Kitchen garden step 1: Learning from last year

Ambitious, that’s my middle name in January. My plans for a vegetable garden are great, organized and creative.
Last year I made a first attempt to fill our plates with our own vegetables. I’ve bought books, browsed and put them on the bookshelf. I collected too many seeds and I found out too late that you have to grow them early. This year everything is going to work out just fine! Soon you will find more information about what my plans for this year are.

What I’ve learned from last years attempt

Let’s start by telling you everything that went wrong.

• I’ve planted too many similar plants at once. After four days of lettuce you might want to eat something else.
• I didn’t read about special care for broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. In the end they started to bloom.
• I became pregnant (which in itself is not ‘wrong’) and really had no energy after every work day to weed.
• My vegetable garden was too close to the garden of a highly experienced garden-neighbor. So many well-meaning but insecure making advice…
• The vegetable garden was created on the back of the property. So it became a complete workout to continue to supply water. Next time close to a rain barrel.
• I learned that growing your own vegetables isn’t always cheaper. But it sure tastes good!
• Zucchini, eggplant and sugar melon plants should not be planted in the wind.
• I bought typical ‘vegetable-garden-plants’ (really easy to grow) which we don’t even really like to eat.

I learned a lot during this first attempt. And not everything was a failure. The lettuce for example did great, we had lots of strain beans and the tomatoes just kept growing.

Why it will be better this year

I do not expect that everything will be perfect this year. Especially while the baby will not help me yet. I’ll keep an eye on the calendar, I’ve already ordered seeds and I know a little better now how to judge which types of vegetables suit me and the quantities needed.

Garden advice

It is a learning process and a lot of well meaning advice was given. Part of it I followed and some not. But the conclusion is that you should ask specific questions to consultants. Then you get the information you really want.
There is much information in books and on the Internet. But ultimately you just do it. The book is usually only much background information on soils, crop rotation etc… You’re enthusiastic and want to work. So let’s get dirty!

Gardeners Calendar

Search for an online calender to help you with what to do and when. If you’ve found one please comment on this article so we can all benefit!

Note to self

Don’t throw away the seed packages, buy little cups and start within four weeks. And take lots of pictures.