Grow your own vegetables - My Spring Review

My garden is not growing as well as last year! In May it was extremely dry, which slowed germination and growth. I did water, but perhaps not as much as I needed. In June is started to rain, which was lovely. My veggies finally started to grow better.

My Fails

I think the spinach seed was a bit old, that could have been the reason. As for the carrots I have heard from neighbours they are also having problems, so maybe it is the weather.

For my Swiss chard I used sprouted seeds. I had some old seeds so I started them in plastic bag on top of my fridge. Unfortuneatly I left them a bit late to put in the garden. They were really leggy and never did take off.

Type of seeds, weather, animals and water can all affect how a garden grows. I think one skill of a great gardener is not to stress too much about any garden fails.

Try to learn from them if you can, but know there are many variables out of your control.

My Wins:

I am managing my compost so I can add it to my beds in the fall.

I am looking forward to harvesting more great vegetables in the next few months.

What I learned:

This helps with planning and finding solutions to any problems that arise.

My Spring reveiw notes:

1. Go through my seeds this fall to organize them better by date when they were purchassed. This should help me next year when choosing what seeds to plant. Most seeds will last for 3 - 5 years.

2. Be more aware of the amount of water I am putting on my veggies if there is a drought situation happening.

3. I need to prioritize installing a proper fence to keep out the deer. I have started doing more research on what my options are and the cost so I can budget for one. This year my mix mash of caution tape seems to be working but is definitly not ideal.

Rain benefits a garden in several important ways:

2. Nutrient Distribution: Rainwater can carry dissolved minerals and nutrients from the soil surface deeper into the ground, making them more accessible to plant roots.

3. Soil Moisture: It helps maintain soil moisture levels, ensuring that plants have a consistent supply of water, which is especially important during dry periods.

4. Reduction of Salinity: Rain can help flush out excess salts from the soil, which can accumulate due to irrigation with hard water or natural soil processes, potentially harming plants.

5. Temperature Regulation: Rain can cool the garden environment, reducing heat stress on plants during hot weather.

6. Soil Aeration: Light to moderate rainfall can help aerate the soil, improving root respiration and growth.

Overall, rain is a natural and efficient way to nourish and sustain garden plants, supporting their health and productivity.

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