Every year when I think of summer, I think of my garden! Call me crazy. Call me what you may, but gardening is something that helps me find peace. I love the nurturing aspect of it, starting from seeds and watching it grow into produce! Although it isn't all sunshine & roses, I love the learning process. I have always had that passion of learning, whether it be in school, books or in everyday life, gardening has been one of those things that I grew up with, but didn't entirely understand the process. I have a good friend/neighbor who shares the gardening passion with me and it is so fun to share all of our trial and errors together! I feel as I grow older, my interests are constantly shifting, but one thing that remains the same, I don't do failure! It is a challenge, it pushes me forward & I have the live and learn mentality. Gardening is ever changing, one year I think I have it figured out, but I get hit with weather, bugs, wind, or were the seeds a hybrid and that affected them differently? It is always a new year, new challenge & new crop!
I started seeds late March this year. In previous years I had started cucumbers by seed & then transplanted in garden, however this year I decided I would plant seeds straight in the garden. Last year I had great looking cucumber plants, transplanted in garden & we got hit with a late MN frost...wiped them completely out. I planted seeds in the garden right after frost & I had one of the best crops of cucumbers. This year I only seeded sweet peppers & lots of tomatoes (Beefsteak, Roma, Cherry, Early Girl).
Check it out here on our TikTok.
I know you're thinking....that many tomatoes..why? Well...let me explain :) We have 4 tomato lovers in our household, by that I mean my kids eat an entire container of cherry tomatoes for snacks. We slice tomatoes with salt and pepper for snacks. Besides snacking, making with meals, I love to can tomatoes (stewed, sauce, spaghetti sauce, juice) This year the ultimate goal, yes I make goals yearly for the garden, is to have enough tomatoes to can all of the above with MY VERY OWN CROP! I typically have to hit up the farmers market or head down to the amish auction, but this year I really want to try and be able to get all of my canning down from my own produce. If it doesn't happen..that's ok! But I'm sure going to try!
This year I am trying a few "new" things for the tomatoes!
I invested in heat mats & grow lights for my seedlings. Next year, I am really thinking I need a basement "grow house" ...my husband will LOVE it. (he just shakes his head at all of my garden endeavors and all calls me crazy) Otherwise we live without a kitchen table again for a few months as it houses all of my seedlings :)
For starters this is the largest my tomato seedlings have been before transplanting, which makes me SO Happy!
I had to buy bigger pots to repot seedlings as they were growing, I found these and they worked well, now I will keep for next year so I don't have to hunt any down locally again.
Secondly, when transplanting I put an egg + shell in each hole, a friend had shared and I thought great idea!
Thirdly, I am trying grow bags. I needed more space with over 30+ tomato plants this year and I have heard a lot of great things about grow bags. One thing that makes me nervous is that the bags are black, I worry about the heat. I know there are other colors of bags, but it seemed like black was the most common & other bloggers I follow have used black bags with no complaints, so we are giving it a whirl!
Grow bags that I went with: 10 Pack 10 Gallon Grow Bags
If gardening is your passion, I am here for it! If gardening is not your passion, but you are trying...keep going! It is a constant learning experience, you are always going to battle the weather and the elements, but keep going! There is nothing more rewarding than harvesting your crop and eating what you have grown in your garden! I love that my children learn the cycle of how food is grown, from seed to garden to table.
That's all for now.
XO - KK
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