Beginner Gardening: Tell me it gets better..., 1 by papapablo

papapablo wrote:
Noland I am a new gardener too. This year was my second year to have a garden. One thing I did this year that proved a big eye opener for me (and really bolstered my confidence), is that I planted *two* gardens, miles away from each other, and got to see the differences and similarities between the two. One I planted at home, like I did last year, but the other I planted in a borrowed plot of a friend who is no longer able to garden. So I had her knowledge to draw on. The two areas have very different soil, micro climates and even water.

Some things I found:

Some varieties of peppers did famously - just like those same varieties did last year. But other varieties were miserable, both the ones here and the ones at my friend's place. After planting perhaps 8 different varieties of bell peppers, my experience has shown that Emerald Giants are The One for me. Six plants produced a couple hundred peppers both years, while other varieties made lovely shrubbery for months and finally produced an only pepper or three at the last minute. For you - and even for my neighbors - it might be a different variety that succeeds.

The successful peppers produced in both full sun and in half-day sun. The difference was that those in full sun turned red faster so I had more red ones as a bonus as well as baskets of green. I also learned that I can leave green peppers hanging on the plant until I am ready for them. They just grow larger or get ripe.

I've tried 20 different varieties of tomatoes in both places and all failed miserably both years. I know it can be done here because my neighbor across the street fills his yard with tomato plants every year. He has told me which variety he uses, and he cages his. Next year, I am going to follow his practices to a tee and see if I can actually produce a tomato.

Last year I planted snow peas and they were super! Last fall I planted English Peas and they failed. This year I planted edible pod peas and they didn't make at all. I'll go back to snow peas next year.

Last year I planted onions as the little round bulbs. My friend said "Oh no those will never make, you need to put out the little plants", so I bought little bunches and put them out too. He was right. The little bulbs were great green onions but never bulbed. The sets, little plants, did great! I planted more this year and grew enough onions that I may not have to buy any all year (we use onions every day). You are in the south like me so you need to be sure you get *SHORT DAY* varieties of onions if you want them to make bulbs.

This year I planted one kind of watermelon at my friend's place and another kind at home. Both produced, but the variety here was so very much better and far more prolific.

And so on and so forth. I guess my point is that the key to being a good gardener is experimenting and learning from experience. The more you do it, the more you will know what works for you and what you like the best. Keep trying and each year you'll have more successes to repeat from the year before. :-)

Tina