Everything I need to know I learned from my garden

There is something magical about gardening. Maybe it's just that way for me, but there seems to be so many parallels between life and growing things. I think every person should grow SOMETHING, even if its a little pot of seeds in the windowsill. Hard work, determination, patience, appreciation, health, science...all fruits of a garden.

If you want to attempt a garden this year, check out this book. Some of Mel's methods may sound tedious now, but TRUST ME it will pay off in the long run. Even if you only adapt some of the ideas in this book, it will make your garden experience a happy one.


My interest in growing things started when I had a roommate in college that grew plants in our apartment. I thought "that's pretty nifty, I wonder how she does that?" At the time the whole concept of caring for a living organism seemed so overwhelming I thought I'd never be able figure it out and didn't make an attempt until after I was married. So I know what its like to think "I could never get something to grow!" The thing that's cool about gardening is that you learn what not to do each time you kill something off.

While we moved around so much I had to beg other people to let me do free labor in their gardens in return for experience (I usually didn't have to beg too hard). Last year we finally had our own place and I had my OWN garden. Being the big naive dreamer I am, I planted a spot 100 feet by 150 feet (15,000 square feet for those w/o a calculator). I didn't realize it at the time but that is larger than the city lot I grew up on! I knew I'd have to get creative when it came time to do weeding.

To sum up the summer, I had a great time and learned a bunch from the success AND failures that I had. I learned that when you can't keep up with 15,000 square feet of weeds, a lawnmower makes a creative weeding tool! Just MOW down those rows and you don't need to invest all that money in a roto-tiller. Seriously though, that is something that I won't be doing again! I also learned that 47 tomato plants should give you boat loads of tomatoes (see photo), but that's not exactly what happens when you spray weed killer on a windy day..oops! What I'm trying to say is don't let your fear of failing keep you from giving it a go. Plant something this year!