When my grandmother passed away in December of 2000, her gardening bug apparently decided to bite me that following spring.  I had long since been out-doing my neighbors when it came to landscaping and flower pots, but that year, 2001, I purchased 6 “Earth boxes” and set about becoming a “city gardener.”  That was all it took.  The bug’s venom made it into my bloodstream and I was officially, a gardener.  At that point, containers would no longer do; it was time to “get real.”

The next year I tilled up a 10 by 30-foot plot in our back yard and planted corn, green beans, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, herbs, and a few others things I can’t remember.  Since then, I’ve paired down my plantings based on what works best with my schedule and what grows best in our soil and climate.

I’ve found gardening to be as good as meditation, but more delicious!  I’ve also learned a few things along the way that apply to gardening, as well as to life.  Such as:

1. Prepare the garden site with a good tilling. Everything grows better in loose soil, so shake things up a bit.  Every once in a while, “till” your mind, body, and spirit.  Just like a garden that has lain dormant all winter, we become compacted to the point that we let nothing new in.  Dig deep and cultivate a good foundation for yourself – you will be pleased at the results.
2. Develop a good plan. It’s no fun when the beans come ready during your two-week vacation while you are out of town!  Someone else gets to pick the first fruit.  It’s also no fun when all the corn is ready at once.  Even though you can freeze it, it’s better fresh and by planting in batches, you can enjoy a lot more of that fresh taste.  Plan ahead, and plan strategically.
3. Get control of weeds quickly, or they will take over everything. Just like negative thoughts grow faster and without any “fertilizer,” getting control of them as soon as they crop up will keep your garden - and your mind - in good shape.
4. It can take years to develop a good system. You will learn what works best for you by your successes and your failures.  Keep good notes – they will pay off.
5. Be careful who you take advice from. Not everyone who claims to be an expert knows what they’re talking about.  I read an article written by a “master gardener” last year that stated that once cucumbers become bitter, you will have to remove the entire plant.  Not true.  Having a very small garden, I decided to test his theory for myself.  I found that simply supplying enough water to the plant turned the fruits around and back into a delicious crop.  Which brings me to my next point . . .
6. Watering saves a world of hurt. Everything needs water to survive, and some need more than others.  Some plants wilt immediately, some just look a little tired, while others look fine, but produce lack-luster fruit.  Sometimes by the time you find out a plant is dehydrated it’s too late.  Your body needs water as well.  Most of us don’t realize it until we’re thirsty, which most physicians agree, is usually at our dehydration point.  So give yourself and your garden a good watering every day.
7. Treat each plant the way it wants to be treated. Some plants crave nitrogen, some magnesium, some potassium, some a mixture, and some prefer neutrality.  While you can make generalities, treat every plant the same, and have an average garden, you can treat each plant the way it wants to be treated and have a fabulous garden.  Which would you prefer?
8. Ask for help when you need it. Most of us need a little support every once in a while.  The heavier our load, the more support we need.  Tomato plants will fall over, leaving their fruits on the ground to rot if not staked properly.  How’s your fruit doing?
9. Keep your garden clean and organized. Ancient civilizations believed that the garden was a reflection of the gardener’s soul.  The Quakers believed that the garden was a reflection of the gardener’s mind.  What’s in your garden?
10. Sometimes, you just have to scrap the whole thing and start over. Gardening, as well as life, is a work in progress.  Last year, I fought cucumber wilt and cucumber beetles until I was mad!  It’s okay to take out that entire row of cucumbers and plant new.  On occasion, starting over is the only answer.
11. Look at things from all angles. Last year, while picking beans, I got to a point where I thought I was finished.  Then as I turned, I noticed almost another bushel that was on the underside I had completely missed!  It’s easy to overlook valuable gems, so be sure you are always looking at your crop from various vantage points.
12. No matter how much you feed them, birds will never become your friends. They are instinctual beings that are completely unaware that you don’t want them in your corn, blackberries, eating all your earthworms, etc.  So make sure you grow enough of their favorites to share.
13. Death always gives way to life. As the leaves fall off the trees, I have them spread onto the fall garden.  In the spring, the leaves make the tilling a lot easier, the soil richer, and the plants healthier.  It’s all just one gigantic circle of life.
14. The best part is the harvest. Make sure, no matter what, that you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.  Savor the flavors, the smells, the sights, the sounds, and the joyous feeling of freedom and success.  There is nothing like that first bite of buttery, salted, corn on the cob that was plucked off the stalk just 15 minutes before going into your mouth.  As the butter runs down your chin and the aroma fills the air, take a deep breath in, and ENJOY!

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