Summer 2019: Things I learned

Deck Garden - August 2019

Hey all! I've been gone pretty much all summer, and it's beeeeeen a doozy.  I started this list of things I learned through this summer's growing season back in, I think, July/August? And now that we're getting closer to the actual end of the growing season, I figured I would just post my list, maybe provide some context, and bam! blog post. 

This was only my second summer growing season doing my own garden, and I learned a lot.  Last year must have been beginners luck because this year kicked my ass.  We will maybe end up with 5 tomatoes, I prematurely pulled a pepper plant, and maybe 1 tomatillo.  But, if I'm lucky, I may get some carrots and peas out of my fall garden (hopefully).  I saw somewhere that if you haven't had a poor growing season, you're not a real gardener yet, and I think I've hit my poor season, but I also think I learned a lot this year.  So without further ado here is my list of things I learned from this summer's growing season:  

• Heavy rain can bruise plants - this does not mean your plants are diseased. Trim off bruised leaves before you throw a whole plant away
• tomatoes need lots and lots of sun
• don't get lazy with watering, don't rely on rain that may or may not give your plants enough water
• there is such a thing as too many plants in one space - especially in container gardens
• stake early and often
• start your cucumbers in the ground - they'll do better and are less susceptible to transplant shock
• plants can get sunburned
• you need to harden your seedlings before putting them outside
• start seeds earlier
• invest in/save your nursery pots
• just because the garden center convinces you that you need to spend $100 on fancy dirt, doesn't mean you actually need to - fancy compost/mulchy dirt is great but isn't necessary
• don't get cocky - your garden will thusly kick your ass
• lettuce doesn't like the sun and will get weird
• fertilize your poor plants
• Fruit-bearing plants need water - and lots of it!
• If you think you're watering enough, you're probably not
• Tomatillos need to be hand-pollinated if you do not live in the southwest - even if you do, they need help sometimes
• lettuce is hard

It's been an interesting summer, and I'm honestly sad for the growing season to end because all the greenery will be leaving my deck. But it's onto a new season with new things to do to get ready for next year's season.  Is there anything that you learned this season? 

Happy planting!