has both. The moles don't bother my vegetation, the voles will eat any new growth! I have adjusted by using a capsaicin gran you par product that is systemic on my flowers and ornamentals. This has saved a rose bush and 2 flower beds. Cannot use same product on edibles, they will taste like the casacian! So, I have adjusted to ALL container gardening for my edibles. I also have two giant black walnut trees in my yard. Second reason for only containers for my edibles.
And different companion plantings that o did not know about and to not rush things. Much much more. Thanks again
I implemented your method of stringing the tomato vines and WOW what a difference in my garden and gardening experience. So much easier. So much cleaner. So much neater. Thank you very much for that lesson. I wound up purchasing over 80 of your tomato hooks-they work that well!
Oh my gosh you're so right on the mulch. I forgot that one even though I heavily mulch everything now. It would have made a big difference in my peat moss drying out so fast.