Every year we experiment with a couple of new plants in the garden. We’ve been steadily growing our vegetable gardening skill for a few years now.
This year we’re planning to plant 53 mini plots with 1-2 varieties each of 10 different vegetables. It’s easy to forget that we started with not much more than ta couple of scrawny tomato plants and one overly vigorous zucchini.
If you’re planning start a vegetable or herb garden for the first time this year here are a few tips to increase your chances of success.
1) Scale it back a bit. Pick just one or two vegetables or herbs to start. Get good tending and harvesting each type of plant you raise before expanding your repertoire.
2) Expand it a bit. Raise multiple plants of each type of vegetable or herb. I’m not talking an entire row, just enough for cross pollination and the occasional sacrifice to the black thumb gods.
3) Try starting with containers. Psychologically for some reason containers are less daunting. This is important for later in the summer when the “I’m starting a new project” buzz wears off.
4) Take your containers and place them by your back door. If you have a deck put them on the deck. If all you have are a few steps leading up to your home that’s even better. You want them to be in you site and on your mind as much as possible.
5) Make a daily appointment. Schedule a couple minutes every day, at the same time every day, for harvesting and weeding. Don’t get over zealous. Budget 5 to 20 seconds per plant. The idea is to build a new habit. It’s actually more important to show up regularly than get a ton done in on sitting.
Have fun and happy gardening. Remember slow deliberate steps are the best way to create a new habit. New habits are the secret to getting Closer To Green.
