Specifically Vegetable Gardening

Let me be clear about something right off the bat. Gardening is not for everyone, and gardening can look very different for different people. But I enjoy it, and I wanted to talk about it a bit.

Why Should I Garden?

Like I said, gardening isn’t for everyone, and that’s because it takes work and dedication. But here are some reasons why you should give gardening a try.

I fell in love with gardening the first time I planted a seed, and I saw life grow from it. There’s something distinctly magical about seeing something as tiny and seemingly insignificant as a seed turn into a whole friggin’ plant!

There are few things in this world as rewarding as bringing something in from my garden, and putting it straight into dinner knowing, “I did that.”

Fresh food tastes different. It’s hard to describe, but anyone will tell you that a tomato right off the vine is worlds apart from off the grocery store shelf.

And for people who care about healthy eating, you just can’t beat what you grow yourself. You know exactly how it came to be, what was in the soil, what was or wasn’t sprayed on it and it’s fresh as fresh can be. There’s a certain amount of pride to be taken from serving something you grew yourself.

There’s also a great deal of pride to be felt in serving others your precious garden spoils. On years where I have more squash than I can eat, I love giving away extras to friends and family.

You know what they say, free food is the best food, and there’s a lot of love in home grown veggies.

But it’s also a wonderful feeling to feed your loved ones dishes with food you grew yourself.

I love Thanksgiving, LOVE it. And I always make as much from scratch as I can when I’m preparing the feast for my family. When I can present my masterpieces and proudly state that the ingredients were grown in my backyard, the impressed nods of approval are enough to make me giggle with joy! (You think I’m kidding?).

It’s hard to state the amount of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment one can feel from growing a successful garden. Fresh vegetables are joyful, delicious and healthy.

And if you keep your own seeds from your crop for next year, you can even save some money.

Watching your hard work pay off, and then sharing your success in the form of yummy food is worth the trouble, in my own humble opinion.

But there is trouble, mind you.

Okay, So Why Shouldn’t I Garden?

Because gardening is hard.

No really.

You have to dedicate a lot of time upfront preparing the garden and planting your seeds, and then you have to be able to dedicate time daily to weeding, watering and monitoring your little projects.

I like being out amongst my plants, but it can be hard to find time when it isn’t scorching hot out. And even when I do find time, pulling weeds can be tedious and unending.

It’s definitely not easy, but you can always start with a smaller garden, with only one or two things, and see if it’s something you can handle.

There’s also a lot that can go wrong, which can be frustrating.

Overwatering. Underwatering. Too many bad bugs. Not enough good bugs. Soil with the wrong nutrients. Not enough nutrients in the soil. Many times I’ve found myself wondering “How the heck do these fickle plants even grow on their own out in the wild??”

A couple years ago I left my garden with an automatic watering timer while I took a little trip. When I left my cucumbers were in a dismal state, and I was certain they would be dead upon my return. But I came back and found that they had not only recovered while I was gone, but seemed happier than ever. It’s enough to drive you crazy! (Not really).

The good news is that experience brings better and happier crops. It’s a learning experience.

Unfortunately, some disappointment is inevitable in gardening. As much as I’d like it to not be the case, not everything you plant is guaranteed to grow.

There’s definitely a lot you can do to help your plants along, once you know what to look for. But things are bound to come up that are out of your control.

The problems you face will be different depending on where you live. Here in the Rocky Mountains I’ve lost crops to late Spring frost, drought, mid-summer hailstorms, aphids, ants and others.

It can be particularly disheartening when your crops do poorly because of a mistake you made. For example, I accidently planted my onions too deep this year, and when it came time to start harvesting, I was met with some exceptionally small bulbs.

But you have to remember that every mistake is a learning opportunity, and at the end of day, you still grew something!

Types Of Gardens

I’m a seeds in the dirt kind of person, but there are a lot of ways a garden can look. No matter your experience level, or the space you have to work with, there’s a garden for everyone. Now listen, I’m no expert, so this is just a super basic rundown.

A standard backyard garden is essentially a dirt patch that you work and plant in. You have to soften the soil with a till or a hoe every year, and it’s good to rotate where you plant the crops. You can grow just about anything in this kind of garden (so long as it grows in your climate of course), but you do have to have a dedicate space in your yard for it.

A planter garden is where your crops are in a raised bed, inside what’s called planter boxes. You can put the boxes wherever you want, so this is good if you don’t have a large yard or dedicate space for a standard garden. It’s also a good option if you only want a few different, smaller crops, since it’s less planting space overall. I’ve seen people do corn in this type of garden, but it seems to me that larger crops like corn do much better in the ground.

And since we’re talking about gardens without much space, you should know that porch gardens are a thing, and totally doable! So even if you live in an apartment or townhouse, there are a lot of really cool ways to grow your own food. In fact, some of the most unique and imaginative garden ideas I’ve seen have been on porch gardens.

For anyone who’s not so interested in maintaining a bunch of different crops, there’s also themed gardens. Are you a big salsa fan? You can find guides that will help you effectively grow all the ingredients for an awesome home made salsa. There are gardens for specific diet types, gardens that will attract pollinators or butterflies, even pizza gardens! (Am I the only one that pictures and actual pizza hanging off a vine when I read that?)

The Bottom Line

With back yard gardening gaining popularity in recent years, a lot of people are getting out there and giving it a go. Which is awesome!

But it’s not always easy, sometimes it’s downright infuriating.

No matter who you are, I think gardening is worth a try. At best you’ll find a rewarding and healthy hobby. At worst you’ll have a sunburn and some tiny onions…just kidding. At worst you’ll find it’s not for you, but you’re a better person for having tried, and embarked on an adventure of self discovery.

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. – Audrey Hepburn

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you have a lovely day, and a successful garden!

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