Hi folks, I haven’t commented on a garden thread in years but have loved reading and seeing all your experiences. I have had my best gardening year this year than in over 7 years. Several times this summer I’ve thought of posting but I’ve worn myself out day after day just working in my soil and loving it.
We bought this place in late ‘09 as our retirement home. The first year we were still moving in. The 2nd year we had record-breaking heat and drought that killed several trees, including old live oaks and almost everything we’d managed to put in ourselves. The third year I was permanently disabled by a texting driver.
And for the first year, this year, I was finally able to learn to get around slowly and steadily enough to grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in pots and get them thru the whole growing season (thus far) without abandoning them to die due to my infirmity. I’m in Texas so I’m still getting fruit :) I’ve also finally gotten a small start on the landscaping dreams I had for this place from the very beginning.
Got a blessing of God the last week of May when a local hardware store needed to clear out the last of their herbs. A friend and I had stopped so I could buy 1 lavender plant to replace one in a grouping of 5 that had died last winter. The plant lady at the hardware store said we could take all the herbs we wanted on one particular row for free as her manager said she had to trash them on Saturday. Told us we could have all we wanted IF we’d love them, not resell them and do her the favor of bringing her pics of our gardens. Us 2 ladies fit 13 flats and several individual 3” pots into every nook and cranny of my Mustang. Got home with nearly 500 3” herbs. Not all lived because many were already stressed but it gave me a big jump on the afore-mentioned landscape dreams. With my slowness and difficulty working I still have a few dozen pots that will have to be brought in before first freeze but am hoping as cooler weather comes I might be able to dig some new places to get more out before full winter sets in. Have more than a dozen potted rosemary and am particularly looking forward to some promised assistance in getting those onto a fence row out back.
Have a mild but widespread case of poison ivy right now from some of that fence area...small price to pay for my immense enjoyment of being back outside :)
I am so happy to hear that you enjoy the thread, and that you are enough better to be able to get back out and realize some of your goals. So sorry for the adversity that you have had to deal with.
We started our gardening in 2009 also, In 2010 we planted a small orchard of dwarf fruit trees and seedless grapes. All ordered from Burgess. The pear trees turned out to be ornamental, and the grapes all had seeds, and the cherries are the size of poppy seeds, but it was after the 1 year guarantee, so we are stuck, but will never order plants from them again.
The apples and peaches are to close to the walnut tree, so we don’t get fruit from there either. The nut trees planted in the front yard all died - 2 years in a row, so Hubby refuses to plant anything else in front.
We have started some apple and nut trees in one of the few remaining places far away from the walnut tree, so hope to get some edible fruit some day.
Thanks so much for sharing. Please keep us updated as you are able.