For me it is 6 kale plants are too many, shishitos are amazing, don't half ass the florida weave for tomatoes, drip irrigation is amazing and don't plant cucurbita moschatas too close together.
by sammille25
42 Comments
moltentofu
Lol 6 kale plants is too few (no joke I was just thinking this) and zucchini are really as aggressive as people say. Next year they get their own box.
TonyEllis0522
Cucumber plants do not like excessive heat 🙁 and I need a cover when it’s super hot. This is my first year!
IWantToBeAProducer
I’ve never grown “bush” summer squash before, and I had no idea how big those plants get. I’ve only done vines before. I planted my patty pan squash right next to my tomatoes and they’re competing for height pretty hard.
Porkbossam78
Start seeds inside bc something keeps digging them up and they do nothing outside
Positive_Throwaway1
That I can grow squash in my backyard, but not at my rented park district garden plot. The squash bugs there make it impossible.
Don’t use the free compost that the park district puts out every spring. It’s not ready and stunted growth of my plants significantly.
Get on top of the weeds. Like right away.
Going to try burlap next year as a weed barrier instead of straw on my rows.
Toying with the idea of corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent on a rented 25 x 25 plot that has insane amounts of weed seeds. Really open to thoughts/experiences on this. Will be transplanting so I’m not worried about it preventing my desired seeds from growing.
ShinyHoothoot
I learned that late blight doesn’t necessarily come late :’) rip my tomatoes
GreenHeronVA
That I HAVE TO make TIME in the busy spring to, you know, actually PLANT seeds. Otherwise when the nice weather comes, there’s nothing to tend 😩
It was deer **and** squirrels eating the gooseberries. So with the new electric fence, the berries existed until ripe (because of no deer)… and the squirrels eat the ripe ones 🤦🏼♀️
Japanese beetles still suck. Next comes the June beetles, which looks like a Japanese beetle but the size of my thumb 😳
makes_nosense
No more indeterminate tomatoes in raised beds
_FormerFarmer
Don’t trust the seed label.
– Poblanos turned out to be shishito (that could have been worse 🙂
– Bush beans ended up being pole beans.
And some commercial composts can be *really* alkaline. And alkaline soils are no good for potatoes.
Autocannibal-Horse
i learned that i am absolutely horrible at growing radishes
Accomplished_Radish8
Lessons I learned:
1.) don’t be afraid to start peppers indoors in January for a May planting. They… take… forever. I rolled the dice with a super early start indoors and it’s paying off.
2.) don’t forget how much plants actually grow. That spacing recommendation is not to be ignored. 6 zucchini plants is way too much for a 2×6 bed unless you cage them.
3.) not every crop grows well in the same soil as others. My root crops have been rotated into beds that were for other plants last year and they are not doing as well. Root crops need lots of “fluff” in the soil.. next season they’ll only be going into grow bags composed of vermiculite, perlite, and coir/peat.
4.) most of the plants people say can’t be transplanted (peas, cucumbers, etc) .. ABSOLUTELY can be transplanted. Just be gentle instead of handling the seedlings like an ogre.
regime_propagandist
I started too many seeds and planted way too many plants for the space I have.
I have never had much success starting seeds, but this year I got grow lights and a tent in an effort to do it right. I assumed a lot more plants would die than actually did. Had too many plants. A bunch of them ended up stunted. They have largely recovered, but it set them back.
Next year, I’m planting half this and giving the plants room to spread.
rahscaper
Idk bout lesson, but man do I freakin hate rodents now.
Numerous-Stranger-81
I have learned to be more draconian with my plants this year. I used to baby my plants a lot condition wise, and this year I just went extra ham on starters and only the strong survive. It has been nice not having to monitor their status as much.
CranberryLong5770
Squirrels LOVE sweet potato leaves.
Puzzleheaded-Cry3033
Tomatoes need more support than one bamboo stick and if deer want to eat your stuff, they will find a way.
manaMissile
We can grow bean plants at our house, but they do not do well in our summers and do not grow enough beans to be of any real substance.
Zucchini and jalapeno plants on the other hand have been great.
Parsley can turn into a very big bush of it planted in the ground.
Tomato plants need a very big pot and get heavy XD
Apparently burying the scooped out parts of a kabocha (was for hot pot) will actually let the seeds grow and not just have everything decompose in the ground. Thinning was needed because I was not expecting to actually grow that from seeds that have been in a microwave. Though all the female flowers I’ve spotted keep browning and dying out before blooming, need to figure that out..
obxtalldude
It’s ugly, but a 6 ft welded wire fence with metal stakes has finally stopped deer invasions.
Now I have to figure out what to do with all these unexpected cucumbers. Kind of a strange feeling when the critters don’t take their usual 90%.
iamabarnacle
I only need one zucchini plant, not two. Oh, and I’m allergic to the plant itself so sleeves and gloves are necessary unless I want hives.
cww357
Row cover for yellow squash. Kept getting borers in years past, and I love summer squash.. I’ll fertilize the blossoms by hand if need be 🙂.
framedfjord
I could have started almost everything a month sooner. Isopods are voracious, don’t start cucurbits too early(my zucchini and cucumbers were stunted because of this). The soil needs more organic matter. If you think you have enough, you don’t.
Aggressive-Cable-893
Don’t use composted manure in your garden beds, they often have herbicides in enough quantities to make you and your tomatoes very sad. I’m still figuring out how screwed I am.
PensiveObservor
When I’m looking at the cherries and thinking “they’ll be ready soon” it’s time to pick them! The birds cleaned me out in two days. Granted, there weren’t that many, but I was looking forward to them. :/
I_Can_Haz
That a bed full of greens absolutely devours nutrients and will need to be *heavily* amended before planting anything else after the greens have had their run.
Ladybugs are incredible and cheap
Cheapo NPK tests are well worth the money
Romas > beefsteak everyday of the week and twice on Sunday
I’d rather fight cold than heat for my summer crops. Cold stunts growth – heat stunts production. To take advantage of the small window of “ideal” growing temps/conditions here I’ll need to get summer crops in the ground earlier than typically called for and then find a way to protect them during early spring cold snaps and hopefully get more fruit set early on.
You can never have too many backup seedlings
RatherBeDeadRN
Don’t bother with potting plants I care much about, I will inevitably forget to water them for too long and they’ll die or start losing leaves, which will annoy me enough to not want to deal with it. If I can’t stick it in the ground, I’m not planting it.
Put the trellis up early, it will only look funny for a little bit.
Blueberries take forever to ripen.
Annuals look better in groups instead of specimens. If I’m only buying one six pack, plant them in groups of 3s or all together.
There’s always something that I know I planted, but I’m not going to remember what it is.
Yarrow leaps from the start. Give her some space.
Watering every day or every other day is unnecessary after plants are established. Don’t water as often. The best plants thrive with a little neglect.
California poppies like growing next to or behind things. They don’t want to be the star of their own show, the want an ensemble cast.
Fuck them slugs.
catholicbaker
Insect netting as soon as you plant — not a few days later.
Don’t buy raised bed mix from a mulch manufacturer! They’ll stretch it and add lots of uncomposted mulch and your plants won’t grow.
SarchiMV
I need to hop on aphid control EARLY. Now I’m dealing with mosaic virus in my tomatoes and peppers.
DrMooninite293
I knew squirrels were a nuisance but this is the first time they’ve really pissed me off
JANExxxHOE
Stake up beans even if you think they’re bush beans.
Weigh down your plastic greenhouse.
Start peppers inside.
delilahviolet83
My lessons so far are.. 1. I need to learn more about why Roma’s are such diva tomatoes and the best way to grow them so I don’t get BER. 2. Plant more sungold tomatoes BUT make sure they have a tall trellis because my goodness they just grow and grow
GnaeusPompeiusMagn
Raised bed drainage on a slope – it’s not a matter of leveling it, or providing any number of drainage points, it’s planting in rows that are mounded even a little bit.
Tobacco plants are aphid traps.
Rabbits are not scared when you throw rocks at them.
Mountain_Performer84
If you don’t fence out the rabbits they will demolish your beans and peas.
Rattivarius
One lesson: I am not into vegetable gardening at all. Too much time, effort, and money, too little return.
SuckledPagan
This is my this is my second season.. 1. Fertilize your garlic/shallots appropriately 2. Starting from seed a bit too early is better than starting late 3. Just go ahead and buy that shade cloth lol
Can’t wait for this season’s lessons!
Mimosa_13
That I planted my squash, cuke, and zucchini too close together. Oopsy! They are all thriving right now. I need to be more on top of weeding. Need thicker straw mulch layers. Happy my tomatillos are happily covered in blooms.
twaters366
Moths are assholes
gyphouse
Tomatoes don’t like 14+ hours of sun
NailFin
A single bunny can ruin all your bean plants.
lagenmake
No mercy for groundhogs
jedi_voodoo
the same lesson I learn every season: I’m not mulching enough
ItsLadySlytherin
So dang much
1. Harvesting is fun, but you have to figure out what to do with all that produce afterwards. That is not my favorite part of this. 2. Cucumbers grow like crazy 3. Squash vine borers suck 4. I started way too late with tomatoes 5. I started way too late with peppers 6. I need to grow more herbs 7. I don’t like green beans as much as I thought I did 8. Mesh netting is wonderful 9. I need to grow more fruit 10. The list goes on but I’ll wrap with the fact the I need to be careful about how much I grow. My wife was not as helpful as I would have hoped.
42 Comments
Lol 6 kale plants is too few (no joke I was just thinking this) and zucchini are really as aggressive as people say. Next year they get their own box.
Cucumber plants do not like excessive heat 🙁 and I need a cover when it’s super hot. This is my first year!
I’ve never grown “bush” summer squash before, and I had no idea how big those plants get. I’ve only done vines before. I planted my patty pan squash right next to my tomatoes and they’re competing for height pretty hard.
Start seeds inside bc something keeps digging them up and they do nothing outside
That I can grow squash in my backyard, but not at my rented park district garden plot. The squash bugs there make it impossible.
Don’t use the free compost that the park district puts out every spring. It’s not ready and stunted growth of my plants significantly.
Get on top of the weeds. Like right away.
Going to try burlap next year as a weed barrier instead of straw on my rows.
Toying with the idea of corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent on a rented 25 x 25 plot that has insane amounts of weed seeds. Really open to thoughts/experiences on this. Will be transplanting so I’m not worried about it preventing my desired seeds from growing.
I learned that late blight doesn’t necessarily come late :’) rip my tomatoes
That I HAVE TO make TIME in the busy spring to, you know, actually PLANT seeds. Otherwise when the nice weather comes, there’s nothing to tend 😩
It was deer **and** squirrels eating the gooseberries. So with the new electric fence, the berries existed until ripe (because of no deer)… and the squirrels eat the ripe ones 🤦🏼♀️
Japanese beetles still suck. Next comes the June beetles, which looks like a Japanese beetle but the size of my thumb 😳
No more indeterminate tomatoes in raised beds
Don’t trust the seed label.
– Poblanos turned out to be shishito (that could have been worse 🙂
– Bush beans ended up being pole beans.
And some commercial composts can be *really* alkaline. And alkaline soils are no good for potatoes.
i learned that i am absolutely horrible at growing radishes
Lessons I learned:
1.) don’t be afraid to start peppers indoors in January for a May planting. They… take… forever. I rolled the dice with a super early start indoors and it’s paying off.
2.) don’t forget how much plants actually grow. That spacing recommendation is not to be ignored. 6 zucchini plants is way too much for a 2×6 bed unless you cage them.
3.) not every crop grows well in the same soil as others. My root crops have been rotated into beds that were for other plants last year and they are not doing as well. Root crops need lots of “fluff” in the soil.. next season they’ll only be going into grow bags composed of vermiculite, perlite, and coir/peat.
4.) most of the plants people say can’t be transplanted (peas, cucumbers, etc) .. ABSOLUTELY can be transplanted. Just be gentle instead of handling the seedlings like an ogre.
I started too many seeds and planted way too many plants for the space I have.
I have never had much success starting seeds, but this year I got grow lights and a tent in an effort to do it right. I assumed a lot more plants would die than actually did. Had too many plants. A bunch of them ended up stunted. They have largely recovered, but it set them back.
Next year, I’m planting half this and giving the plants room to spread.
Idk bout lesson, but man do I freakin hate rodents now.
I have learned to be more draconian with my plants this year. I used to baby my plants a lot condition wise, and this year I just went extra ham on starters and only the strong survive. It has been nice not having to monitor their status as much.
Squirrels LOVE sweet potato leaves.
Tomatoes need more support than one bamboo stick and if deer want to eat your stuff, they will find a way.
We can grow bean plants at our house, but they do not do well in our summers and do not grow enough beans to be of any real substance.
Zucchini and jalapeno plants on the other hand have been great.
Parsley can turn into a very big bush of it planted in the ground.
Tomato plants need a very big pot and get heavy XD
Apparently burying the scooped out parts of a kabocha (was for hot pot) will actually let the seeds grow and not just have everything decompose in the ground. Thinning was needed because I was not expecting to actually grow that from seeds that have been in a microwave. Though all the female flowers I’ve spotted keep browning and dying out before blooming, need to figure that out..
It’s ugly, but a 6 ft welded wire fence with metal stakes has finally stopped deer invasions.
Now I have to figure out what to do with all these unexpected cucumbers. Kind of a strange feeling when the critters don’t take their usual 90%.
I only need one zucchini plant, not two. Oh, and I’m allergic to the plant itself so sleeves and gloves are necessary unless I want hives.
Row cover for yellow squash. Kept getting borers in years past, and I love summer squash.. I’ll fertilize the blossoms by hand if need be 🙂.
I could have started almost everything a month sooner. Isopods are voracious, don’t start cucurbits too early(my zucchini and cucumbers were stunted because of this). The soil needs more organic matter. If you think you have enough, you don’t.
Don’t use composted manure in your garden beds, they often have herbicides in enough quantities to make you and your tomatoes very sad. I’m still figuring out how screwed I am.
When I’m looking at the cherries and thinking “they’ll be ready soon” it’s time to pick them! The birds cleaned me out in two days. Granted, there weren’t that many, but I was looking forward to them. :/
That a bed full of greens absolutely devours nutrients and will need to be *heavily* amended before planting anything else after the greens have had their run.
Ladybugs are incredible and cheap
Cheapo NPK tests are well worth the money
Romas > beefsteak everyday of the week and twice on Sunday
I’d rather fight cold than heat for my summer crops. Cold stunts growth – heat stunts production. To take advantage of the small window of “ideal” growing temps/conditions here I’ll need to get summer crops in the ground earlier than typically called for and then find a way to protect them during early spring cold snaps and hopefully get more fruit set early on.
You can never have too many backup seedlings
Don’t bother with potting plants I care much about, I will inevitably forget to water them for too long and they’ll die or start losing leaves, which will annoy me enough to not want to deal with it. If I can’t stick it in the ground, I’m not planting it.
Put the trellis up early, it will only look funny for a little bit.
Blueberries take forever to ripen.
Annuals look better in groups instead of specimens. If I’m only buying one six pack, plant them in groups of 3s or all together.
There’s always something that I know I planted, but I’m not going to remember what it is.
Yarrow leaps from the start. Give her some space.
Watering every day or every other day is unnecessary after plants are established. Don’t water as often. The best plants thrive with a little neglect.
California poppies like growing next to or behind things. They don’t want to be the star of their own show, the want an ensemble cast.
Fuck them slugs.
Insect netting as soon as you plant — not a few days later.
Don’t buy raised bed mix from a mulch manufacturer! They’ll stretch it and add lots of uncomposted mulch and your plants won’t grow.
I need to hop on aphid control EARLY. Now I’m dealing with mosaic virus in my tomatoes and peppers.
I knew squirrels were a nuisance but this is the first time they’ve really pissed me off
Stake up beans even if you think they’re bush beans.
Weigh down your plastic greenhouse.
Start peppers inside.
My lessons so far are..
1. I need to learn more about why Roma’s are such diva tomatoes and the best way to grow them so I don’t get BER.
2. Plant more sungold tomatoes BUT make sure they have a tall trellis because my goodness they just grow and grow
Raised bed drainage on a slope – it’s not a matter of leveling it, or providing any number of drainage points, it’s planting in rows that are mounded even a little bit.
Tobacco plants are aphid traps.
Rabbits are not scared when you throw rocks at them.
If you don’t fence out the rabbits they will demolish your beans and peas.
One lesson: I am not into vegetable gardening at all. Too much time, effort, and money, too little return.
This is my this is my second season..
1. Fertilize your garlic/shallots appropriately
2. Starting from seed a bit too early is better than starting late
3. Just go ahead and buy that shade cloth lol
Can’t wait for this season’s lessons!
That I planted my squash, cuke, and zucchini too close together. Oopsy! They are all thriving right now. I need to be more on top of weeding. Need thicker straw mulch layers. Happy my tomatillos are happily covered in blooms.
Moths are assholes
Tomatoes don’t like 14+ hours of sun
A single bunny can ruin all your bean plants.
No mercy for groundhogs
the same lesson I learn every season: I’m not mulching enough
So dang much
1. Harvesting is fun, but you have to figure out what to do with all that produce afterwards. That is not my favorite part of this.
2. Cucumbers grow like crazy
3. Squash vine borers suck
4. I started way too late with tomatoes
5. I started way too late with peppers
6. I need to grow more herbs
7. I don’t like green beans as much as I thought I did
8. Mesh netting is wonderful
9. I need to grow more fruit
10. The list goes on but I’ll wrap with the fact the I need to be careful about how much I grow. My wife was not as helpful as I would have hoped.
Summer squash can be a pain in the rear end.