In theory, growing your own fruits and vegetables is a smart way to live. You’re fully aware of where your food is coming from, and you can rest easy knowing that what you eat doesn’t contain pesticides and chemicals.However, the process itself involves many moving parts. If you’re not a seasoned grower, you’re more likely to commit missteps that can lead to unflattering results (to say the least). As you’ll see in this list, it is much more common than you think.This series of photos comes from a seemingly endless pile from ther/MightyHarvest subreddit. And they only get funnier as you scroll through.Bored Pandaalso spoke to horticultural consultant and urban farming expertMartyna Krol, who shared some helpful insights.This post may includeaffiliate links.
In theory, growing your own fruits and vegetables is a smart way to live. You’re fully aware of where your food is coming from, and you can rest easy knowing that what you eat doesn’t contain pesticides and chemicals.
However, the process itself involves many moving parts. If you’re not a seasoned grower, you’re more likely to commit missteps that can lead to unflattering results (to say the least). As you’ll see in this list, it is much more common than you think.
This series of photos comes from a seemingly endless pile from ther/MightyHarvest subreddit. And they only get funnier as you scroll through.
Bored Pandaalso spoke to horticultural consultant and urban farming expertMartyna Krol, who shared some helpful insights.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
According to Krol, growing in minerally imbalanced soil is one of the reasons for poor fruit growth, noting that certain fruits and vegetables “have a big appetite for nutrients.““Often growing plants such as tomatoes, courgettes or cucumbers in soil that has not got enough nutrients in it will result in misshapen fruits or weaker plants, eventually leading to the disease.”
According to Krol, growing in minerally imbalanced soil is one of the reasons for poor fruit growth, noting that certain fruits and vegetables “have a big appetite for nutrients.”
“Often growing plants such as tomatoes, courgettes or cucumbers in soil that has not got enough nutrients in it will result in misshapen fruits or weaker plants, eventually leading to the disease.”
Adequate nourishment is essential, especially when growing in pots or raised beds. Krol suggested some easy and affordable ways to do it.“The easiest one is either invest in a compost bin or buddy up with a garden or a growing project that does composting. The ready to use compost is diverse in many soil animals, which in turn make the nutrients available to the plant.”
Adequate nourishment is essential, especially when growing in pots or raised beds. Krol suggested some easy and affordable ways to do it.
“The easiest one is either invest in a compost bin or buddy up with a garden or a growing project that does composting. The ready to use compost is diverse in many soil animals, which in turn make the nutrients available to the plant.”
He then shared crucial advice: stick with one plant, especially if you’re just starting your vegetable gardening venture.
“Try growing something—one thing!—and see how easy and fun it can be. Maybe try growing cherry tomatoes with a kit on your windowsill,” he said, stressing the importance of planting in small spaces.
Megan Foster of seed supplierAmerican Meadowsalso spoke with The Spruce. She pointed out the importance of having pollinator plants, especially when planting fruits and vegetables.Foster put it simply: “No pollinators means no vegetables, fruits, grains or oils (canola, sunflower, palm).” She then made a few suggestions to start with, especially for newbie growers.“Milkweed, coneflowers, and sunflowers are easy to grow and make a great addition to a vegetable garden. This makes it easier for bees, butterflies, and birds to spot them from the sky.”
Megan Foster of seed supplierAmerican Meadowsalso spoke with The Spruce. She pointed out the importance of having pollinator plants, especially when planting fruits and vegetables.
Foster put it simply: “No pollinators means no vegetables, fruits, grains or oils (canola, sunflower, palm).” She then made a few suggestions to start with, especially for newbie growers.
“Milkweed, coneflowers, and sunflowers are easy to grow and make a great addition to a vegetable garden. This makes it easier for bees, butterflies, and birds to spot them from the sky.”
Most of these mishaps happen to beginner growers who don’t know what they’re doing. Krol advises at least familiarizing yourself with plant groups and then choosing the easy ones to grow.“Some of the groups are the broccoli, carrot, and pumpkin families, and they all have distinctive qualities. The bean family does not like frosts, so if you’re in northern climates, you may not plant these until mid-summer, but the broccoli family, for example, will thrive in cooler areas.”
Most of these mishaps happen to beginner growers who don’t know what they’re doing. Krol advises at least familiarizing yourself with plant groups and then choosing the easy ones to grow.
“Some of the groups are the broccoli, carrot, and pumpkin families, and they all have distinctive qualities. The bean family does not like frosts, so if you’re in northern climates, you may not plant these until mid-summer, but the broccoli family, for example, will thrive in cooler areas.”
It won’t always be a bountiful harvest, but you can increase your chances of having excellent yields when the time comes. Here are some tips from Krol:“Organise a good composting system and compost as much of your own waste. You’d be surprised how good the veg is, and you also save money on shop-bought stuff.“Grow only a few varieties every year, and master those before you spread yourself thin with dozens of species that all have different needs.“Grow the plants you will enjoy; don’t bother with fancy and rare stuff for now; master those beans.”
It won’t always be a bountiful harvest, but you can increase your chances of having excellent yields when the time comes. Here are some tips from Krol:
“Organise a good composting system and compost as much of your own waste. You’d be surprised how good the veg is, and you also save money on shop-bought stuff.
“Grow only a few varieties every year, and master those before you spread yourself thin with dozens of species that all have different needs.
“Grow the plants you will enjoy; don’t bother with fancy and rare stuff for now; master those beans.”
You don’t have to be a gardening expert to know that sunlight affects plant growth. But it all comes down to the important question of how much. Certain plants need a specific amount to thrive, which landscape designer Carson Arthur discussed withCBC.“A good general rule of thumb is to go with leafier plants — things like kale, spinach, lettuce — in shadier spots because they [don’t need as much] sunlight to grow and produce.”
You don’t have to be a gardening expert to know that sunlight affects plant growth. But it all comes down to the important question of how much. Certain plants need a specific amount to thrive, which landscape designer Carson Arthur discussed withCBC.
“A good general rule of thumb is to go with leafier plants — things like kale, spinach, lettuce — in shadier spots because they [don’t need as much] sunlight to grow and produce.”
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Focusing on the topic, FoodShare Toronto Community Gardens Coordinator Natalie Bousted also shared some essential tips with CBC. She advises allotting between five to six hours for “hot crops” like eggplants, peppers, squashes, corn, and tomatoes.“If you have a space that actually just doesn’t have six hours of direct sun, no matter how good a plant parent you are, you’re not going to get those crops to yield very much, and you’ll end up being disappointed,” Bousted said, suggesting a shift to cold crops like kale, carrots, and spinach if you live in an area that doesn’t allow at least five hours of sun.
Focusing on the topic, FoodShare Toronto Community Gardens Coordinator Natalie Bousted also shared some essential tips with CBC. She advises allotting between five to six hours for “hot crops” like eggplants, peppers, squashes, corn, and tomatoes.
“If you have a space that actually just doesn’t have six hours of direct sun, no matter how good a plant parent you are, you’re not going to get those crops to yield very much, and you’ll end up being disappointed,” Bousted said, suggesting a shift to cold crops like kale, carrots, and spinach if you live in an area that doesn’t allow at least five hours of sun.
We spoke to a few experts who suggested French introductory crops for newbie gardeners in theprevious piece we published. According to Alison Levey ofThe Blackberry Gardenblog, French beans, potatoes, and courgettes are excellent starters.Carson Arthur recommends leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and lettuce. Meanwhile, Bousted suggests starting with bulbous crops since you can harvest them regardless of season.“A lot of people don’t know that a spring onion is actually just a smaller version of a full onion that hasn’t grown to its full size yet. You could pull some out in spring and leave some to grow to their full size,” Bousted said.
We spoke to a few experts who suggested French introductory crops for newbie gardeners in theprevious piece we published. According to Alison Levey ofThe Blackberry Gardenblog, French beans, potatoes, and courgettes are excellent starters.
Carson Arthur recommends leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and lettuce. Meanwhile, Bousted suggests starting with bulbous crops since you can harvest them regardless of season.
“A lot of people don’t know that a spring onion is actually just a smaller version of a full onion that hasn’t grown to its full size yet. You could pull some out in spring and leave some to grow to their full size,” Bousted said.
As an enthusiastic beginner gardener, it’s natural to want to start with the plants that pique your interest the most. Some would choose to grow their favorite vegetables. However, Arthur offered an important caveat to take note of.“As you start getting into vegetables that produce — whether they produce a fruit, an edible flower, or anything where the plant itself is not what you eat — that’s when it starts getting more complicated because it needs more energy, more food, more water to actually produce that fruit.”
As an enthusiastic beginner gardener, it’s natural to want to start with the plants that pique your interest the most. Some would choose to grow their favorite vegetables. However, Arthur offered an important caveat to take note of.
“As you start getting into vegetables that produce — whether they produce a fruit, an edible flower, or anything where the plant itself is not what you eat — that’s when it starts getting more complicated because it needs more energy, more food, more water to actually produce that fruit.”
Instead of going with your favorites, Arthur suggests focusing on plants that best suit your skill level and the amount of time you can commit to tending them. This will provide you with a more realistic view of the outcome.“Most homeowners will not have an amazing successful garden the first time [they] do it. This is one of those things that you’re going to have to try year after year and stick with it, understanding that not everything is going to be successful right from the beginning.”
Instead of going with your favorites, Arthur suggests focusing on plants that best suit your skill level and the amount of time you can commit to tending them. This will provide you with a more realistic view of the outcome.
“Most homeowners will not have an amazing successful garden the first time [they] do it. This is one of those things that you’re going to have to try year after year and stick with it, understanding that not everything is going to be successful right from the beginning.”
This part of the text is when we ask you, our beloved readers, for your input. We’d love to hear about your gardening ventures and how they turned out. Were they a resounding success? Or did they fail to live up to your expectations? Comment below!
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