I think I've followed a fairly normal progression about gardening. When I first started the garden, I would check the seedlings every day and be excited about nearly every sprout that peeked above the ground. I started seeds indoors and rushed too much to plant them outside.
I have learned a bit more patience since then. I admit I am still excited to see new sprouts coming up. I do tend to overplant now but that's not being too zealous. I've followed advice from gardeners who live in very different areas and seen the damage which resulted in this environment. In other areas, it may be bad to overcrowd your garden. In this arid weather, what would be crowding simply helps to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature. It does make weed and insect control more difficult but that's where companion planting comes in.
Being more patient causes me less stress and decreases trying too hard in many cases. Though it can mean damage in other cases, like not seeing insect damage until it's severe. However, I have learned to spot insect damage earlier than I once did.
Though my soil is much better now than it once was, I do still see seedlings sprout and then die off from salt damage. Another reason to overplant. I have seen entire sections of garden remain bare most or all season because one crop didn't survive. By planting multiple crops, at least some sections do not remain bare. A couple of sections could use more intense watering to leach more sodium out of the soil but some crops do survive. It has actually been raining enough here that I don't have to worry about it much for now.
I've learned a lot more about what to plant, where and when. Still learning.
Been stupid this year about some things. Still enough growing season left that I can start more tomato plants from cuttings. Going to do that in the next few days.
The cuttings I took last week are now all developing new leaves. Grape, plum and apple. New leaves indicates they are developing new roots. I may take more cuttings soon and keep expanding on that. Probably a good way to expand the tomato crop next year without having to start 600 vines indoors in December. Start only a few (protect them from the dogs) and take cuttings as they mature. Worth a try.
I have learned a bit more patience since then. I admit I am still excited to see new sprouts coming up. I do tend to overplant now but that's not being too zealous. I've followed advice from gardeners who live in very different areas and seen the damage which resulted in this environment. In other areas, it may be bad to overcrowd your garden. In this arid weather, what would be crowding simply helps to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature. It does make weed and insect control more difficult but that's where companion planting comes in.
Being more patient causes me less stress and decreases trying too hard in many cases. Though it can mean damage in other cases, like not seeing insect damage until it's severe. However, I have learned to spot insect damage earlier than I once did.
Though my soil is much better now than it once was, I do still see seedlings sprout and then die off from salt damage. Another reason to overplant. I have seen entire sections of garden remain bare most or all season because one crop didn't survive. By planting multiple crops, at least some sections do not remain bare. A couple of sections could use more intense watering to leach more sodium out of the soil but some crops do survive. It has actually been raining enough here that I don't have to worry about it much for now.
I've learned a lot more about what to plant, where and when. Still learning.
Been stupid this year about some things. Still enough growing season left that I can start more tomato plants from cuttings. Going to do that in the next few days.
The cuttings I took last week are now all developing new leaves. Grape, plum and apple. New leaves indicates they are developing new roots. I may take more cuttings soon and keep expanding on that. Probably a good way to expand the tomato crop next year without having to start 600 vines indoors in December. Start only a few (protect them from the dogs) and take cuttings as they mature. Worth a try.
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