I have been very intentional with my time, especially in the garden. I've been noticing in local facebook groups, nextdoor app people posting that their gardens aren't doing what they expected. I've directly commented a few times, but thought I should post about it here.
I have been gardening for years. This year it's been the best in a long time. The second best was when my daughter was a few months old. So, I tried to figure out what I did that year, and again this year. And the answer is, I put in time.
I am home more this summer. I was home that summer too (almost 30 years ago)
Every morning I take my medication, check on Pops (who is usually already sitting outside) and go and check on the yard.
I make sure to do a heavy deep slow watering once a week. Twice if needed. I don't do a little spray every day. A deep slow water to train the roots to reach down for their drink. I do water pots every day, sometimes more than that. I check the greenhouse, watering as needed and opening window and/or door for air circulation and pollinator access. These get reclosed every night.
Every day I check to make sure the tomatoes don't have any leaves resting on the soil. Clip as needed. I thin out the leaves on my squash plants, and help them and my cucumbers to climb up their trellis'. Pick what is ready and grab a few weeds. I do another walk through in the evening.
This morning I finished digging holes for our new elderberry bushes. One bush is now in the ground, surrounded by organic compost and manure. The hole for the second bush that we are waiting for is ready to go. I tied up some tomato branches. I harvested swiss chard.
Tomorrow I will be pulling the spent broccoli plants and putting in more zucchini.
Check your garden several times a day. You need to take care of it so that it can take care of you.
When my garden was outside the side door where I passed it wherever I went, I could check a dozen times a day. Now that is was in a backyard virtually inaccessible, it did poorly.
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