You put on a great show with a lot of great content!!! When we started gardening in 1974 we had our parents teaching us the old school how-to's. My dad was raised on a farm in Italy before coming back to the U.S. at age 14...by himself in 1936. Mom was raised on a farm, they were tenant farmers, and in her grandmother's boarding house later on. My mom, her mother, and her grandmother had Victory Gardens during the war. My wife's parents were also farmers before they met. We were lucky we had great teachers! We started small and expanded as the family grew. There was a couple of decades that we stopped gardening, canning, and freezing produce. Then fifteen years ago we started again, first small for about five years. Now we are back to about the size when the kids were younger. Being older and retired the last five years, we found ways to make the work a lot easier. We slowly built 14 raised beds for vegetables and flowers and three years ago I started a no-till garden in the back yard...saves mowing lol. In the front yard I spread a few 12 inch by 12 inch high by about 20 foot long hills of rabbit manure for the winter squash. That takes care of about 25% of the front yard I don't have to mow lol! I was raised in a small village, my wife in the country. We bought a little over 4 acres after we were married...love the country! We give away all the extra produce to all the retired neighbors and her family. Gives us something to do lol! AND!!! We are still learning!!! You just can't know everything! Enjoyed as always! Take care!
Wow - how fantastic you had family who farmed. How wonderful to give food away. I have been thinking of the same thing. i have a small plot, 15 feet by 40 feet, in a community garden but will try to grow prolific vegetables again this year, like zucchini and kale, donating to local shelter/church with extras. Interresting about the rabbit manure. Does it deter squash bugs and/or is it simply good for the soil? Squash bugs did a number on my zucchini in 2022 but I did not keep up regularly with the water-peppermint oil-plant-based-dish soap-concoction to deter them. The amount of time spent picking off squash eggs and bugs off of 8 plants was intense and frustrating; this year will be different. A fellow gardener next to my plot did not have issues with bugs on his squash. He attributed that to rich soil into which he put many vegetable scrapes: no fetilizer or special anything-else-added whatsoever. Thank you for your comment.
@@michellejames5953 In the UK during WW2 it was called 'Dig for Victory', a government incentive for people who had lawns to dig them up and plant potatoes etc due to real shortages of food and severe rationing of basic essentials that continued until 1948. It was found that the population was generally healthier during the war than after because they didn't eat too much because they didn't have it e.g. meat once a week instead of every day like now !!
Going into my 4th year of seriously gardening. If I knew then what I know now, I think #1 would be more in ground beds. Over the past couple years, feeding the soil with the proper biology has allowed me to successfully grow directly into the soil. Raised beds are great, but very expensive, especially if you are purchasing the majority of materials to fill them. The 2nd big change would to have gone directly to cattle panel trellising of my indeterminate tomatoes. 1st year I used sting, 2nd year bamboo stakes, then last year the cattle panels, by far the easiest and most effective. 3rd thing would be the over-all layout of the beds. Making a complete change to a 20' X 8' bed due to the invasion of jumping worms. Actually, it might work out for the best. I will be giving up some garden space for 2 pathways, but the addition of 2 arched cattle panels will actually increase my over all growing area. 4th thing would be pay more attention to the sun. Mostly, where it lands on my garden, and how plants end up shading each other out. Gardening to me is a journey, I'm sure I will make more mistakes along the way, but what the heck... It's a lot of fun!!!
You are absolutely correct. Sun direction is very important. Container gardening taught me that. And... because of my environment, ground critters ie raccoons groundhogs, otters, I began with elevated raised beds and LOVE them. I have a couple deeper raised beds, three feet deep and used hugelkulture method to fill them. Thank you for sharing your gardening adventures! I love to learn from the stories. 😊
Great points here! I totally agree with you on the in-ground beds & cattle panels! And so imporatant to pay attention to that sun- that's an easy one to overlook when you're excited about getting a garden in and planting!
Points are nicely done. I ramble. Yes, I’m going back to in ground planting with a good filled trench under each row. I like the raised for certain reasons, but the moisture is better retained in ground.
i forgot about the sun too, so summer 2021 i watched how the sun moved through my landscape, spring 2022 i had a tree service heavily prune out tree branches, i said i want more of an umbrella, not branches so low…that allowed more sun. my landscape started fall of 2019, i have a garden journal and keep tweaking…i finally really watched and noted the weather. we cannot plant before memorial day, unless it has a mini greenhouse, water bottles and milk jugs serve as mini greenhouse…gardening is an experiment every season, that’s why i enjoy it, it’s never finished, always room for improvement, you have to admit a mistake and move on….all the things we should be doing with our lives….
WRT planting all your perennials in the beginning, That only works if you know what perennials you will be planting and make a garden plan as to where to plant them. One would also need more money if s/he is going to put them in as transplants. I'd recommend putting in a few perennials every year while getting the benefit of the annual plants. That way it will feel you just put plants there and, almost ignored them until the year comes that they start producing. Put perennials in as soon as possible, but a garden is an evolving thing. If you put them in all at once, you might find you put some where they shouldn't be.
This video was so eye opening and helpful for me right now!!! I've been gardening forever and got in a rut. We are moving this summer to our new 10 acres and I will be starting from scratch. The land hasn't been used for 20 years. So I have to do everything. This was so helpful. I had it all in my head LOL. NOW gonna draw it all out, including fencing, fruit trees and bushes, and then garden and flowers. I have a zillion things I say, oh I wish I would have.......... So Hopefully I can use all of yours and all of mine, for a great growing season 2024!. Thanks!!!!!
If you aren't already familiar with them, it might be helpful to look into the permaculture concept of 'zones' for planning your new space. It sounds like you are starting an exciting adventure - best of luck!
Your channel is such a resource, your topics relevant and the delivery & knowledge engaging. Yours is my #1 go to on RUclips and I thank you for it. I'm a new gardener (1 season and a bit) and I'm readying myself for a bigger piece of land by end '23, so I literally consult your channel for general and specific veggie gardening. Wishing you good health for 2023. From the UK.
Our raised beds are too high for bunnies but the deer found the garden last year. Had to buy a motion sensing water sprayer for now until we can get some fencing built.
Thank you! Good video. Well, I got a few things right ... I used a permaculture technique right in the beginning to determine where the water flowed when my yard flooded, by observation, then I redirected it, and captured it using cachement areas. I also planted asparagus, rhubarb, sage, fruit trees, pecan, berries first ... and they all came up and are doing great. I also used a chicken wire to protect my whole backyard from rabbits, and that worked perfectly. In terms of things I would have done differently ... 1) I also tend to try to do too much, 2) I grow things that my family won't eat .. like hot peppers, summer squash, then I'm the only one amazed by the quality / taste, 3) I also wish I had learned about soil health earlier, 4) RABBITS, rabbit tractors .. why didn't I recognize the importance of rabbits? Their manure is gold for gardens, and they eat the grass. Maybe this year I will get rabbits, though my wife will !%@$!, 5) rocket stove mass heater for the greenhouse / shed. Such an efficient way to heat, like 1/10th the wood use. 6) Frozen tomatoes! Just pick them, and freeze them in a ziploc, that's it. I use them all year. I didn't know this in the beggining, I was canning, dehydrating, salting, fermenting ... and that's all good, but really, it's just easier to freeze them.
@@kittiew260 I also freeze one zip lock bag of the little cherry tomatoes, and then to use them I run a little bit of hot water over them and the skin pops right off, then I add them to my scrambled eggs breakfast
@Robert GulfShores yes, do the same as well, but I have been using to make a quick pasta sauce with dry herbs, onions, and garlic. It's definitely been the best use of cherry tomatoes because they are always so prolific.
I am totally guilty of planting too much of things my family doesn't eat! And I'm with you on the rabbits- I've had SO many people tell me what a big difference rabbit poo made in their gardens. I'd like to start keeping rabbits too, but like you, my spouse won't be thrilled 😆.
Your videos always give me such a lift. Last year we moved from a property that had ridiculously good soil to a property with heavy clay. I was heart-broken to learn that this soil was going to be difficult to work with, to say the least. Your place looks so beautiful and lush and productive that I’m determined to figure out how to have the same. Thanks!
That would be a hard transition to make! In a way I'm lucky, because all I've ever had is heavy clay so I can't compare it to 'good' soil. But the good news is, even heavy clay can be improved!
@@kassandrapage4379 OMG! That’s what I’m worried about because the idiot that bought property next to us is letting the 1 walnut tree spread and I’m having to cut and treat with brush killer to keep it out of my acreage. He doesn’t live here so what does he care.
@@kassandrapage4379 : pigs love walnuts. Sell the walnuts. You've got a triple bonus with walnuts - 1) they are good for your health, 2) perhaps they could be profitable for others, 3) trees help retain soils. I never liked raw walnuts but use them in muffins, for example, and am glad I do. Walnuts are still "affordable" in the stores but, with prices rising.... be glad you have an excellent source of protein nearby. Are there very small scale pig farmers nearby who could bring over a few pigs to eat walnuts, perhaps paying you with eggs or something from their gardens?
You might have saved me a lot of trouble with this video. I’m planning to start my garden and you highlighted a handful of pitfalls I was running towards! Thanks from central Kentucky!
Awesome information as always Mrs. Jenna. You not kidding those critters will wipe a garden out. Deer try to jump in my yard but when the dogs see them at the fence they put them on the run. Only bad thing is I had to put a fence inside of my fence around each part of my gardens to keep the dogs out. LOL.. We added a new 4x16 bed that is sixteen inches deep and right off the bat our pew brained 80 lb Bulldog plowed all over it. Instead of doing a fence down that side of the yard I am trying the underground hot wire to see if it will keep them out. If not then more T post and wire welded fence it will be. Keep up the amazing work my friend! Stay safe up there!! Spring will be here soon.
Jenna, thank you for this. I admit as a full time day job, starting small expansion as you go the best way. I like you peserve it all so I will say this fall was exhausting. Great tips for everyone. Keep up the great videos. What I would do differently like you soil health but also not expand too fast. I definitely don't have the space you do, but I will say I have 11 beds, grow bags, and greenstalks in every inch of my back yard with a swimming pool. This season planning diligently and using patience when seed starting. I still was a few weeks too soon last year so really holding off is a challenge. I grow thousand or so transplants for myself friends and to donate to local schools, community gardens and food banks. Patience is key all aspects gardening, restraining myself starting too soon so transplants are manageable.
Wow Jenna……you really have a great way of explaining stuff, that makes people (me) truly understand. There’s a lot of channels with great advice, but your execution never misses the mark! Thanks for another well thought out video
Instead of reducing the area, one can choose a type of crop that doesn't require care, e.g. sun flowers - the seeds cost nothing, they practically all germinate, they have deep roots and thus break up and aerate the ground, they draw up nutrients from deep down, they give loads of compost material, they feed the wildlife, and - they're beautiful!
Jenna - such good advice - you were talking to me about taking on more than I should. Expectations can take a person down. The amount of guilt we put in ourselves is too much and destructive.
So, so true and I struggle with this so much. It's so important for us to focus on what we have achieved versus all the things we 'think' we should be getting done!
Mrs. J - many good tips here. I will add one. When I bought my house over 35 years ago, I was not a gardener even though my father grew up on a farm. Both of us worked, the kids were, well, kids, and there was no time for it. So, when I bought my house, it was in a subdivision, and the yard was not flat and covered in trees. If you are young, even if you don't think you like gardening, buy a nice piece of land and see to it that it is flat! As you get older, you will want the space and if you age well - you will want to garden eventually I plan my beds and garden area with the idea that I need to get my lawn mower in there and a wheelbarrow. Your point on the progression of what you plant at the beginning is right on. Many of us jump in willy-nilly. Out of all your points, knowing your soil was the best for me. I have struggled mightily with my soil composition and amendments. I have progressed to raise beds filled with a product called SOIL3 - an organic soil from Canada. This has worked very well in the raised beds. For my in-ground areas, I am still amending and experimenting, with some success of late. I have planted comfrey and nettles recently and am excited about these additions. Carry on, Northern Elf...your videos are much appreciated!
I'm here in Arizona, we are to get a shower or two, hang over from the California deluges. I've had a 15 cu/yd load of tree service chips that they load on my big ole gooseneck for 6 months, today it gets unloaded, need my trailer. And it's going to it's locations to get another mulch blanket, my water bill sure likes it, veggies love it too, our peach, nectarines are at bud swell, ate my first asparagus spear this morning, yes I know, but 3 months in summer, it gets out of heat, let the chips keep the soil cooler.,
Regarding "Starting Small" : Every season in the high heat of the summer I keep thinking of ways to downsize. Scale back, grow less. Then the next day I build 4 more beds. 🤠
I did try to focus on perennials first, roses, macadamia, lemon, cherry, blueberries, raspberry... I was going to say I ran out of money and didn't get far but looking at my list I can see its actually not too bad. That's the trouble with perennials- they are way more expensive than annuals so don't feel bad! I just destroyed my entire garden for a clean slate restart without critters. My dog cleaned up the massive nests of rodents and I think we are good to go.
Good point on the perennials- they do add up fast. I'm trying to get better about taking cuttings from plants rather than buying them (something else I wish I would have started doing earlier).
Great info as always. Funny stuff when the video is sped up at 9:07- (kids and dogs at high speed ). I am learning to start less seeds because I have limited growing areas.....last year I gave away half of my grown from seed tomato plants. I have been following your tips on improving soil and I am looking forward to better soil each year. I always had gorgeous flowers and now more and more growing food. Will be trying potatoes in a new raised bed this year-(great pointer on hardware cloth on the bottom.). TY
Those canned candied jalapenos living in the pantry since 2020 would go great on a ham sandwich. Does anyone else like a sandwich setup that way? 🥪 Excellent job on the video, Jenna!
I totally feel you on fencing. I have a neighbor a few houses down who fenced in their garden, and I wish I'd taken that as a sign. My first year at our current property I had deer and rabbits chowing down on most of my plants. I even had shrews eating tomato plants. I don't have the ability to fence currently, but I'm in raised beds and utilizing domes, chicken wire, & insect fabric and it's working well enough while I get the yard to hopefully be fence-able next year.
I purchased a soil testing kit, with something like that you could do multi-area testing & annual testing to see the progress of the soil's health, type & needs.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Jenna you are my mentor. I have spring fever so bad. I have my garden stash to purchase gardening amendments and fertilizer for my roses. The Artica Blast did a number on my Colettee climbers. Have my fingers crossed on my berries. I planted 3 blueberries plants after working a year to get the ph just right for them. Your homestead is dream come true.
With regard to your deer fence...I have done some research since we bought some land and see deer almost every time we are out to the property. We're building and I have set up an initial garden area. The very first thing I planted was asparagus and for a long time the deer didn't touch it, then suddenly they nibbled every bit of green off of the stalks, forcing me put up a fence. I wish I could give credit, but don't remember who I watched simply use fishing line. He said pretty much what you did, they don't have good distance vision and if they don't have wide open space they will not jump, further if they get caught in something (like a fishing line) they will stay away because they don't see anything and cannot make sense out of it. Rather than press their luck they will avoid the area. I found this to be true so far. They broke the fishing line once and have left the garden area alone. Even some space that I have created beds they haven't walked over at all. Crossing my fingers that this last as this spring will be the true test of whether it holds them off. Obviously this doesn't address the rabbit issue, but a very low cost way to address deer vs putting in a full fence.
Can highly recommend fruittrees yes, they also provide shade where you need. Just make a garden design first, I had to relocate 8 fruit trees 😅 what a nightmare.
I'm not a RUclipsr but I have thought many times t about posting a video identical to this one. I'm guilty of all the things you brought up. Most videos talk about things that make gardening more difficult like season extention and grow big or go home and beginners wind up overwhelming themselves. This should be a must watch for all beginning gardeners.
Thank you so much, Jeff. The sad thing is, many folks will give up if it becomes too overwhelming (and understandably so)... I'd much rather see someone start small and 'easy', have success and be encouraged to slowly keep learning and expanding, versus the alternative.
I believe the landing spot theory to be true with deer. I did not have problems for years then decided to "clean up" my orchard garden and boom deer jumped in.
I got rid of a groundhog by walling off just the slicing tomatoes and he ate like 12+ green cherry tomatoes, whole. Never came back, and I know where he (still) lives lol.
Regarding the fence. I have 4 foot and never had an issue. And yes you're right... if the landing area is sketchy they won't jump. This is why 4 foot works for m. I've seen some place a fence a few feet next to the original fence to make it undesirable to jump.
I grew up as a garden helper to my dad. There are very few similarities to his gardening and my current practices. Who knew that you didn't need any of those herbicides and pesticides? Healthy soil grows stronger plants. I would have done much better in my first decade of garden if I had understood soil health. Started amending my clay soil late '90s. Then reading Teaming With Microbes really helped me grasp better what I should be working with not against. Always looking for new methods and tips. Just found you so look forward to running through your library of posts. BTW, the five foot fence works because Ohio offers lots of vegetation and deer are inherently lazy. Unless scared or desperate they will turn and walk along a fence rather than jump it. Also true they want to see their landing spot. When we finally had the funds to fence, we set up very similar to you, but went six foot. Only one deer in several years.
I can relate to this- my dad tried to grow organically, but my grandpa was pretty liberal with the nasty chemicals and heavily tilling everything every year. But that's what made sense to him back then! I'm glad we've learned so much in the past several decades.
Wow! So much content here! Great stuff. Yes, to all. Gradually start the large garden, But a Huge yes to start those perennial plants Right away! I wish also that I would have added my fruit, but I had failure starting raspberries and a peach tree 3x’s. There were other things in life that get in the way like money and time. I should have still tried other fruit. Now I’ve improved the soil more and last year added apples and we are trying blackberries, raspberries, honey berries, grapes and blueberries. I want to order the rest of my mini orchard, but wished I could know if everything will live. We have wild blackberries growing so I’m trying Again. I think it’s a water issue-not enough, so we will figure that out this year with some PEX line. Ah, Fencing! When I said $$$ was an issue in starting to enlarge, Well…Yes, the cattle (DEER) run through our property nightly! Then there’s the rabbits, coon, possums and thankfully only 1 groundhog that has left. Everything I plant has to have a fence! There is nothing worse than going out to see your expensive plant ate! And it’s getting more expensive every year!! The other night I looked out and a rabbit was looking right at me as if to say watch this, and he jumped through a spot I had loose wire fencing as I didn’t finish it yet. He was now in with my precious perennial flowers (roses, etc). So here I am out in my PJs chasing rabbit and mending fence 😂. I mean 6 deer and countless rabbits in one night can wreak havoc. I use 7’ 2x4 wire fence and T-posts. I know they can clear up to 12’ at a run, but it is true if they feel the other side is confining they won’t jump. They are starting to nibble at maples that are not native to my immediate area and find them a delicacy, so I wrap the lower limbs with cheap bird netting-hate the stuff, but it works. They even were checking out a shrub they never mess with. They ate all my day lilies last year and normally leave them alone. I never did get to see the lilies bloom that were gifted to me. THEN a Rabbit built a den under one!! Have to figure something out for them yet. I wish I could view my gardens without all this fence. We are at the point that we were thinking of doing the whole acreage as we seem to be close to enough fencing, but then they would know it’s not a small space and jump 7’ anyway, I’ve seen them do that at a standstill at neighbors while I drove by-it was amazing! Yes to leaving a large opening to enter. We have a gate, but we leave an area in fence we just unclip the wire to enter with trailer. Lol, all your helpers were burning up energy on the trampoline 😂 So for me it’s time, as we get older and realize it can take several years for fruit and nut trees to produce you wonder if you will ever see them. So my advice is start with those perennials and keep adding and expanding as you can afford annually. I’m feeling pressured to get the rest of the mini orchard plants this year-I have to and it won’t be cheap. If I don’t get the order in the varieties will be gone that I need and another year gone. I don’t get out to shop much so I have to forego any chance of a sale on a variety that will survive here. I’m getting keen on realizing I need late bloomers for are low frost/freeze microclimate. And this 40-50*F with RAIN weather isn’t helping in JANUARY IN WI! It’s not GOOD! The plants could break dormancy and bugs will survive and all the weather people think it’s great until they find out they won’t get their favorite apple this year.🙄😏. My soil is like the pic of the sand below the top soil-Of Which We Have NONE! I haul in everything I can get my hands on. If I get up to 10 worm sittings this year it will be a record. I have grubs though-go figure. I have no lush grass and a lot of oak leaves.🙁. I’m too cheap for a soil test, but have a basic home test. I think the soil needs boron because beets and carrots seem to struggle. I grew up playing and gardening in the sand, but this location is a challenge because of past usage of previous owners. Don’t fret over not restocking pantry. If you can put up 2 or 3 of your favs your good. Simple to freeze most and buys time to process later. We are getting chickens again after not having them for decades, wish us luck. We decided on the Rhode Island Reds. Starting with only a dozen as we use to get 50😂. I said let’s start small right now to cover the eggs😅. Now watch the price drop😂😂 Keep up the good work and remember my grandma always said, Fun on the Farm! 😂
I'm feeling a similar pressure to get a mixed orchard/food forest type planting done at mom & dad's- but your right, the prices are definitely not getting any cheaper. Now I'm trying to figure out what I can take cuttings from and/or graft myself to keep expenses down. Have fun with the new chickens- I will say this is probably the first time our eggs are cheaper than those at the grocery!
Last year the critters really escalated their assault on my backyard beds. The low wire fence I put around the main bed was doing nothing to deter our local groundhog, and my carrots and bush beans were constantly being munched. So my first item of business when the weather is warm enough to work outside will be to put in a real fence around everything. Unfortunately, my layout is a bit odd because it has grown piecemeal over the years in one corner of the yard, wrapping around my tool shed. But I think I have a plan worked out for fencing.
If I were to start over, I would plant the Fall Sweet squash since it is now my favorite. I would also like to have planted the Seascape strawberry but it wasn't available when I started. I now pick a gallon or two every 3 days from 500 plants all summer starting Aug 1
i had squirrels eat my sunflower seeds, never thought about it…so now i plant them in water bottles with the bottom cut out, as they get big i continue the side cut on the bottle and pull it out. i landscape garden mostly with some vegetables sprinkled in, that is the reason i planted the big stuff first, and ordered large junipers, large spruce…i didn’t wannabe to wait years, i’m grateful for that decision…but i’m way older than you, after seeing people plant little juniper’s i knew it would be an imbalanced landscape for years, and i wanted the privacy now. What I regret was planting a magnolia tree for privacy and to be a focus, it drops its leaves in winter, does not provide any privacy…so soon after it got moved, but then i picked something that didn’t make it through the freeze, so my regret is not figuring out how to solve the privacy holes, last end of summer i planted elaegnus, and cleyera to fill all the holes, plus perennial sun flowers, clematis, hollyhock, and many mid size flowering perennials….the holes are going to now be over filled with something for shade and flowers in front. i had a crew dig out the planting beds, all this yard had was grass and 4 trees, but they didn’t dig out grass according to my specifications, so last summer i dug out more grass to give the plants room.
Love your videos and this is a great one. I've been gardening for a couple of years but want to get more serious with my setup. Will be fencing in an area as soon as I can (I'm in central Ohio) Have an area that I started last year that I'm going to expand. Going to be starting with soil health for sure! Had planned for some of these but not all. Thank you!
Great Video! I swear I learn something every time I watch. I think I just have one big problem going into this year's gardening season - correcting the imbalance I created by putting too many mulched leaves in the garden last fall. I read somewhere online that adding nitrogen a couple of weeks prior to planting might help, as mulched leaves use up nitrogen during the decomposing process. Right now, I'm glad I only have five raised beds to 'correct', but ask me in the spring, when it's planting time, and I'd be wishing for five more beds! lol
Thank you, Linda! I can relate, I'm always wishing for more beds come planting time too! But in regard to the leaf mulch- a spring application of nitrogen may help, as well as adding in amendments which are naturally high in nitrogen- composted chicken manure or blood meal for instance.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I've been gardening in my backyard for years and haven't made this big a mistake until now. Though I do not have chickens, I was able to get my hands on some composted chicken manure in November that I will use in the spring. I was thinking of adding blood meal the last week of April. I usually start 'planting out' around the 10th of May knowing I may need to use a cover a couple of times. I don't have a compost pile or bin, just a 15 gallon grow bag I use for that, so it's never enough. I do add additional Coast of Main Lobster Compost every year. However, after so many years of leaves, clippings, compost, etc., my soil has become too heavy with organic material and a little light on 'mineral soil' according to the UNH soil test results I got back last fall. I interpreted 'mineral soil' as meaning just plain dirt (loam, clay, etc.) as there were no significant mineral deficiencies noted. I'm determined to get it straightened out. I'll have to. I'm going to plant a 'block' of corn this year. I'll need to come to a final decision of which one to plant, one of two varieties you thought highly of: Wild Violet or Bolt XR F1.
I live in the city, this last year I put outside cameras, I had no idea the number of deer, raccoons, possums that raided my garden. I’m getting aggressive in my fencing now.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Going too hard without the experience is a recipe for disaster. Add to how unorganized I am, it's not going to end well. I'm building a little more every year. This year, just putting up something for NFT next year, but using the stands I'll build this year for stuff that was on the ground in pots last year. If I did it all at once it would have been all built wrong because that's always the way it goes for me lol On another video, I brought up using Potassium Silicate for the harsh year we had last year, but that would have been too expensive. It did work but I wasn't going to dump that much money into it.
I’m new to your channel and from Pittsburgh PA and I was curious.. how do you water your garden of that size? Sorry if you mentioned it in a different video I haven’t seen yet
Hello Brittany and welcome to the channel! I share how I am currently watering in this video: ruclips.net/video/2wVMBWbTsEA/видео.html I'm also planning on adding some drip irrigation (www.dripworks.com/?ref=Growfully) for my raised beds this year.
Great content as always but I see an Income stream from your video 😀 HI Im Jenna and I am here to save the soil life. For only 50 cents per day you can help me save the soil. In addition you will receive a save the soil with Jenna tee shirt and a weekly update on the number of worms my garden has saved....... I agree with soil life as well bit it was a very touching segment. In fact I highly recommend a worm farm, they love scraps and nourishing my soil every year... Gives me something to do in my 5b garden here in CO.
Haha- I got such a kick out of this!! I tried a worm farm indoors a few years back (just a prefab kit) and ended up giving up and putting all the worms in my garden. It's definitely something I want to try again and build my own!
@@GrowfullywithJenna I recommend the urban worm farm. Garbage in the top gold out the bottom. I didn't like the stacking worm farms. Its taller and kid friendly.. Hint Hint. I figure I will pull out 60-100lb a year now that its been a year plus. Hope this helps. Waiting for the save the soil tee shirts...
I have fencing up (too small for rsbbits to get in) but something ate all my squash, zucchini, and watermelons year! It didn't look like they tunneled in, I think it was chipmunks - any ideas for chipmunks?
Hey Jenna, I'm about to put a 5-6 ft chain link fence around my back yard. I'm thinking if my garden is inside it, I wouldn't have to also fence around it. Would love your thoughts!
It depends on what kind of critters you have the most problems with and how big the openings in your fence are. Raccoons will easily scale a fence, and I think baby or adolescent bunnies could squeeze through chain link- not sure about adults- though they will dig under.
Love your gardening show !! , it's just awesome 👌 hope the wife and I can visit your garden .... we've been gardening many years and on top of that , we manage to grow giant pumpkins also .... well its January and just got my onions started ... zone 6a
+20 on Layout. Layout is a big one for me including the amount/hrs of full light, wind, dryer areas of the plot, row spacing, access, plant types rotation in plot (3sisters growing method philosophy replenish soil on a plant level) Fencing is a must, nailed that one +50. I dig, ammend, do everything I need to and then slam some temporary poles and attach fencing. Most deer won't jump a 4-5 foot fence in my experience. I think you're right, if they can't see a good place to land, they most of the time deer won't jump. +5 on realistically taking on the amount you bite off, Gardening is the hardest non high pay, time consuming job you can do. *if I could only close myself a couple times..lol it would be all gravy. +5 on chicken wire base of your fencing, and I like how you secured your raised bed bottoms against moles and voles +5 on that tip also. Ground Squirrels are my nemesis 🤨 +25 on implementing chickens into your gardening..read somewhere that through history worldwide the chicken had more to do with helping man advance than simply growing food or hunting/fishing/gathering alone, really interesting. +100 on the tips of soil health, living soil...without it no real progress, or benefits of having a healthy, productive, enjoyable, eco and biologically advantageous garden. ✌️😁👍 another great upload J!
I'm sure this is for the best- there are plenty of other channels out there that are more aligned with your worldview, and I prefer not to have folks interacting with my channel that make comments such as this. It saddens me how skewed the perception of providing ones' own sustenance has become.
I am learning a ton after getting back into things using grow bags on my porch. Rabbits are my biggest pest and getting the fencing done is not going to be an easy task given what I am working with.
After over 30 years, (zone 6a), should have: • Adopted no-till practices earlier. Cover pathways with cardboard and woodchips and drastically reduce weeding. Plus there is no more tracking mud into the house. • Build / buy a greenhouse. Not only will you extend your season and have a place to start seeds (exposing them to full sun from the start), but you can also have an excellent place to putter around on a cold sunny day. On a windy 10 degree day, it can easily be 75 in the greenhouse when the sun is out!
Jenna! A lot of valuable information I can really appreciate! I'm a Newby gardener and began two years ago as a result of covid. I've never been happier in my LIFE! 😊 I live in zone 6 in a residential area but near the Mississippi River and critters roam through the neighborhood all the time - groundhogs, raccoons, otters... So I began with an elevated raised garden bed. Last year, year two, I ended up with three pre-fab elevated raised beds, a custom built 8x3 cedar veg bed, a three foot tall 9x3 carrot bed and a 6x3 squash bed. It's true what you said, less is more so I have to limit myself and manage the varieties of fruits and veggies I'm growing because it can be overwhelming if not checked. I began small and am growing at a comfortable pace. I make my own compost, cover my soils when not in use and try to keep landscaping around the garden and my floating deck simple to decrease maintenance and workload with that situation. I understand the importance of soil health and was showing off my beautiful rich black soil to my gardener friend just the other, however, you were again correct about pH levels being careful not to overfertilize, etc. Finding that balance and maintaining soil health can be challenging.... Well thank you jenna, I really enjoyed your video, thx for sharing!
I am SO very glad to hear this!! Thank you for sharing your experience. And yes- finding and maintaining that healthy soil balance is a constant challenge!
You have had a powerful positive influence on what I now do. My winter rye (first time) is up. I use tremendous amounts of shredded leaves /grass clippings as well as chicken poop compost. The one thing I did use on my fruit trees was kaolin clay (surround)...what a game changer. No codling moth or apple maggot. One disappointment...Bt and Spinosad are no longer effective in New England for Colorado potato beetles. I still till, can't stand the dandelions coming up year after year. Kind Regards. Craig
Can you explain how you use it around your trees to stop the moths, they are horrible here. Also where do you buy the garden variety of the clay, I see a lot listed under beauty products. Thank you!
@@elainevang9114 I use Diatomaceous earth, (readily available in garden centers). When you are planting your sapling you powder or paste the walls of the hole before you plant the root. When the grubs tunell towards the roots they stop when they start to hit that layer of microscopic knives (Diatomaceous earth). You can also dust the surface but this can take a long time to work into the soil. Note, a word of caution; earthworms dont like it either.
Yes!! Surround can be so effective (I'm terrible at keeping on top of reapplying it though). Sadly I think we'll start seeing more & more resistances in pests like that.
@Elaine Vang Surround is a finely milled version of kaolin clay that you mix with water and apply with a sprayer to the desired plants- insects don't like the feel of the barrier it creates and tend to leave the plants alone. It can also prevent fungal spores from reproducing on plants. It dries to a thin white coating and needs to be reapplied after rain or even heavy dew. www.arbico-organics.com/product/surround-wp-crop-protectant-omri-listed-kaolin-clay/pest-solver-guide-beetles
After 20 years, one site (zone 5b), should have: -Enhanced the soil as much as possible as quickly as possible. -Accepted I have to clear a lot of trees to get sun to my garden when I live in the woods. -Had fencing-animals can be devestating -Been starting earlier in the spring and growing later into the fall. -Been starting seedlings indoor and succession planting from day 1.
Love the thoughts. For myself ...I started my orchard and perennials early on 20 years ago but integrated pest management was not as well developed and I learned after many years of pest destruction that the Japanese plums i planted in the middle of my orchard were very strong magnets to bring plum curculio into the middle of all my fruit trees and begin their long season of 2 hatches i my MO garden, that resistant to fire blight is Not immune and that the lovely bees which are needed to pollinate also pass the bacteria around . Enough of those sad tales. I have become very fond of fruits with fewer challenges: berries have been more rewarding and less devastating overall. Learning how to keep my clayish soil covered , and the amazing transformation that consistent mulch and broadforking can make on it were too many years in the learning process. We have very heavy deer and rabbit pressure. The following is a design from a gardening friend who has tried many fences and deterrents. 7 ft deer proof plastic netting zip tied to T posts with 2 ft chicken wire around the bottom to keep the rabbits out. And a top wire to support the netting. I am now in central Indiana and your timing of indoor starts and outdoor seeding has been very helpful and appreciated. Thankyou for the great regional lessons .
Sadly not all of us are allowed / able to add fencing. I would love to see more content on managing pests (the bets we can) without ring fencing. Even an idea that helps 10% is worth trying.
As usual your video is packed with excellent information that is well presented. There IS one thing I would disagree with you. Perhaps disagree is too strong. ;-) You mentioned that perhaps people with small gardens would not want to make those paths and gates bigger. In that I disagree. Those paths and entry points need to be sized to allow easy access. I THOUGHT I made my paths big enough this first season here in my new garden but by harvest there were no paths, things grow more here than they did back in Ohio and everything went crazy. Okay, I will have to admit my choice of plants to grow in my tiny garden wasn't the smartest choices. That's what is so great about gardening, living and learning. I'm encouraged to focus on those perennials as you suggested now, so thanks for that. I was planning on fruit trees this spring already, but now I will branch out and consider what others I can put in sooner rather than later. That is a great idea.
Excellent point! And you're right- even small space gardeners need to consider access AND everyone needs to think about how much plants spread and take up potential room in the pathways- I struggle with this big time. I have enough room when nothing is growing, but come mid-summer it's SO crowded!
This is my first year gardening at my new house. We had at least 20 deer at a time wander through the garden last winter and we often saw deer through the summer as well last year. So my garden plan this year includes a 6' fence around the vegetable garden, hoping, as you do, that the crowded nature of my garden will discourage jumping. I really hope the fence works, because I love watching the deer wander through, and I'd like to keep enjoying that. I'm glad to see that you're getting away with a 5' tall fence!
Haha! I love this! Our dogs do a pretty good job here, but I've noticed a big difference at mom & dad's since they no longer have a dog. SO many more rabbits over there!
This is coming from the woman who could consider giving "Wonder Woman" ....a run for her Gold Bracelets....😉....you have your big garden....a garden at your parents....all the early seed plantings the chickens and then your RUclips...and probably Instagram....and maybe something else....who could find the time for all that....then the family....your most likely in that 1/2% of most people in North America....( and it's not crap content....it's all relevant 👍) from someone who has a patio to a small backyard garden to someone with an acre....can always get a refresher from your video content....ps...my favorite parts are the experiments....growing different peas....started or from direct seed....like last years ones....or the container growing....! The fact is as one gets older the garden ....well becomes tougher to handle....for me it keeping a succession of things to eat on the go....pests....heat....cold that's the thing....but you deal with all these things that will help those who really are just "getting their feet wet..." CAUSE THERES ALOT OF QUITTERS OUT THERE....and all they need is a few bites of help and advise....oh and your #3 Fencing....a walled garden that's my favorite....any yes the $500000 to do it....😏
Thanks Jenna. Great breakdown. Enjoy your in sight and look forward to your video on butchering your own meat birds and canning the meat. 😉😂. You have a great set up. Like how you did the commercial 60s style. Reminded me of the commercials while watching Brady Bunch. All good points. Take care
I made many of the same mistakes with my garden. Space between raised beds too narrow for the wheelbarrow. Failed to line beds with hardware cloth, welcome gophers! Didn't put down 2' high chicken wire to keep out rabbits. On the positive side, I did well with amending the soil and using mulch to conserve water and suppress weeds, and the 5' tall fence plus trellises has kept out deer. I'd like to have a water source in the garden instead of running 120' of hose to connect to my pvc pipe irrigation system. Live and learn!
I used the metal T-posts as boundaries and drove the wheelbarrow around and probably looked just like you zipping it around empty to be sure it would fit! I have a very small space that gets sunshine and isn't standing water. The main problem I have is the groundhogs, they ate more spaghetti squash than I did last year and I had to go buy some from the Amish. They don't like acorn squash though? I picked over a dozen and still have two or three!
I am not sure about the perennials first plan. It's an ok plan, but at odds with your pest control plan. In my yard, the peaches and figs brought in squirrels, mice, and opossum. My cucumbers and tomatoes and other annuals suffer collateral damage.
Interesting- I can't say I've noticed that the fruiting plants have made the pests any worse here- we've got a lot of mature fruit tree at my parents' place and the only time it seems to become problematic is when we don't keep the fallen fruit cleaned up. But you bring up an important point that some folks may need to be aware of.
I'd make my pathways wider, and even if meant eating beans from a can or ages I'd splurge the money to pour the pathways with concrete if I had to start my garden over. Also I'd have tilled the entire garden, I only tilled one side of it. The side I did not have tilled is much harder to pull weeds from, start seeds, and the water runs off instead of soaking in as quickly. I regret not doing that.
Thanks for the comment about hardware cloth under soil to hinder moles and burrowing critters. Don't get me wrong. Critters are cool, elsewhere! Also, thanks for mentioning elderberry, a good berry I had left out of my plan.
I agree that space to maneuver garden carts, etc ., is so important. I have to hand carry things into my garden space---it's just too tight for even a wheelbarrow. I curse my set-up frequently, yet lack the energy at my age to fix the problem. Sigh. Gotta say--I LOVE LOVE LOVE your jacket and hat. You look amazing in it.
Omg preach with the space issue 😂 I’m an idiot and put my raised beds close together, which is fine for when I’m walking around but my poor dad gets his pants hooked on stuff all the time.
The number one thing I would differently is not simply use the veg patch that the previous owners built but started from scratch in terms of layout with irrigation and with walking paths in mind
I had the same issue with my gate not being big enough. To solve it I pulled the staples that attached the fence to one side of the gate and attached it to a 2x4 and put wire loops like in our pasture fences. Now I can open up a section of the fence when I need a bigger opening.
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@@michellejames5953 I hope you enjoyed it!
@@GrowfullywithJenna I did! I also used your HISEA code yesterday to order the unisex garden boots, that they just came out with. Thanks again!
As a person with hearing issues I really appreciate your clear speaking and rhythm. Thank your!
You are so welcome!
You put on a great show with a lot of great content!!! When we started gardening in 1974 we had our parents teaching us the old school how-to's. My dad was raised on a farm in Italy before coming back to the U.S. at age 14...by himself in 1936. Mom was raised on a farm, they were tenant farmers, and in her grandmother's boarding house later on. My mom, her mother, and her grandmother had Victory Gardens during the war. My wife's parents were also farmers before they met. We were lucky we had great teachers! We started small and expanded as the family grew. There was a couple of decades that we stopped gardening, canning, and freezing produce. Then fifteen years ago we started again, first small for about five years. Now we are back to about the size when the kids were younger. Being older and retired the last five years, we found ways to make the work a lot easier. We slowly built 14 raised beds for vegetables and flowers and three years ago I started a no-till garden in the back yard...saves mowing lol. In the front yard I spread a few 12 inch by 12 inch high by about 20 foot long hills of rabbit manure for the winter squash. That takes care of about 25% of the front yard I don't have to mow lol! I was raised in a small village, my wife in the country. We bought a little over 4 acres after we were married...love the country! We give away all the extra produce to all the retired neighbors and her family. Gives us something to do lol! AND!!! We are still learning!!! You just can't know everything! Enjoyed as always! Take care!
Thank you for sharing your story! Heartwarming! LOVE it! ❤️
I love this so much, Michael- thank you for sharing! And you undoubtedly had the best teachers!
Wow - how fantastic you had family who farmed. How wonderful to give food away. I have been thinking of the same thing. i have a small plot, 15 feet by 40 feet, in a community garden but will try to grow prolific vegetables again this year, like zucchini and kale, donating to local shelter/church with extras.
Interresting about the rabbit manure. Does it deter squash bugs and/or is it simply good for the soil? Squash bugs did a number on my zucchini in 2022 but I did not keep up regularly with the water-peppermint oil-plant-based-dish soap-concoction to deter them. The amount of time spent picking off squash eggs and bugs off of 8 plants was intense and frustrating; this year will be different. A fellow gardener next to my plot did not have issues with bugs on his squash. He attributed that to rich soil into which he put many vegetable scrapes: no fetilizer or special anything-else-added whatsoever.
Thank you for your comment.
What’s a Victory Garden? What a great farming legacy, thanks for sharing
@@michellejames5953 In the UK during WW2 it was called 'Dig for Victory', a government incentive for people who had lawns to dig them up and plant potatoes etc due to real shortages of food and severe rationing of basic essentials that continued until 1948. It was found that the population was generally healthier during the war than after because they didn't eat too much because they didn't have it e.g. meat once a week instead of every day like now !!
Going into my 4th year of seriously gardening. If I knew then what I know now, I think #1 would be more in ground beds.
Over the past couple years, feeding the soil with the proper biology has allowed me to successfully grow directly into the soil. Raised beds are great, but very expensive, especially if you are purchasing the majority of materials to fill them.
The 2nd big change would to have gone directly to cattle panel trellising of my indeterminate tomatoes. 1st year I used sting, 2nd year bamboo stakes, then last year the cattle panels, by far the easiest and most effective.
3rd thing would be the over-all layout of the beds. Making a complete change to a 20' X 8' bed due to the invasion of jumping worms. Actually, it might work out for the best. I will be giving up some garden space for 2 pathways, but the addition of 2 arched cattle panels will actually increase my over all growing area.
4th thing would be pay more attention to the sun. Mostly, where it lands on my garden, and how plants end up shading each other out.
Gardening to me is a journey, I'm sure I will make more mistakes along the way, but what the heck... It's a lot of fun!!!
You are absolutely correct. Sun direction is very important. Container gardening taught me that.
And... because of my environment, ground critters ie raccoons groundhogs, otters, I began with elevated raised beds and LOVE them. I have a couple deeper raised beds, three feet deep and used hugelkulture method to fill them.
Thank you for sharing your gardening adventures! I love to learn from the stories. 😊
Great points here! I totally agree with you on the in-ground beds & cattle panels!
And so imporatant to pay attention to that sun- that's an easy one to overlook when you're excited about getting a garden in and planting!
@@hadassahhaman7550 I have a small gardening channel you might enjoy. Just click on the orange B.
Points are nicely done. I ramble.
Yes, I’m going back to in ground planting with a good filled trench under each row. I like the raised for certain reasons, but the moisture is better retained in ground.
i forgot about the sun too, so summer 2021 i watched how the sun moved through my landscape, spring 2022 i had a tree service heavily prune out tree branches, i said i want more of an umbrella, not branches so low…that allowed more sun.
my landscape started fall of 2019, i have a garden journal and keep tweaking…i finally really watched and noted the weather. we cannot plant before memorial day, unless it has a mini greenhouse, water bottles and milk jugs serve as mini greenhouse…gardening is an experiment every season, that’s why i enjoy it, it’s never finished, always room for improvement, you have to admit a mistake and move on….all the things we should be doing with our lives….
WRT planting all your perennials in the beginning, That only works if you know what perennials you will be planting and make a garden plan as to where to plant them.
One would also need more money if s/he is going to put them in as transplants.
I'd recommend putting in a few perennials every year while getting the benefit of the annual plants. That way it will feel you just put plants there and, almost ignored them until the year comes that they start producing.
Put perennials in as soon as possible, but a garden is an evolving thing. If you put them in all at once, you might find you put some where they shouldn't be.
That's very true!
This video was so eye opening and helpful for me right now!!! I've been gardening forever and got in a rut. We are moving this summer to our new 10 acres and I will be starting from scratch. The land hasn't been used for 20 years. So I have to do everything. This was so helpful. I had it all in my head LOL. NOW gonna draw it all out, including fencing, fruit trees and bushes, and then garden and flowers. I have a zillion things I say, oh I wish I would have.......... So Hopefully I can use all of yours and all of mine, for a great growing season 2024!. Thanks!!!!!
If you aren't already familiar with them, it might be helpful to look into the permaculture concept of 'zones' for planning your new space. It sounds like you are starting an exciting adventure - best of luck!
How wonderful! Enjoy that new 10 acres!
Your channel is such a resource, your topics relevant and the delivery & knowledge engaging. Yours is my #1 go to on RUclips and I thank you for it. I'm a new gardener (1 season and a bit) and I'm readying myself for a bigger piece of land by end '23, so I literally consult your channel for general and specific veggie gardening. Wishing you good health for 2023. From the UK.
Thank you so much, Teresa! And how exciting for you to have bigger piece of land to look forward to- that's awesome!
Our raised beds are too high for bunnies but the deer found the garden last year. Had to buy a motion sensing water sprayer for now until we can get some fencing built.
Are you happy with how the water sprayer works? I've never thought about doing that... might be a temporary option for my folks' place!
@@GrowfullywithJenna yes it seems to do the job pretty well for us, at least in the interim.
@@GrowfullywithJenna I second the motion sprayer! It works!
Thank you! Good video. Well, I got a few things right ... I used a permaculture technique right in the beginning to determine where the water flowed when my yard flooded, by observation, then I redirected it, and captured it using cachement areas. I also planted asparagus, rhubarb, sage, fruit trees, pecan, berries first ... and they all came up and are doing great. I also used a chicken wire to protect my whole backyard from rabbits, and that worked perfectly. In terms of things I would have done differently ... 1) I also tend to try to do too much, 2) I grow things that my family won't eat .. like hot peppers, summer squash, then I'm the only one amazed by the quality / taste, 3) I also wish I had learned about soil health earlier, 4) RABBITS, rabbit tractors .. why didn't I recognize the importance of rabbits? Their manure is gold for gardens, and they eat the grass. Maybe this year I will get rabbits, though my wife will !%@$!, 5) rocket stove mass heater for the greenhouse / shed. Such an efficient way to heat, like 1/10th the wood use. 6) Frozen tomatoes! Just pick them, and freeze them in a ziploc, that's it. I use them all year. I didn't know this in the beggining, I was canning, dehydrating, salting, fermenting ... and that's all good, but really, it's just easier to freeze them.
Agreed freezing tomatoes until you have time is awesome. I was canning until December 14th lol but game changing method
@@kittiew260 I also freeze one zip lock bag of the little cherry tomatoes, and then to use them I run a little bit of hot water over them and the skin pops right off, then I add them to my scrambled eggs breakfast
@Robert GulfShores yes, do the same as well, but I have been using to make a quick pasta sauce with dry herbs, onions, and garlic. It's definitely been the best use of cherry tomatoes because they are always so prolific.
I am totally guilty of planting too much of things my family doesn't eat! And I'm with you on the rabbits- I've had SO many people tell me what a big difference rabbit poo made in their gardens. I'd like to start keeping rabbits too, but like you, my spouse won't be thrilled 😆.
Your videos always give me such a lift. Last year we moved from a property that had ridiculously good soil to a property with heavy clay. I was heart-broken to learn that this soil was going to be difficult to work with, to say the least. Your place looks so beautiful and lush and productive that I’m determined to figure out how to have the same. Thanks!
Il trade you with my acre full of walnut trees
That would be a hard transition to make! In a way I'm lucky, because all I've ever had is heavy clay so I can't compare it to 'good' soil. But the good news is, even heavy clay can be improved!
@@kassandrapage4379 OMG! That’s what I’m worried about because the idiot that bought property next to us is letting the 1 walnut tree spread and I’m having to cut and treat with brush killer to keep it out of my acreage. He doesn’t live here so what does he care.
Be happy as the clay holds nutrients and moisture. Your biggest chore is getting the soil friable the rest will be easy. Just don’t let it dry out😅
@@kassandrapage4379 : pigs love walnuts. Sell the walnuts. You've got a triple bonus with walnuts - 1) they are good for your health, 2) perhaps they could be profitable for others, 3) trees help retain soils.
I never liked raw walnuts but use them in muffins, for example, and am glad I do. Walnuts are still "affordable" in the stores but, with prices rising.... be glad you have an excellent source of protein nearby.
Are there very small scale pig farmers nearby who could bring over a few pigs to eat walnuts, perhaps paying you with eggs or something from their gardens?
You might have saved me a lot of trouble with this video. I’m planning to start my garden and you highlighted a handful of pitfalls I was running towards! Thanks from central Kentucky!
I’m glad to hear it! Even more happy to hear you’re planning to start your garden!
Awesome information as always Mrs. Jenna. You not kidding those critters will wipe a garden out. Deer try to jump in my yard but when the dogs see them at the fence they put them on the run. Only bad thing is I had to put a fence inside of my fence around each part of my gardens to keep the dogs out. LOL.. We added a new 4x16 bed that is sixteen inches deep and right off the bat our pew brained 80 lb Bulldog plowed all over it. Instead of doing a fence down that side of the yard I am trying the underground hot wire to see if it will keep them out. If not then more T post and wire welded fence it will be. Keep up the amazing work my friend! Stay safe up there!! Spring will be here soon.
Oh my goodness- I thought my dogs were the only ones that did stuff like that 😆. I can't wait for spring- I hope you share some updates of your place!
Jenna, thank you for this. I admit as a full time day job, starting small expansion as you go the best way. I like you peserve it all so I will say this fall was exhausting. Great tips for everyone. Keep up the great videos.
What I would do differently like you soil health but also not expand too fast. I definitely don't have the space you do, but I will say I have 11 beds, grow bags, and greenstalks in every inch of my back yard with a swimming pool. This season planning diligently and using patience when seed starting. I still was a few weeks too soon last year so really holding off is a challenge. I grow thousand or so transplants for myself friends and to donate to local schools, community gardens and food banks. Patience is key all aspects gardening, restraining myself starting too soon so transplants are manageable.
You are keeping yourself busy for sure! Wow!
Wow Jenna……you really have a great way of explaining stuff, that makes people (me) truly understand. There’s a lot of channels with great advice, but your execution never misses the mark! Thanks for another well thought out video
I'm so glad! Thank you!
I enjoy all of your soil health videos SOOO much! My favorite playlist you do is on amending clay soil. You are an amazing gardener ❤️
Thank you so much, Joanna!
Instead of reducing the area, one can choose a type of crop that doesn't require care, e.g. sun flowers - the seeds cost nothing, they practically all germinate, they have deep roots and thus break up and aerate the ground, they draw up nutrients from deep down, they give loads of compost material, they feed the wildlife, and - they're beautiful!
Great advice!
Thank you for all that you said with tip 6 - starting small!
Jenna - such good advice - you were talking to me about taking on more than I should. Expectations can take a person down. The amount of guilt we put in ourselves is too much and destructive.
So, so true and I struggle with this so much. It's so important for us to focus on what we have achieved versus all the things we 'think' we should be getting done!
Mrs. J - many good tips here. I will add one. When I bought my house over 35 years ago, I was not a gardener even though my father grew up on a farm. Both of us worked, the kids were, well, kids, and there was no time for it. So, when I bought my house, it was in a subdivision, and the yard was not flat and covered in trees. If you are young, even if you don't think you like gardening, buy a nice piece of land and see to it that it is flat! As you get older, you will want the space and if you age well - you will want to garden eventually I plan my beds and garden area with the idea that I need to get my lawn mower in there and a wheelbarrow. Your point on the progression of what you plant at the beginning is right on. Many of us jump in willy-nilly. Out of all your points, knowing your soil was the best for me. I have struggled mightily with my soil composition and amendments. I have progressed to raise beds filled with a product called SOIL3 - an organic soil from Canada. This has worked very well in the raised beds. For my in-ground areas, I am still amending and experimenting, with some success of late. I have planted comfrey and nettles recently and am excited about these additions. Carry on, Northern Elf...your videos are much appreciated!
Oh- that is a great point! And it's not something that a lot of folks who aren't currently gardening think about!
I'm here in Arizona, we are to get a shower or two, hang over from the California deluges.
I've had a 15 cu/yd load of tree service chips that they load on my big ole gooseneck for 6 months, today it gets unloaded, need my trailer. And it's going to it's locations to get another mulch blanket, my water bill sure likes it, veggies love it too, our peach, nectarines are at bud swell, ate my first asparagus spear this morning, yes I know, but 3 months in summer, it gets out of heat, let the chips keep the soil cooler.,
Glad to hear it- those chips are like gardeners gold!
Regarding "Starting Small" : Every season in the high heat of the summer I keep thinking of ways to downsize. Scale back, grow less. Then the next day I build 4 more beds. 🤠
Haha- I am right there with you!!
I love learning from you. I watched another youtuber and they said to find someone in your zone. Thatś how I found you.
Thank you, Tammy- it's so nice to hear this!
I did try to focus on perennials first, roses, macadamia, lemon, cherry, blueberries, raspberry... I was going to say I ran out of money and didn't get far but looking at my list I can see its actually not too bad. That's the trouble with perennials- they are way more expensive than annuals so don't feel bad!
I just destroyed my entire garden for a clean slate restart without critters. My dog cleaned up the massive nests of rodents and I think we are good to go.
Good point on the perennials- they do add up fast. I'm trying to get better about taking cuttings from plants rather than buying them (something else I wish I would have started doing earlier).
Great info as always. Funny stuff when the video is sped up at 9:07- (kids and dogs at high speed ). I am learning to start less seeds because I have limited growing areas.....last year I gave away half of my grown from seed tomato plants. I have been following your tips on improving soil and I am looking forward to better soil each year. I always had gorgeous flowers and now more and more growing food. Will be trying potatoes in a new raised bed this year-(great pointer on hardware cloth on the bottom.). TY
Starting fewer seeds is always something I struggle with! I feel like I end up with too much every year!
I'm not going to read through all of the comments, but I'm sure I'll join many in saying "Yeah, same." And I wish I'd seen this video four years ago.
Exactly the list I would've made of what I wish I'd done/known . . . Great Job!
Thanks!
And #5. I needed to hear that! Thank you!
Those canned candied jalapenos living in the pantry since 2020 would go great on a ham sandwich. Does anyone else like a sandwich setup that way? 🥪 Excellent job on the video, Jenna!
Ooh- I'd never though about doing that- sounds tasty!
I totally feel you on fencing. I have a neighbor a few houses down who fenced in their garden, and I wish I'd taken that as a sign. My first year at our current property I had deer and rabbits chowing down on most of my plants. I even had shrews eating tomato plants. I don't have the ability to fence currently, but I'm in raised beds and utilizing domes, chicken wire, & insect fabric and it's working well enough while I get the yard to hopefully be fence-able next year.
Ugh- that is SO very frustrating. I'm glad you've come up with a solution in the interim, and hope you can get things fenced in the way you want soon!
I'm doing soil testing this year, I should have done it 4 years ago after I put raised beds in. Very informative channel.
I purchased a soil testing kit, with something like that you could do multi-area testing & annual testing to see the progress of the soil's health, type & needs.
@@acoldguy2381 that's good to. I will have to check it out. I was going to the Ohio Extension Office..
I always end up finding something unexpected when I do soil testing!
@@GrowfullywithJenna Jenna you are my mentor.
I have spring fever so bad.
I have my garden stash to purchase gardening amendments and fertilizer for my roses. The Artica Blast did a number on my Colettee climbers. Have my fingers crossed on my berries. I planted 3 blueberries plants after working a year to get the ph just right for them. Your homestead is dream come true.
With regard to your deer fence...I have done some research since we bought some land and see deer almost every time we are out to the property. We're building and I have set up an initial garden area. The very first thing I planted was asparagus and for a long time the deer didn't touch it, then suddenly they nibbled every bit of green off of the stalks, forcing me put up a fence. I wish I could give credit, but don't remember who I watched simply use fishing line. He said pretty much what you did, they don't have good distance vision and if they don't have wide open space they will not jump, further if they get caught in something (like a fishing line) they will stay away because they don't see anything and cannot make sense out of it. Rather than press their luck they will avoid the area. I found this to be true so far. They broke the fishing line once and have left the garden area alone. Even some space that I have created beds they haven't walked over at all. Crossing my fingers that this last as this spring will be the true test of whether it holds them off. Obviously this doesn't address the rabbit issue, but a very low cost way to address deer vs putting in a full fence.
Thank you for sharing this!!
The pantry part almost sums up🤣
😆
Can highly recommend fruittrees yes, they also provide shade where you need. Just make a garden design first, I had to relocate 8 fruit trees 😅 what a nightmare.
Relocating trees is a LOT of work!
I'm not a RUclipsr but I have thought many times t about posting a video identical to this one. I'm guilty of all the things you brought up. Most videos talk about things that make gardening more difficult like season extention and grow big or go home and beginners wind up overwhelming themselves. This should be a must watch for all beginning gardeners.
Thank you so much, Jeff. The sad thing is, many folks will give up if it becomes too overwhelming (and understandably so)... I'd much rather see someone start small and 'easy', have success and be encouraged to slowly keep learning and expanding, versus the alternative.
I believe the landing spot theory to be true with deer. I did not have problems for years then decided to "clean up" my orchard garden and boom deer jumped in.
That's very interesting!
I got rid of a groundhog by walling off just the slicing tomatoes and he ate like 12+ green cherry tomatoes, whole. Never came back, and I know where he (still) lives lol.
Now that IS interesting! I'm going to have to try that. Do you think he made himself sick on them?
I’m building my large garden now in Ohio 5b and at a loss for a design. Spray painting is an excellent idea!
Good luck!
Regarding the fence. I have 4 foot and never had an issue. And yes you're right... if the landing area is sketchy they won't jump. This is why 4 foot works for m.
I've seen some place a fence a few feet next to the original fence to make it undesirable to jump.
Thanks for sharing, Michael. I'm sure that fact that a 4' fence is working for you will be encouraging to many others!
I grew up as a garden helper to my dad. There are very few similarities to his gardening and my current practices. Who knew that you didn't need any of those herbicides and pesticides? Healthy soil grows stronger plants. I would have done much better in my first decade of garden if I had understood soil health. Started amending my clay soil late '90s. Then reading Teaming With Microbes really helped me grasp better what I should be working with not against. Always looking for new methods and tips. Just found you so look forward to running through your library of posts. BTW, the five foot fence works because Ohio offers lots of vegetation and deer are inherently lazy. Unless scared or desperate they will turn and walk along a fence rather than jump it. Also true they want to see their landing spot. When we finally had the funds to fence, we set up very similar to you, but went six foot. Only one deer in several years.
I can relate to this- my dad tried to grow organically, but my grandpa was pretty liberal with the nasty chemicals and heavily tilling everything every year. But that's what made sense to him back then! I'm glad we've learned so much in the past several decades.
Wow! So much content here! Great stuff.
Yes, to all. Gradually start the large garden, But a Huge yes to start those perennial plants Right away! I wish also that I would have added my fruit, but I had failure starting raspberries and a peach tree 3x’s. There were other things in life that get in the way like money and time. I should have still tried other fruit. Now I’ve improved the soil more and last year added apples and we are trying blackberries, raspberries, honey berries, grapes and blueberries. I want to order the rest of my mini orchard, but wished I could know if everything will live. We have wild blackberries growing so I’m trying Again. I think it’s a water issue-not enough, so we will figure that out this year with some PEX line.
Ah, Fencing! When I said $$$ was an issue in starting to enlarge, Well…Yes, the cattle (DEER) run through our property nightly! Then there’s the rabbits, coon, possums and thankfully only 1 groundhog that has left. Everything I plant has to have a fence! There is nothing worse than going out to see your expensive plant ate! And it’s getting more expensive every year!! The other night I looked out and a rabbit was looking right at me as if to say watch this, and he jumped through a spot I had loose wire fencing as I didn’t finish it yet. He was now in with my precious perennial flowers (roses, etc). So here I am out in my PJs chasing rabbit and mending fence 😂. I mean 6 deer and countless rabbits in one night can wreak havoc. I use 7’ 2x4 wire fence and T-posts. I know they can clear up to 12’ at a run, but it is true if they feel the other side is confining they won’t jump. They are starting to nibble at maples that are not native to my immediate area and find them a delicacy, so I wrap the lower limbs with cheap bird netting-hate the stuff, but it works. They even were checking out a shrub they never mess with. They ate all my day lilies last year and normally leave them alone. I never did get to see the lilies bloom that were gifted to me. THEN a Rabbit built a den under one!! Have to figure something out for them yet. I wish I could view my gardens without all this fence. We are at the point that we were thinking of doing the whole acreage as we seem to be close to enough fencing, but then they would know it’s not a small space and jump 7’ anyway, I’ve seen them do that at a standstill at neighbors while I drove by-it was amazing!
Yes to leaving a large opening to enter. We have a gate, but we leave an area in fence we just unclip the wire to enter with trailer. Lol, all your helpers were burning up energy on the trampoline 😂
So for me it’s time, as we get older and realize it can take several years for fruit and nut trees to produce you wonder if you will ever see them. So my advice is start with those perennials and keep adding and expanding as you can afford annually. I’m feeling pressured to get the rest of the mini orchard plants this year-I have to and it won’t be cheap. If I don’t get the order in the varieties will be gone that I need and another year gone. I don’t get out to shop much so I have to forego any chance of a sale on a variety that will survive here. I’m getting keen on realizing I need late bloomers for are low frost/freeze microclimate. And this 40-50*F with RAIN weather isn’t helping in JANUARY IN WI! It’s not GOOD! The plants could break dormancy and bugs will survive and all the weather people think it’s great until they find out they won’t get their favorite apple this year.🙄😏.
My soil is like the pic of the sand below the top soil-Of Which We Have NONE! I haul in everything I can get my hands on. If I get up to 10 worm sittings this year it will be a record. I have grubs though-go figure. I have no lush grass and a lot of oak leaves.🙁. I’m too cheap for a soil test, but have a basic home test. I think the soil needs boron because beets and carrots seem to struggle. I grew up playing and gardening in the sand, but this location is a challenge because of past usage of previous owners.
Don’t fret over not restocking pantry. If you can put up 2 or 3 of your favs your good. Simple to freeze most and buys time to process later.
We are getting chickens again after not having them for decades, wish us luck. We decided on the Rhode Island Reds. Starting with only a dozen as we use to get 50😂. I said let’s start small right now to cover the eggs😅. Now watch the price drop😂😂
Keep up the good work and remember my grandma always said, Fun on the Farm! 😂
I'm feeling a similar pressure to get a mixed orchard/food forest type planting done at mom & dad's- but your right, the prices are definitely not getting any cheaper. Now I'm trying to figure out what I can take cuttings from and/or graft myself to keep expenses down.
Have fun with the new chickens- I will say this is probably the first time our eggs are cheaper than those at the grocery!
Great information. We are looking to move so I can have more space. I’ll keep this video saved. Your garden is amazing and your parents garden is wow!
Thank you, Lori! I hope you do end up with all the space you need!
Last year the critters really escalated their assault on my backyard beds. The low wire fence I put around the main bed was doing nothing to deter our local groundhog, and my carrots and bush beans were constantly being munched. So my first item of business when the weather is warm enough to work outside will be to put in a real fence around everything. Unfortunately, my layout is a bit odd because it has grown piecemeal over the years in one corner of the yard, wrapping around my tool shed. But I think I have a plan worked out for fencing.
Ugh!! It's enough to drive a gardener crazy isn't it?!
Soil health is such a Key 🔑 especially when growing giant pumpkins which need very great soil
Yes it is!
If I were to start over, I would plant the Fall Sweet squash since it is now my favorite. I would also like to have planted the Seascape strawberry but it wasn't available when I started. I now pick a gallon or two every 3 days from 500 plants all summer starting Aug 1
Big time! Knowing which varieties are favorites/would do the best in my climate would have been SO nice to know!
Beautiful garden!
Thanks for visiting
Hi Jenna, Great tips and wisdom! Best, Albert
Thank you!
i had squirrels eat my sunflower seeds, never thought about it…so now i plant them in water bottles with the bottom cut out, as they get big i continue the side cut on the bottle and pull it out.
i landscape garden mostly with some vegetables sprinkled in, that is the reason i planted the big stuff first, and ordered large junipers, large spruce…i didn’t wannabe to wait years, i’m grateful for that decision…but i’m way older than you, after seeing people plant little juniper’s i knew it would be an imbalanced landscape for years, and i wanted the privacy now.
What I regret was planting a magnolia tree for privacy and to be a focus, it drops its leaves in winter, does not provide any privacy…so soon after it got moved, but then i picked something that didn’t make it through the freeze, so my regret is not figuring out how to solve the privacy holes, last end of summer i planted elaegnus, and cleyera to fill all the holes, plus perennial sun flowers, clematis, hollyhock, and many mid size flowering perennials….the holes are going to now be over filled with something for shade and flowers in front.
i had a crew dig out the planting beds, all this yard had was grass and 4 trees, but they didn’t dig out grass according to my specifications, so last summer i dug out more grass to give the plants room.
Great tip on the water bottles- thanks for sharing!
I completely agree with ALL 6 changes. I'd do the same thing. Great list !
Thanks!
Wonderful tips.
Love your videos and this is a great one. I've been gardening for a couple of years but want to get more serious with my setup. Will be fencing in an area as soon as I can (I'm in central Ohio) Have an area that I started last year that I'm going to expand. Going to be starting with soil health for sure! Had planned for some of these but not all. Thank you!
Thank you, Nick! Have fun with that new gardening space!
Great Video! I swear I learn something every time I watch. I think I just have one big problem going into this year's gardening season - correcting the imbalance I created by putting too many mulched leaves in the garden last fall. I read somewhere online that adding nitrogen a couple of weeks prior to planting might help, as mulched leaves use up nitrogen during the decomposing process. Right now, I'm glad I only have five raised beds to 'correct', but ask me in the spring, when it's planting time, and I'd be wishing for five more beds! lol
Thank you, Linda!
I can relate, I'm always wishing for more beds come planting time too!
But in regard to the leaf mulch- a spring application of nitrogen may help, as well as adding in amendments which are naturally high in nitrogen- composted chicken manure or blood meal for instance.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I've been gardening in my backyard for years and haven't made this big a mistake until now. Though I do not have chickens, I was able to get my hands on some composted chicken manure in November that I will use in the spring. I was thinking of adding blood meal the last week of April. I usually start 'planting out' around the 10th of May knowing I may need to use a cover a couple of times. I don't have a compost pile or bin, just a 15 gallon grow bag I use for that, so it's never enough. I do add additional Coast of Main Lobster Compost every year. However, after so many years of leaves, clippings, compost, etc., my soil has become too heavy with organic material and a little light on 'mineral soil' according to the UNH soil test results I got back last fall. I interpreted 'mineral soil' as meaning just plain dirt (loam, clay, etc.) as there were no significant mineral deficiencies noted. I'm determined to get it straightened out. I'll have to. I'm going to plant a 'block' of corn this year. I'll need to come to a final decision of which one to plant, one of two varieties you thought highly of: Wild Violet or Bolt XR F1.
So far in Ohio I have 3 varieties of onions, parsley, and 90 Stocks growing indoors.
Nice!!
Jenna = The best 👍
Thank you so much!
We. Hilt garden boxes up ! 3 ft tall 2 ft wide because I cannot bend over now and my arm can only reach two feet .
Great idea!
Thank you.
You're welcome!
What a great video!
Thank you!
Very helpful!
So glad!
I live in the city, this last year I put outside cameras, I had no idea the number of deer, raccoons, possums that raided my garden. I’m getting aggressive in my fencing now.
Having those cameras up is eye opening isn't it!?
Thanks this is a really helpful video
Glad it was helpful!
@@GrowfullywithJenna I’m planning on starting a small market garden. I’ve made a note of your tips :)
Rome wasn't built in a day. Going too hard without the experience is a recipe for disaster. Add to how unorganized I am, it's not going to end well. I'm building a little more every year. This year, just putting up something for NFT next year, but using the stands I'll build this year for stuff that was on the ground in pots last year. If I did it all at once it would have been all built wrong because that's always the way it goes for me lol
On another video, I brought up using Potassium Silicate for the harsh year we had last year, but that would have been too expensive. It did work but I wasn't going to dump that much money into it.
Very, very true!
I wish fences kept squirrels out.
Me too!
I very much enjoy your content..even with being in Texas..you in ohio..still many good ideas translate
Awesome! Thank you!
Yup, life happens.
I’m new to your channel and from Pittsburgh PA and I was curious.. how do you water your garden of that size? Sorry if you mentioned it in a different video I haven’t seen yet
Hello Brittany and welcome to the channel!
I share how I am currently watering in this video: ruclips.net/video/2wVMBWbTsEA/видео.html I'm also planning on adding some drip irrigation (www.dripworks.com/?ref=Growfully) for my raised beds this year.
Great content as always but I see an Income stream from your video 😀 HI Im Jenna and I am here to save the soil life. For only 50 cents per day you can help me save the soil. In addition you will receive a save the soil with Jenna tee shirt and a weekly update on the number of worms my garden has saved....... I agree with soil life as well bit it was a very touching segment. In fact I highly recommend a worm farm, they love scraps and nourishing my soil every year... Gives me something to do in my 5b garden here in CO.
Haha- I got such a kick out of this!!
I tried a worm farm indoors a few years back (just a prefab kit) and ended up giving up and putting all the worms in my garden. It's definitely something I want to try again and build my own!
@@GrowfullywithJenna I recommend the urban worm farm. Garbage in the top gold out the bottom. I didn't like the stacking worm farms. Its taller and kid friendly.. Hint Hint. I figure I will pull out 60-100lb a year now that its been a year plus. Hope this helps. Waiting for the save the soil tee shirts...
Think I would do longer rows…
I probably would have too!
I have fencing up (too small for rsbbits to get in) but something ate all my squash, zucchini, and watermelons year! It didn't look like they tunneled in, I think it was chipmunks - any ideas for chipmunks?
I find that hoops with insect netting works well to keep almost everything (except voles) out.
Hey Jenna, I'm about to put a 5-6 ft chain link fence around my back yard. I'm thinking if my garden is inside it, I wouldn't have to also fence around it. Would love your thoughts!
It depends on what kind of critters you have the most problems with and how big the openings in your fence are. Raccoons will easily scale a fence, and I think baby or adolescent bunnies could squeeze through chain link- not sure about adults- though they will dig under.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thanks much :-)
Love your gardening show !! , it's just awesome 👌 hope the wife and I can visit your garden .... we've been gardening many years and on top of that , we manage to grow giant pumpkins also .... well its January and just got my onions started ... zone 6a
Thank you, Kenny!
pathways
You do more than like 5 people.
+20 on Layout.
Layout is a big one for me including the amount/hrs of full light, wind, dryer areas of the plot, row spacing, access, plant types rotation in plot (3sisters growing method philosophy replenish soil on a plant level)
Fencing is a must, nailed that one +50.
I dig, ammend, do everything I need to and then slam some temporary poles and attach fencing. Most deer won't jump a 4-5 foot fence in my experience.
I think you're right, if they can't see a good place to land, they most of the time deer won't jump.
+5 on realistically taking on the amount you bite off, Gardening is the hardest non high pay, time consuming job you can do.
*if I could only close myself a couple times..lol it would be all gravy.
+5 on chicken wire base of your fencing, and I like how you secured your raised bed bottoms against moles and voles +5 on that tip also. Ground Squirrels are my nemesis 🤨
+25 on implementing chickens into your gardening..read somewhere that through history worldwide the chicken had more to do with helping man advance than simply growing food or hunting/fishing/gathering alone, really interesting.
+100 on the tips of soil health, living soil...without it no real progress, or benefits of having a healthy, productive, enjoyable, eco and biologically advantageous garden.
✌️😁👍 another great upload J!
Oh my gosh- I am in complete agreeance with you- if I could only clone myself it would be most helpful!
@@GrowfullywithJenna
Yes ma'am 😁
You lost me at the butchering of you chickens....no way I want to listen to a killer...
I'm sure this is for the best- there are plenty of other channels out there that are more aligned with your worldview, and I prefer not to have folks interacting with my channel that make comments such as this. It saddens me how skewed the perception of providing ones' own sustenance has become.
@@GrowfullywithJenna they’d never make it in an apocalyptic world. Survival of the fittest vs touchie feelies. Lol😊
50 year farmer/gardener here and your advice is spot on! Even after so much time there’s always something new to learn.
It's downright amazing how much there is to learn! Every season I do this I figure out just how little I know!
I am learning a ton after getting back into things using grow bags on my porch. Rabbits are my biggest pest and getting the fencing done is not going to be an easy task given what I am working with.
After over 30 years, (zone 6a), should have:
• Adopted no-till practices earlier. Cover pathways with cardboard and woodchips and drastically reduce weeding. Plus there is no more tracking mud into the house.
• Build / buy a greenhouse. Not only will you extend your season and have a place to start seeds (exposing them to full sun from the start), but you can also have an excellent place to putter around on a cold sunny day. On a windy 10 degree day, it can easily be 75 in the greenhouse when the sun is out!
These are great! Such a good point on the greenhouse!
Agreed! I have a garden at some level, for 25+ years. No till was a game changer. Still waiting on that greenhouse haha
Jenna! A lot of valuable information I can really appreciate! I'm a Newby gardener and began two years ago as a result of covid. I've never been happier in my LIFE! 😊 I live in zone 6 in a residential area but near the Mississippi River and critters roam through the neighborhood all the time - groundhogs, raccoons, otters... So I began with an elevated raised garden bed. Last year, year two, I ended up with three pre-fab elevated raised beds, a custom built 8x3 cedar veg bed, a three foot tall 9x3 carrot bed and a 6x3 squash bed. It's true what you said, less is more so I have to limit myself and manage the varieties of fruits and veggies I'm growing because it can be overwhelming if not checked.
I began small and am growing at a comfortable pace. I make my own compost, cover my soils when not in use and try to keep landscaping around the garden and my floating deck simple to decrease maintenance and workload with that situation.
I understand the importance of soil health and was showing off my beautiful rich black soil to my gardener friend just the other, however, you were again correct about pH levels being careful not to overfertilize, etc. Finding that balance and maintaining soil health can be challenging....
Well thank you jenna,
I really enjoyed your video, thx for sharing!
I am SO very glad to hear this!! Thank you for sharing your experience.
And yes- finding and maintaining that healthy soil balance is a constant challenge!
I would have not made any raised bed more than 4 feet across.
That's a great tip!
You have had a powerful positive influence on what I now do. My winter rye (first time) is up. I use tremendous amounts of shredded leaves /grass clippings as well as chicken poop compost. The one thing I did use on my fruit trees was kaolin clay (surround)...what a game changer. No codling moth or apple maggot. One disappointment...Bt and Spinosad are no longer effective in New England for Colorado potato beetles. I still till, can't stand the dandelions coming up year after year. Kind Regards. Craig
Can you explain how you use it around your trees to stop the moths, they are horrible here. Also where do you buy the garden variety of the clay, I see a lot listed under beauty products. Thank you!
@@elainevang9114 I use Diatomaceous earth, (readily available in garden centers). When you are planting your sapling you powder or paste the walls of the hole before you plant the root. When the grubs tunell towards the roots they stop when they start to hit that layer of microscopic knives (Diatomaceous earth). You can also dust the surface but this can take a long time to work into the soil. Note, a word of caution; earthworms dont like it either.
Yes!! Surround can be so effective (I'm terrible at keeping on top of reapplying it though). Sadly I think we'll start seeing more & more resistances in pests like that.
@Elaine Vang Surround is a finely milled version of kaolin clay that you mix with water and apply with a sprayer to the desired plants- insects don't like the feel of the barrier it creates and tend to leave the plants alone. It can also prevent fungal spores from reproducing on plants. It dries to a thin white coating and needs to be reapplied after rain or even heavy dew. www.arbico-organics.com/product/surround-wp-crop-protectant-omri-listed-kaolin-clay/pest-solver-guide-beetles
After 20 years, one site (zone 5b), should have:
-Enhanced the soil as much as possible as quickly as possible.
-Accepted I have to clear a lot of trees to get sun to my garden when I live in the woods.
-Had fencing-animals can be devestating
-Been starting earlier in the spring and growing later into the fall.
-Been starting seedlings indoor and succession planting from day 1.
Yes! clearing some trees for optimal sunlight and extending the growing season in both directions-- so good!
Love the thoughts.
For myself ...I started my orchard and perennials early on 20 years ago but integrated pest management was not as well developed and I learned after many years of pest destruction that the Japanese plums i planted in the middle of my orchard were very strong magnets to bring plum curculio
into the middle of all my fruit trees and begin their long season of 2 hatches i my MO garden, that resistant to fire blight is Not immune and that the lovely bees which are needed to pollinate also pass the bacteria around . Enough of those sad tales. I have become very fond of fruits with fewer challenges: berries have been more rewarding and less devastating overall.
Learning how to keep my clayish soil covered , and the amazing transformation that consistent mulch and broadforking can make on it were too many years in the learning process.
We have very heavy deer and rabbit pressure. The following is a design from a gardening friend who has tried many fences and deterrents.
7 ft deer proof plastic netting zip tied to T posts with 2 ft chicken wire around the bottom to keep the rabbits out. And a top wire to support the netting.
I am now in central Indiana and your timing of indoor starts and outdoor seeding has been very helpful and appreciated.
Thankyou for the great regional lessons .
a friend of mine had deer probems and he used a sprinkler that was turned on by motion and it worked good Thanks for video
That's a great idea!
Ugh... the not having to do it all thing hit me hard.
I feel you, Bree!
Sadly not all of us are allowed / able to add fencing. I would love to see more content on managing pests (the bets we can) without ring fencing. Even an idea that helps 10% is worth trying.
That's a good point, Debra. My go to when I can't use fencing are hoops with insect netting fabric covering them- keeps pests of all kinds out!
As usual your video is packed with excellent information that is well presented. There IS one thing I would disagree with you. Perhaps disagree is too strong. ;-) You mentioned that perhaps people with small gardens would not want to make those paths and gates bigger. In that I disagree. Those paths and entry points need to be sized to allow easy access. I THOUGHT I made my paths big enough this first season here in my new garden but by harvest there were no paths, things grow more here than they did back in Ohio and everything went crazy. Okay, I will have to admit my choice of plants to grow in my tiny garden wasn't the smartest choices. That's what is so great about gardening, living and learning.
I'm encouraged to focus on those perennials as you suggested now, so thanks for that. I was planning on fruit trees this spring already, but now I will branch out and consider what others I can put in sooner rather than later. That is a great idea.
Excellent point! And you're right- even small space gardeners need to consider access AND everyone needs to think about how much plants spread and take up potential room in the pathways- I struggle with this big time. I have enough room when nothing is growing, but come mid-summer it's SO crowded!
Great tips. I'd like to add one more: establishing my water irrigation watering systems BEFORE planting!
Yes!! That’s a big one I forgot!
It's so hard trying to lay drip lines and soaker hoses after plants have grown!
This is my first year gardening at my new house. We had at least 20 deer at a time wander through the garden last winter and we often saw deer through the summer as well last year. So my garden plan this year includes a 6' fence around the vegetable garden, hoping, as you do, that the crowded nature of my garden will discourage jumping. I really hope the fence works, because I love watching the deer wander through, and I'd like to keep enjoying that.
I'm glad to see that you're getting away with a 5' tall fence!
I hope it works for you! We still see deer wander through the back yard, but to date, not one has tried to jump the fence!
All those mistakes you made sound familiar. I think I've made them all myself 🙃
I feel like they're easy mistakes to make! Glad it's not just me!
As for problem #4 , I installed two Siberian Huskies. Works great!
Haha! I love this! Our dogs do a pretty good job here, but I've noticed a big difference at mom & dad's since they no longer have a dog. SO many more rabbits over there!
This is coming from the woman who could consider giving
"Wonder Woman" ....a run for her Gold Bracelets....😉....you have your big garden....a garden at your parents....all the early seed plantings the chickens and then your RUclips...and probably Instagram....and maybe something else....who could find the time for all that....then the family....your most likely in that 1/2% of most people in North America....( and it's not crap content....it's all relevant 👍) from someone who has a patio to a small backyard garden to someone with an acre....can always get a refresher from your video content....ps...my favorite parts are the experiments....growing different peas....started or from direct seed....like last years ones....or the container growing....! The fact is as one gets older the garden ....well becomes tougher to handle....for me it keeping a succession of things to eat on the go....pests....heat....cold that's the thing....but you deal with all these things that will help those who really are just "getting their feet wet..." CAUSE THERES ALOT OF QUITTERS OUT THERE....and all they need is a few bites of help and advise....oh and your #3 Fencing....a walled garden that's my favorite....any yes the $500000 to do it....😏
Thank you so much (and my favorites are the experiments too 😄). And no kidding--- couldn't we all use the extra $ to help with our garden addictions!
Thanks Jenna. Great breakdown. Enjoy your in sight and look forward to your video on butchering your own meat birds and canning the meat. 😉😂.
You have a great set up. Like how you did the commercial 60s style. Reminded me of the commercials while watching Brady Bunch.
All good points. Take care
Oh goodness! Don’t know if I’m ready to do that video yet!
I made many of the same mistakes with my garden. Space between raised beds too narrow for the wheelbarrow. Failed to line beds with hardware cloth, welcome gophers! Didn't put down 2' high chicken wire to keep out rabbits. On the positive side, I did well with amending the soil and using mulch to conserve water and suppress weeds, and the 5' tall fence plus trellises has kept out deer. I'd like to have a water source in the garden instead of running 120' of hose to connect to my pvc pipe irrigation system. Live and learn!
Yes! Water source is one I forgot to mention- it’s something I would have done differently as well!
I used the metal T-posts as boundaries and drove the wheelbarrow around and probably looked just like you zipping it around empty to be sure it would fit! I have a very small space that gets sunshine and isn't standing water.
The main problem I have is the groundhogs, they ate more spaghetti squash than I did last year and I had to go buy some from the Amish. They don't like acorn squash though? I picked over a dozen and still have two or three!
Interesting! I had no idea ground hogs didn't prefer acorn squash... good to know!
I am not sure about the perennials first plan. It's an ok plan, but at odds with your pest control plan. In my yard, the peaches and figs brought in squirrels, mice, and opossum. My cucumbers and tomatoes and other annuals suffer collateral damage.
Interesting- I can't say I've noticed that the fruiting plants have made the pests any worse here- we've got a lot of mature fruit tree at my parents' place and the only time it seems to become problematic is when we don't keep the fallen fruit cleaned up. But you bring up an important point that some folks may need to be aware of.
I'd make my pathways wider, and even if meant eating beans from a can or ages I'd splurge the money to pour the pathways with concrete if I had to start my garden over. Also I'd have tilled the entire garden, I only tilled one side of it. The side I did not have tilled is much harder to pull weeds from, start seeds, and the water runs off instead of soaking in as quickly. I regret not doing that.
Thanks for sharing these!
Thanks for the comment about hardware cloth under soil to hinder moles and burrowing critters. Don't get me wrong. Critters are cool, elsewhere! Also, thanks for mentioning elderberry, a good berry I had left out of my plan.
Absolutely agree- critters are cool elsewhere!
I agree that space to maneuver garden carts, etc ., is so important. I have to hand carry things into my garden space---it's just too tight for even a wheelbarrow. I curse my set-up frequently, yet lack the energy at my age to fix the problem. Sigh.
Gotta say--I LOVE LOVE LOVE your jacket and hat. You look amazing in it.
Thank you so much, Susan!
If you get a Chest Freezer, you can make success at storing food MUCH easier. It's a great backup if you get too exhausted canning.
Very true!
Omg preach with the space issue 😂 I’m an idiot and put my raised beds close together, which is fine for when I’m walking around but my poor dad gets his pants hooked on stuff all the time.
Oh no! Your poor dad!
The number one thing I would differently is not simply use the veg patch that the previous owners built but started from scratch in terms of layout with irrigation and with walking paths in mind
That's a good one!
I had the same issue with my gate not being big enough. To solve it I pulled the staples that attached the fence to one side of the gate and attached it to a 2x4 and put wire loops like in our pasture fences. Now I can open up a section of the fence when I need a bigger opening.
Great tip- thank you!
My heart and thoughts are with you, your family and community after the ecological disaster in your region. Stay safe.
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