2023 Gardening Update

In 2022, I was finally stable enough to start an herb garden with my daughter. We started too late in the year to do anything ambitious and basically everything we planted died, except for a sage plant that bravely pushed through the winter.

In 2023, we were more organized. We did tomatoes, basil, oregano, rosemary, lavender, hyssop, and some wildflowers.

Our wildflowers did better than anything else. We actually spilled the seeds all in one spot then had a rain storm scatter them wildly and still they thrived more than anything else. Our front yard has been full of bumblebees and hummingbirds all year. Next year, we're going to forgo the lavender and hyssop, at least in the front patch where we don't get enough sun, and focus entirely on wildflowers.

The basil and tomato plant did well also. Our tomato plant would've probably produced 10-20 tomatoes except it took me too long to realize that the blackish spots I was seeing on it were a big deal. Next year, I'll be using neem oil on it from the beginning of the season.

The hardest thing about gardening is that it requires so much feel. I can't tell you how many times I looked up something happening with a plant to find that it could be a symptom of over watering or under watering... and then I had to try and deduce which is might be. Still, it gets easier with practice.

When I think ahead to next year, I think we'll most likely do: * One or two tomato plants in our raised garden * Basil in the pot I used for the tomato this year; potentially a second pot for basil * Lots more wildflowers in front of the house * I'll keep my trusty sage plant and the oregano, assuming they make it through the winter * I'll skip the rosemary (I don't use that much of it anyway), lavender and hyssop

The basil harvest

Wildflowers from our front garden

2023-09-30