Gardener in the making

OK, I admit it.  I’m a wannabe gardener.  The idea of harvesting and eating my own homegrown vegetables really appeals to me.  Partly for the health of it, partly for the convenience of gathering fresh vegetables and herbs right before making dinner, partly for the financial advantages, and certainly for the satisfaction of manual labor coming to fruition.

Gardening has actually been on my mind for years now but getting started has always seemed overwhelming.  I know friends and co-workers who have been at it for years and there’s always something or other going wrong.  Not enough rain.  Long-eared thieves.  Plant disease of one kind or another.  But if you asked any of them if it was worth it, the answer would definitely be yes.  So I’m convinced I want to go through with it too.

So it’s a matter of planning and getting started.  I figure it’s probably too late to do much this year (?) but I can certainly prepare for next spring.  And if you’ve ever seen (or perhaps heard of) any of my spreadsheets, you’d think this would be my favorite part!  I am looking forward to creating a gardening spreadsheet but there are lots of variables to consider first.

In-ground, raised beds, or container gardening?  In-ground means less grass to mow (bonus!!) but how to tell if the soil is decent or how much it would need to be “helped” with fertilizer and such.  How would the cost of setting up raised beds or containers compare with preparing the soil I already have?

Choosing vegetables seems like the easy part.  Until you have to take into consideration which ones will actually thrive in your climate, how much space/water/sun they need individually, best time of year for planting (since of course they all vary), their growth periods, how to stagger planting so you don’t end up with a bushel of green peppers all at once, and so on.  Seriously??  Haha, no matter, it just adds to the fun of planning…

OK, assuming I have all of that figured out (which I don’t yet), how much of each plant do I need?  All my extensive research so far has resulted in this answer:  it depends.  So specific.  Thanks.  I liked how one person acknowledged that she was part-rabbit so her standards for salad vegetables might not match what others would consume.  I suppose I’ll leave canning and freezing adventures for another year so I won’t need to plan for those volumes in my first year of gardening.  I guess I just need to start somewhere and I can adjust the following year.  If I end up with fewer crops than I expected, I know where to find the local farmer’s market and grocery store.  If I end up with too much, may they be a blessing to someone else!

So I don’t have my plan finalized yet (nor is there an immediate rush to finish it) but it is gradually taking form.  This time it’s going to happen, God-willing!  I’ll learn a lot and I know it will be a rewarding experience.  Mmmmm, can't wait already!