Garden Notes

In 2019 I attempted to start a garden. It was a massive undertaking and I quickly found that I just didn't have the time for it. Especially this year. Here's what I learned:

1. Start small.
- I definitely didn't. I was going to, but then my husband said "what if we did the short fence AND the long fence since we'll have the tiller for a day anyway? And so I did. We ended up with a 316 square foot mass of weeds.

2. Research what you are growing.
- I did that... To the detriment of all other projects in my life. But I knew what I was growing and I knew what to put it next to and what to keep it away from. I knew the watering requirements and how much sun everything wanted... but...

3. Research the weather.
- I skipped this part because "Oklahoma weather is always the same, right?" WRONG! We got so much rain in NE Oklahoma that everything flooded. My yard was a marsh for quite some time. Half my plants drowned. Or bolted. Or the seeds washed away.

4. Learn how to store your produce.
- Despite all the weeds and the rain, I did end up getting a decent amount of herbs out of the mess. Herbs can be dried, so that's easy, but I don't know what to do with all my peppers. We have a vacuum sealer now. Maybe that will work?

I definitely want to grow my own herbs again. We used a ton of them fresh and it really kicked up our cooking, but I think I'd like them better in a raised bed and in different quantities. More thyme, less mint, more sage, less lemongrass. Much, much less lemongrass.

Quick hint: A 2-person family with no idea how to cook it has no business with 8 lemongrass plants unless they are there as ornamentals or for mosquito repellent.