3 gardening lessons learned (one important one!)
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- What's the most valuable gardening lesson you've learned this year? Here is mine - and it only took me 16 years to understand it. I've been tagged in the UA-cam '3 lessons learned' challenge by Sean James Cameron of Sean's Kitchen Garden: / thehortchanneltv
Also mentioned are:
@TheImpatientGardener and @greatgardensforall
And I'm tagging: Mr Plant Geek ( / @mrplantgeek ) and @TheEnduringGardener
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Thank you for leaving such interesting and helpful comments...it's really worth reading down and seeing what everyone has discovered about gardening.
This year I learned - through discovering channels like yours - that Gardener’s are a great community. When I get ‘That’s a lot of work’ From my friends and neighbors, I watch your videos or others and realize I’m part of a very lucky group of people who don’t see gardening as work!
I agree, I think the gardening community is generally very supportive - I once interviewed an award-winning interior designer who was just getting into gardening and he said he found gardening 'humbling' because a room will stay the way you designed it, but a garden just develops its own character when it grows.
So true 🤗
I've learned that my garden is my favorite creative outlet. The past few years when certain people see what I've done, they get so excited and joyous about it. So I have learned that I love to make other people happy with my garden and inspire them to try it.
That sounds lovely - I agree that creativity is such an important part of gardening. And people, too.
You look extra gorgeous in this video.
Thank you, that's so kind of you to say so. I'm constantly looking for the best place in the garden for the light, and of course it changes with the season.
Thank you!
I learned that I can dig up plants that aren't interesting or pleasing to me and substitute them with flowers I haven't grown before.
It's great to get the confidence to do that. I used to be so grateful that any plant at all had grown that I didn't dare. Am a bit braver now.
Lol, so true, i had a plant i left in for years, and lately have been digging it up, drying it out durring my dry season.... wish i had taken it out years ago! Its considered invasive but i didnt know that! Now its more work.
Is not gardening a microcosm of life? One in which you never stop learning.
I so agree, that's why I love it.
I’ve learned that I do not see what visitors see when they visit my garden. I advise people not to point out “flaws” in their homes, lives, etc. and that is true in the garden too. If my dahlias don’t bloom and flourish I don’t need to point it out - visitors see instead what has succeeded!
I’ve learned my back garden is a terrific microclimate - and the slightest adjustment by me (floating row covers) has enormous impact/ benefit).
I’ve learned not to pine for what is not suitable for my area - and focus mainly on native plants. Nature is beautiful all on her own!
Thanks for a fun chance to think about these things, Alexandra. And many blessings of the holiday season to you!
Thank you - and you're so right. And happy holiday to you too.
Thank you for this video! I also love Yulia and The Impatient Gardener. The thing I've learned about myself is that I really don't like to water. I moved to my new/old place 4 years ago with a blank slate back yard with some open area and some wooded. I'm slowly adding plants, but they have to be ones that can get established then pretty much make it on their own. So, that means a lot of native azaleas, rhododendrons, indian hawthorn, etc in my Southeastern US zone 8A garden. I've also learned that I'll never really be a plantswoman with the energy and memory to collect plants and know all their different needs. I I think that suits my style for repeat plantings and a rhythm through the garden of consistency and a restrained palette of plants. Oh, and design first, plant second.
My kind of garden, I think. Watering can be quite meditative, but it's just a chore when you're busy. And I agree about a restrained palette - I have a friend who excludes one colour from her garden (I think it's white or yellow, although it changes over the years). It really calms everything down.
Fantastic video! Thank you so much for mentioning me, i am so honored! 🙏 I used to think that i knew a lot about gardening but in last five years since starting my own landscape design business i was humbled. In fact, now i go into a new project with full expectation of error and learning. As they say 'try again, fail again, fail better' 😀😁
Thank you - I once interviewed a top interior designer who said that trying to design a garden humbled him, because in houses, things stay where you put them (more or less), but gardens grow in all sorts of directions you don't necessarily anticipate.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden yes! garden design is four dimensional. time changes everything :)
1st thing I learned in my first ever year of having a garden having previously lived in a flat is that I am excited by it.
2nd thing is that plants are so expensive and to fill a blank canvas garden is a big task financially. I need more patience
3rd thing is that it feels very lovely to grow things from seed and see them do well so more of that this year.
You will find other gardeners willing to share plants!
That's great, thank you. I also found plants that spread are very useful in filling a garden - day lilies, for example (although they are considered invasive in some parts of the world, so you have to check). If you haven't seen this video, it might be useful: ua-cam.com/video/utbTE1GtWOg/v-deo.html But seed growing is fab - it's extraordinary how much a single plant can grow in just a few months.
My garden will never be fully weeded, EVER! And that's okay.
Wise words, as always. Having lost two very close friends this year, I have learnt that gardening is not nearly as enjoyable if it done in isolation as it is when you have horticultural chums. So thank you for all your vids over the past year!
Thank you! I'm so sorry to hear about your losing two close friends, you are so right about horticultural chums.
This year, I FINALLY figured out how to grow hydrangeas. Mine, except for Annabelle, never bloomed; finally realized they were not getting enough sun. I've been gardening for 30 years; you learn something every day. Also, thank you for another wonderful vid; you and your garden are both lovely!
Thank you! And delighted to hear about the hydrangeas...they're such brilliant plants.
Every day a school day always something to learn on UA-cam videos 🐞🐦👍👍👍
I've learned that if for whatever reason a plant has to be shifted from one area of the Garden to another and I don't have the patience to wait untill the dormant season or another textbook reccomended appropriate time. Then I just go ahead, take a risk and go an try find my spade.
Provided the plant been thoroughly soaked once a day 2 or 3 days ahead before it's move. Then for the rest of the growing season, kept completely moist and never left to dry out. If it were a large plant, say .. a big shrub that had been moved then, it would be wise to water regularly for it's 2nd year too.
I've moved many plants about the Garden, some even in full flower and my losses have been few.
Im moving a few heavy pollinator plants over closer to my apple trees so they may be less inclined to build their hive in my house!. I look after them and do have a beekeeper come 3 times last year for 3 huge swarms
3 huge swarms sounds faintly alarming but it's great that you are helping bees.
Thank you for the lessons. I’m an experienced gardener and do compost too in the SE of the US and always enjoy getting ideas from others. I like that you shared some other sites and I’ll be back to see more.
Thank you!
I totally agree with you about the gardening style lesson and isn't it a wonderful thing that so many of us have so many different approaches and nature works wonders for us all :-)
Absolutely. I went out yesterday morning feeling low because of a cough, swept a few leaves and felt totally invigorated.
Thank you for this video! I have learned over the years to put plants together that need water or don't need water. I found myself having to water too many garden beds and then tried moving things...mostly flowers really...to their own bed. This probably would make sense to a lot of people but when I started gardening I just put things where I thought they would look pretty and the learned from my water bill. Thank you for making videos for us. I appreciate and look forward to seeing them. And I love your dog and that fancy tail!
Putting plants together according to their watering needs seems a brilliant insight to me...I hadn't thought of that although generally I find it difficult to grow plants that need alot of water. I'm planning on introducing Lottie and her fancy tail properly in the December/January garden tour.
I couldn’t agree more with you on these. Great video. Not a year goes by that I don’t learn more in the garden and more about myself as a gardener. The microclimate thing is fairly amazing, and I think that’s something that can take years to really figure out. (At least it took me that long.)
Thank you! And it was great to collab with you on the winter garden. We have now had frost which was very exciting.
That first one really is a great lesson so many of us find hard to accept. I put my raised beds on a drip system to take care of the watering. I am so happy I did.
Thank you and you're right, it's sometimes hard to accept that our gardening is 'good enough'
I’ve learned in my z6a garden that the garden is a member of my family. I care for it everyday in some manner. Praise it when it blooms. Water and feed when it’s hungry. Talk to it while I clean it’s beds and fluff the compost. Without it, seeing my girls with their yoga mats or husband sitting with his guitar in the grass would be less enchanting. I also have a middle sized garden.
Yes, I think the garden is a personality - sometimes I think the self-seeders are saying 'we've got to plant ourselves, she'll never put us in the right places...'
The Middle-Sized Garden
Exactly. They can also get into tight spots where I’d crush the surrounding plantings attempting to dig up a spot and plant a pot.
Enjoyed this a lot. Thank you.
Thank you! I'm enjoying your videos, too.
Hello l am from Uruguay and love cottage garden l do everything you learn thanks.
Thank you!
I really like the first lesson that there are many ways of doing a garden. Thank you.
You are welcome!
You look absolutely super in this vid. Even prettier than your garden or the dog!!
Thank you! I'm planning to do a bit about Lottie in the next vid, which will be the January/December garden tour. I think she needs introducing properly.
Thank you so much for the tips you gave ma'am. I'm a young man from north Africa and I'm looking for something new rather than how people grow things here. I've been growing vegetables with my dad ever since I was a kid and we always had the same technique of growing. Much love from Algeria. Keep those videos coming!!
Thank you!
I learned that as soon as I started composting, critters started to show up, and raccoons pooped in my pool and spa, that said no more composting for me.
Critters...yes, that is a problem. I would definitely not like to have to deal with raccoon poop. I'm lucky in having a walled town garden, but that usually does mean a bit of a problem with rats.
I’ve just discovered your channel. Super content and am enjoying your videos very much. I’ve been using raised beds for many years and the best way of locking moisture in is to mulch really well (4 inches at least) using homemade garden compost in Spring. One still has to water, but not to the same extent.
I do mulch every year but perhaps not enough, so I'll try an extra layer. Also I think it's a problem that it is usually exceptionally dry here for the UK. Not this winter though, it has rained and rained. Thank you!
I follow The Impatient Gardener and Y Garden, I am looking forward to checking out your other UA-cam suggestions. I love your compost bins, I don't know how I've missed them watching your videos. I have found my most important lesson in my 50 years of gardening to be that my garden is more beautiful when I am working with Mother Nature, rather than fighting against her. I've spent a great deal of time yanking things out of the ground, working hard tilling and digging, fighting the squirrels, bunnies and bugs. I've gone to no-till and gardening isn't as much work. One year I spoke to the bunnies and said, look, you can have these three snap pea vines but leave the rest for me. To my amazement, those were the only ones eaten. I'm willing to share. The year we had to take down four large oak trees I was sad for many months and then I started noticing all these little oak trees that had sprouted from the squirrels burying their nuts. I've begun to see everything has a purpose here, I just had to learn to see it. I'm still working on mosquitoes and cockroaches, though.
That's fab - I'll try talking to my snails and slugs to see if they're prepared to see reason. Although taking your point about working with nature, I don't have too many snail and slug problems because we look after the birds. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing a thrush crack a snail shell open on a summer's evening. Love the oak saplings - it'll be great to see them grow and they'll be so happy in your garden because they were born there.
Meredith The thought of you talking to cockroaches came to my mind. L0L
@@rubyoro0 That's not pretty.It's mostly screaming. I draw the line at my door.
What I've learned is that I enjoy "playing" in the dirt, which is kind of funny because I'm just a step away from ocd regarding hygiene, as the daughter of a doctor. When I watch people using tulip augers for example I look at them and ask myself "but why?" , they're losing all the pleasure of getting down into the dirt. It's like baking from a cake mix instead of making your own. What I would really love to learn is how to espalier, as I have a large ugly cement wall that I would really like to cover.
Interesting. I think earth feels like very clean dirt. As for the espaliers, this video may help - it's one of my earlier ones, so do excuse the quality, but it's been popular and I think it does cover how to train a very young fruit tree: ua-cam.com/video/pnAz85L5Kao/v-deo.html
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank you so much, that was really helpful, especially on how to cut off the top of a young tree, I wouldn't have thought of that.
Hello. I've so enjoyed all your videos this past year and appreciate the opportunity to share and read the "lessons learned" comments. This year my big lesson was to embrace the microcosms that are within my middle-sized garden. Instead of trying to change areas to host desired plants, I researched the "problem" areas (clay or swampy or under pine trees, for example) and only planted what does well in those situations. I have given up on some plants that don't naturally do well in my garden and require tender care. The path of least resistance, I have learned, brings more joyful gardening! Best wishes from Saint Louis, Missouri US Zone 6b.
That sounds like excellent advice, and thank you.
Thank you for promoting that we all garden differently! That we need not feel bad about not weeding and letting our gardens self seed, etc. This episode resonated with me.
My compost takes “forever”, but I choose to focus on other tasks rather than to chopping it all to pieces (though I love doing it)...
Thank you!
Thank you. I know what you mean about chopping, I'm considering getting a shredder but it'll take me a while to get my head round which one, where to store it and whether I'll actually use it.
This is so helpful. The point about microclimates is one that I am learning now too. We garden in zone 3, but have always wanted David Austin roses, which start at zone 4. In speaking with a gardening centre, their staff grow these roses in my city, and showed me how to do so. We are going to try this spring/summer!
Hope it goes well. I'm hoping to interview David Austin Roses at their headquarters in Shropshire soon.
I prefer the cottage garden, maybe since I prefer a cottage. Also plan on doing a lot more no dig for all gardening, I too had raised veg beds this year, they didn't do well at all. Have you watched Garden Answer on here with Laura an Aaron, they live in Oregon, very dry where they are, they also have loads of great info, she grew up in her families seed store, which is like a seed, gift an plant shop rolled into one. Hope you have a Fabulous Holiday.!
Thank you, yes, I love Laura's videos. And no dig is brilliant. I don't think I'd have managed to garden at all if I hadn't discovered it because I had a bad back when we first came here.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Oh yes, no dig is really good for the gardeners back.
Marry Christmas and a happy New Year! And thank you for your wonderfull videos. Best regards from Germany!
Thank you!
I love your style Alexandra ...so refreshing! There is no ' one size fits all ' in gardening....a metaphor for life perhaps...? Keep on giving us great gardening advice 😊😊 I would love to meet you and see your garden one day! Thank you! Elaine (SW London)
ts all
You are such a lovely woman..i just happened to like you.. am therefore open to anything you say ❤
I do not know about raised beds. In several gardens, mostly micro with very poor soil and no groundlife whatsoever, I had very good results with locking the borders up with planks of whatever wood I could find at the dump. I just press them in the wet soil, no screwing or intricate build-up-systems. Prevents the water and added compost from flowing out. Just did it 6 weeks ago in my microgarden in the house I am living now 3,5 years = 3 summers, this is my fourth summer. Years before I had to water a lot just to keep the plants surviving. Now, with a lot less water and added soil etc, plants are thriving. Even being in partial shade. Wildlife, micro and macro, and birds are now daily visitors. Maybe also because of a little pond I added on groundlevel imbedded in natural woods only. The wood/sticks/branches are there as a shelter for micro-wildlife, and for decay. I only buy plants from the dumpcorner, and sow anual/peranual and some bulbs. It is a mess, but I love it.
It’s so true!!!!! Take your time to evolve your own favorite style❤️ and themes are good to begin with the end in mind…. ;)
I love the way you are beginning to make your garden more wild & encourage wild life into it ... I’ve got a long way to go but I’ve made a start at doing that! Just found a channel ‘Ticketyboo Cottage Garden’ look it up it looks good! 😊😊😊
What I’ve learned-don’t waste your time on fussy plants. By all means, try whatever plants suit your fancy, but if they are too much work, you will not enjoy them. Plant things that make you happy.
I agree about own style and own microclimate aswell as own garden topography. This all comes with practice and taking risks plus a little laziness :)
Now that I live near the southern coast of California I plant native plants that require little water. I have no irrigation system. Just water deeply once a month in the hot months. Have mock orange hedge that spans some 30 feet. Nanadina for color in the gardens. Juniper on slopes. Natal plum in a area I have a deck with benches to overlook the hillside. Pineapple guava tree that loves the climate and puts out lots of fruit ever year. I use hopseed or flame bush as a divider on the other side of the house. And gazania, and freeway daisies, as well as tons of rosemary (I shape them into balls and squares) are all over. Many people think I have a large lot, but its actually small. They always think it looks very cozy, like a secret garden...
Thank you for sharing so much info! I love my gardening and will e starting raised beds next spring to start veggie/flower beds on clay soil. An epiphany! Raised beds need more water. Ill start with irrigation! TSuch sense. Thank you
Thank you!
I am in the process of putting in new and expanding old flower beds. I am trying to go with native plants and self seeders; so lots of sun and color. Also I have seen that the mass of plants tend to crowd out most of the weeds. Now I still have to get rid of an occasional unwanted guest (grape vine, Virginia creeper, wild thorn vine) thanks to the birds! But that is part of the process. Love your channel and look forward to each and every one of your videos, stay safe and God bless😇
7bNC -- i'm a 2nd year gardener. i've learned not to compare my garden to others. even though it's not the prettiest or tidiest, it brings me joy to turn into the driveway and see all my flowers and weeds. i've learned that it's always evolving, as some plants may not survive, and some have to be relocated if they were planted in the wrong space, and it creates opportunities for other plants to thrive. i love growing from seed. even it it's something that won't bloom its first year. it's so much fun to go out each morning and see who has bloomed! 🌻
I lived in the desert of California. Using a steel trashcan I put a hose bib near the bottom. Attached a soakers hose. Then I would fill the trash can up with water, may add some miracle grow and it watered my raised beds. I had cans for each bed. After awhile I painted the cans solid green or drew flowers on them. Had wonderful results.
I’ve only just started gardening and was feeling very gung ho about everything but every time I try to do some weeding, there’s so many tree sprouts in my garden which are so hard to get out that I feel like giving up....It’s so frustrating that there are so many sprouts and that they’re so hard to get out. I have a Pepper tree and a golden rain tree, both that leave volunteers all over my garden beds. 😰
Yes! I have learned the same things. Cold Compost is my style, I’ll wait for it! Self seeders come from not being as fussy with weeds. Drip irrigation is the way to go, I’ve seen an amazing difference in my beds and borders. Who knew?
I'm trying to pluck up the courage to try drip irrigation. I find the DIY kits very complicated, and am worried about leaks, but I think you're right that it's the way to go.
@@TheMiddlesizedGardenI put in a drip system last year, in my veg garden, flower boarders and pots. It was easy and you can do it! All the pieces and parts are confusing until you do it once. I went to a big box store and bought some of everything and just returned what I did not use. The kit got returned, I made my own 'kit". Having the water automated gave me so much freedom (vacation) and peace of mind.
Hi, l have the exactly opposite experience from yours regarding raised beds. When I planted in the ground at the same area, the roots of the nearby trees were drinking all the water and the soil was dry in no time. In the beds I have to water but the water is not stolen by the trees and my plants thrive!
i agree garden style the key of a successful garden , at the moment i have a section that i called Japanese garden, a mix of perennial and wild flour , and herbs garden , this year i want to make pine tree garden, i have about large beautiful pine tree, that last year I prepare the area for planing flour as well a small area of the inspiration of the Monet's Garden that i will do maybe next year .
Love the program. We live in England in July. Hope we can get there this year. Stay safe
I've learned that I can take a chance and plant sun loving plants in shady areas and that they may not bloom as profusely but will still produce a pleasing appearance. Thank you and have a wonderful Christmas
A friend of mine thinks that plant growers sometimes play it safe with labelling and simply put 'full sun' on plants that would do fine in shadier spots. So you are so right to try them out.
Love your channel.... so much fun and info !
I’ve learned my clay and rock soil here in the county side outside of Pittsburgh pa in the US is not different then all other bad soil and I must compose it regularly...
🥺🥺🥺
Oh, dear yes, it sounds as if you must. Presumably digging is quite difficult too.
Thank youuuu from Portugal 🇵🇹...you are an inspiration...love your videos.., I can’t wait to see the results of all your advice in my garden...many useful tips and ideas...Obrigada
Thank you so much!!
Best advice ever! Spot on!
Gardening is 3D. It moves in the wind and changes with the light, the day, the moment.
Okra, begun as direct-sown seed, grouped in nines or so , six inches apart, then fed feather/bone/blood meal and well-watered in a south-facing location :
looks tropical, grows 7 feet tall, 5 feet wide , is a wonderful backdrop,
creates shade, and garners oohs and aaaahs. People think it exotic, but then exclaim OOOO kraaaa???? lol.
Leaves can be removed all through the summer as each ages and new leaves quickly replace.
Until middle-late summer, height can be shortened a bit for fullness further down.
Pollinators love the small hibiscus-like blooms.
When fed, watered and groomed it thrives the hottest days.
The stems in this situation, some become like young tree trunks.
Large leaves, and the interesting pods, to eat or dry or share, creates 50 or 70 seeds inside to do all again the following summer. 1 okra seed packet appr $ 1.79.
I had no idea that okra was so interesting, so thank you. Another food plant that makes an impact decoratively is amaranth, I think, because it's red leaves and tall stature are so impressive.
You are so right about discovering one's gardening style. There ought to be some App that alerts me to those plants that I should avoid because they won't like my style (companion planting on a new level). It's taken some time for me to find out the importance of one's micro-climate. Having moved to Cape Town in my near dotage and having to contend with coastal conditions and hydrophobic soil, I discovered that the wonderful indigenous flora of the Cape were not all suited to my little patch or my "style". Facebook gardening groups (especially when local) and gardening vlogs like yours (just wish I could find a southern hemisphere one as good as yours) are helpful. I have learned that I know so little!
I think we all feel that the more we learn about gardening, the less we realise we know (badly put, but you know what I mean)
Hello Alexandra, I can most definitely confirm that I have learned stacks of hints and tips. Some I knew, trying to get my husband to comply was and is very difficult. I told my son about the less frequently of lawn mowing and he just fluttered his eyes lids at me :) so, some get it and some just don't. I was always furious when the weeds got plastic bagged a waste of money and time! I am nearly there at my convincing to change, but time is running out! We must agree to listen to others, they mostly talk about their own experiences, but as you say try, if it doesn't work for you, change, it is as easy as that. I need advice what to do about Mousebirds, see Wikipedia they have a broad discussion about these pesky birds. They devour all fruit, they come in groups of 10 is they had a good breeding season, and they take a bite from the kernels, the growing green fruit so by the time it should be well swollen and almost ready for picking you cannot use the peaches, they are either all been eaten, or the peck marks in the fruit has spoilt the crop! How can I deter them, chasing them does not help, they just sit and look at me as though you are a crazy human being. 2 Years we have had no fruit, I see some good netting covers as the black berries will go the same way. They are not respecters of our gardens. They are very destructive. Keep well kind regards, E;oze
Birds on crops is so difficult, I lose quite a few of my veg.
I moved last year from Indiana to Utah, wow so much to learn! Especially about irrigation! I put in a drip system myself :) You can do this Andrea! It was confusing until I just bought the pieces and parts and did it. Having the watering automated gave me so much freedom (vacation) and peace of mind.
I do agree with you, but I am very nervous of having automated water around as I once had an £8,000 water leak without noticing because a pipe was dripping into the ground. We didn't have to pay it, but it made me realise how much water costs! I might try to get a bit braver about it.
This is going to sound so basic. I don't like to mow grass. My yard is north facing and becoming very shady over the years so the sun loving grass originally planted here has died. I was sitting in the yard with my brother telling him I want to replace the grass with ground covers and spring bulbs when he said, "You're still using the shape of the yard as the design. Just get rid of the yard and make whatever you like."
That sounds so simple. Why didn't I realize I am not limited by the existing shape? We are cutting a curving path through the yard and bringing in mounds of dirt and boulders to make it look like a woodland park you would see in the woods. Right in the middle of town next to all the mowed flat lawns.
Watching your channel has changed so much about how I think of the outdoor space and our responsibility to the wildlife. Mowing grasses that are not native to our areas is very backward thinking. Bringing in the wildflowers and climbers and creepers with natural path materials is more messy looking to some people but so much wildlife has already returned to the yard. We are just getting started and doing this in phases but that one "Ah Ha!" moment of recreating the actual space changed everything for me.
I have learned so much from your videos and the different people you show us. Thank you for presenting a variety of ideas and possibilities for our gardens.
Thank you and I love the sound of your new ideas for the yard.
Check out Garden Answer UA-cam channel for how to use drip irrigation especially for your veg patch. Drip is a very efficient way to water. I myself prefer to hand water with a wand just to spend more time in my garden. Which ever suits you.
I love Garden Answer - it is a great channel. My main fear with drip irrigation is of getting a leak. I once got a water leak costing £8,000 although the water authorities refunded us. But it's made me very nervous about having any running water I can't actually see (we had the tiniest house and couldn't imagine where £8,000 worth of water was going!)
Thank you so much. I enjoy so much about your channel. I too live in Wisconsin and I have a very difficult yard to garden. Full of Black Walnut trees and tons of shade. Plus the cold Wisconsin winters- zone 5. I have learned what can grow but I am always looking for more. I love your idea about finding one's style of gardening and I will reflect on that today as I clear off the walnut leaves and the walnuts themselves and try to care for my perennials after many days of rain. One request- please show more of your own garden. I would love to see what you are doing.
Thank you, I will! There's quite a bit of it in the latest video, and I do a garden tour about once a month, which is always my garden. It's looking a bit bare at the moment as it's been quite a stressful summer for plants, but I will show that.
I have lived in israel over 35 years, but my best language is still english. Ive been in the same apt maybe 25 years and now its mine. It has taken me a few years to actually realize and attempt to make the garden one i like. This past year i found a local-israel gardening group online facebook in english!! Its amazing. Full of both very experienced israeli gardeners and newbies! Members post pics of plants asking what is this called in eng. Or hebrew, why is it dying or?, its so amazing cause so many questions topics come up and the answers are good for israel. For instance differing israeli seed companies on line, since shipping seeds or plants internationally isnt legally easy. So a site was reccommended that sells local varieties of wild flowers, bulbs of iris and cyclamen.. it was so fun to order and plant local beauties! Also i finnally deceided to hack a tremdous bush thats severely overgrown with one picture posted i got the name of the bush and info on it that confirmed my instinct to not worry about it overcomming a big trim. So my advice find local online gardening groups in your language! People there know other specific local resources online and off! And are awonderful resource and support that actually knows grardening in your location!
That's an excellent piece of advice, thank you!
I'm intrigued to know that raised beds create a drier environment for plants - is there a science behind this? I've previously grown my veg this way as I started out with poor very heavy soil; filling the beds with good compost effectively improved the soil beneath but I suspect the wood created a nice home for slugs and snails! My 10 year old beds have seen better days so I've cleared most of them and left my veg patch with just the concrete path running through the middle and the low surrounding brick wall.
I think the general principle that water will always find its way downwards as fast as possible is well established, but I realise that I should have qualified what I said by adding that if you have very light, well drained sandy soil, then raised beds will probably hold water better than your own soil as they'll be made of 'ideal' topsoil and compost. If your heavy soil doesn't drain well, then raised beds - with their 'ideal' soil - will drain faster. On the whole, I think it wouldn't matter much if you generally have enough rain in the summer, but we don't (although we are sodden here at the moment).
The best lesson I've learnt is to kill gifted, inappropriate plants very early after planting. Otherwise they can turn into huge monstrosities that devour the nutrients other plants need for half of your garden. Once they get to that size, it's hard to take an axe to them without being noticed. Especially if you then have children for whom it becomes a climbing tree that mustn't be felled. I'm not bitter! But please, learn from this woeful tale.
Excellent advice!
I have learned so many things over the years. One thing I’ve learned the past 4 or 5 years is watering with a bloom booster attached to my hose has made a big difference in the amount of blooms and color in my garden, especially in my container gardens. Having friends that garden and share the same passion is extra exciting, to be able to go plant shopping together, share information and plants, it makes it more fun than doing it by yourself.
What is bloom booster? Is it a fertilizer?
Yes, I'd love to know what a bloom booster is too! And I agree, it is such fun having garden visiting or garden shopping as something to do with friends.
Yes, I'd love to know what a bloom booster is too! And I agree, it is such fun having garden visiting or garden shopping as something to do with friends.
Bloom booster is by Miracle Grow. I buy the liquid feed which comes in a bottle and has an attachment that goes on your hose. You can buy the granular which you mix in your watering can, but that would take me all day for my middle size garden. It is a fertilizer that will focus on producing more blooms than the regular Miracle Grow which gives you more leaves. I live in the lower Hudson Valley in New York and get it at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, garden centers. I’m sure there is a similar place you can find it in the UK or order online. When starting out , get the kit with the hose attachment and bottle. You can then just buy the replacement bottles. It was a game changer for me!
i just discovered your channel, and it is look like that you have a lots of video about the garden, my garden size is 67x200 , although i did expansive land scape in 2011 in my garden is need a lots of modification , i have many area in my garden that i want to refresh , as well problem of water draining in my grass after the winter and so on, i joined your site and hope to learn from your knowledge thank you
Thank you!
Eellent. I've long know that plants in pots need more watering, but had not thought of raised beds. My garden is on a hill so over the years I've terraced the hill. That might be a good solution for people like me who don't want to bend over a bed. You stand bellow each level and weed it, then move up. Second, I learned from my second favorite gardening youtube, Self Sufficient Me, that rather than having a compost bin or fenced area, one can dig holes and bury the kitchen scraps. In just weeks there is no evidence that there was anything in there but soil. Even bones, he says, get broken down in weeks. Of course this works much better in winter when a veg bed is empty and one must go deep enough to exclude rodents, but it seems to be working for me. Much easier as one only need dig once a week.
Interesting, thank you. A few people have mentioned burying scraps so it's good to hear it works.
You always gives wonderful tips. Take what applies in ones personal situation leave What is not yours...I for one loves the cottage garden style if i was to lable it...grows as it is in nature... With a little curbing...loves lots of seeders. They keep the pollinators happy.grow enough for the feeders ...One thing critters don't eat all vegetation thy have their favorites.. Keep the garden interest going Each day is an experience for the gardener. Love your post
Thank you!
Hi Alessandra , I seem to have missed this video when it came out so my comment will be getting to you a bit late but anyway thank you lots. I veg garden and garden in Italy and have never made raised beds, something that seemed to be absolutely necessary and now with your video I recognise that I definately did the right thing. Again thanks a lot and keep um coming
Thank you!
I'll have to think about this. The challenge is narrowing it down to one thing.
It is!
Alexandra, I love that you mention other channels. I follow both Erin and Yuliya. Yuliya is my absolute favorite You Tuber. I started gardening in the past 8 yrs in zone 6. The first 2 yrs were disastrous 😊 because I bought only what I knew and didnt pay attention to the tags. So I've learned to pay attention to zone and sun/shade to a degree. I find alot of shade perennials handle sun rather well and vice versa. Most importantly you can do everything right and a plant can still die. I'll try the same plant twice and if doesnt do well I buy something different. Also plants have an expiration date I find lavender only lives for 5 yrs in my climate, so I replace the dead with new. I started composting this year, I'm sure I will learn alot about that in the coming years. Thank you for such a great video. I will check out the other channels you mentioned.
Adra Bruzzese I do love Yuliya and the Impatient Gardener and Alexandra the most! I LOVE that they do not promote or use a whole bunch of expensive materials and plants in their projects and keep it real. The other UA-camrs either push certain brands and suppliers and that gets annoying. I realize that how they make their money but for a regular gardener their projects are way too much and way too expensive! I do value good advise and the expertise these ladies possess rather than just advertisings some brand or a grower. Also love John Lord but his videos are seldom. I get really excited when my favorite UA-camrs post new videos ❤️
@@Dahliaismypassion yes i like John Lord too. Hes a bit crazy and his garden is beyond gorgeous.
So true! The shade issue is particularly worth hearing about - a friend of mine thinks that lots of plant labels just go for the safe advice 'needs sun' and that alot of plants will tolerate more shade than you might expect. Or not! It certainly keeps us all on our toes.
That's a very helpful insight, thank you.
Informative. Also, you look so beautiful!
Thank you so much 🙂
yes please x
Been following for only a short while, delighted to know you're in Faversham, we're in Newnham. Just moved to a very old house, long garden but only 27' wide, loved the video you done on The long cottage garden, shape is so similar to ours. I've always loved gardening but I'm very much a keen novice, even though I'm 57.
Newnham is beautiful. Will you be opening your garden for the Newnham Open Gardens (when we get real live events back!)?
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden , the Garden was obviously loved at some point but its fair to say that not in the recent past, that said, it has the bones in place, can't wait to start putting our own stamp on it.
Alexandra, I just recently discovered your channel and I’m going through past videos. I really enjoyed this one and hope you repeat the theme again and share with us what you learned this year. Thank you!
I learned that the best gardening style is my style. :)
That's great!
I am learning to do more research into gardening on heavy clay soil . I moved into this house in july this year and went out and spent a small fortune on plants only to find out that a large portion of them were not suitable to this horrible wet heavy clay soil and died. If you can point me in the right direction for a good blog or channel that deals with heavy clay soils i would really appreciate it, don't worry you won't lose me as a subscriber as i enjoy your videos too much.
Thank you! And I've had a look but can't find anyone that I know enough about to be able to recommend. However, if you put 'heavy clay soil' into the UA-cam search box, quite a few videos come up, and if you watch a few of those, you might find someone who's style is right for you. There seem to be more veg growers than flower gardeners, though. Sorry to be a bit delayed answering this - Christmas got in the way!
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Many thanks for getting back to me ,i have tried the search but not quite what i am looking for .By the way i LOVE your garden and videos !!
Merry Christmas from California 🌲
Thank you and Happy New Year.
I’m gardening just west of Boston, Ma (zone 5a) and so appreciate your comments about finding your own style. I just started learning to garden when we bought a 4 acre farm with 2 acres of gardens when we became empty nesters, and UA-cam has been my teacher! I’ve killed my share of lovely plants, had success with others, and am finding my way and my style. Thank you for your wonderful videos - they’re practical, informative, and inspiring! (And I also enjoy Erin at The Impatient Gardner and Yulia at YGarden, as well as Laura at Garden Answer - and look forward to the others you’ve now shared)
Thank you!
Excellent new video. I completely agree on everyone finding their own style. And thank you for the tip on raised beds: I'd have thought it was just the opposite, and was planning to grow my kitchen garden on raised beds next year, as I'm moving to a very dry area of the country. Now I know better. :)
I have a friend in the US Southwest (very very dry!) and he grows veg in SUNKEN beds that trap whatever water falls on them.
Although there are other factors too - if your soil is very sandy or thin, then raised beds may help overcome that...just maybe think about irrigation...nothing is straightforward, is it? But that's what's so interesting about gardening. Thank you.
Neldidellavittoria Just water more. I had more success in raised beds and grow pots than directly in ground. I’m in California. Also, like she said pay attention to climate. It turns out tomatoes don’t set fruit if above 95F. Got no tomatoes until November. Shade cloth will be next years experiment.
@@joannmicik1924 I was just thinking along those lines.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Oh yes, my soil will be quite sandy. Thank you.
Yes, micro climate so determines how your plants grow. I am in the same zone as the Impatient Gardener but our humidity in Colorado runs about 15% most of the summer. Hot and dry. Whereas Erin's hydrangeas get full and lush, we are just thankful we get flowers here.
It's such an interesting aspect of gardening - so variable over such small distances.
Great video Alexandra. My biggest lesson this year is how important windbreak is. I’m setting up a vegetable garden on a new block and the wind was pretty strong. As soon as I set up a temporary windbreak (with shadecloth and galvanised pickets) the impact was almost immediate. Also, I used to have raised beds but not any more. Thanks and looking forward to next years MSG videos!
Interesting! Of course farmers often try to instal windbreaks, so that makes perfect sense.
I’ve learned that first and foremost you have to enjoy gardening and not get discouraged if you fail on growing some plants, make your garden manageable size that you can take care of yourself so it does hot get overwhelming. Grow more perennials and your zone appropriate plants that can survive on their own without much help from you. I guess balance is the key to successful gardening.
So true. We don't need to beat ourselves up about dead plants (though I do still feel rather guilty, especially about house plants which are particularly likely to look miserable in this house.)
I moved to a new-to-me house with a 4' x 10' raised bed with very depleted soil. My lesson learned is to take the long view and to plant for soil enrichment this coming year rather than planting for beauty or food.
So true! Soil is everything.
I learned to raise new plants above the soil level, the difference between compost and mulch, and to not get too excited when watching gardening videos that I go out and buy way too many plants before preparing the soil and just start sticking them everywhere for fear they will die in the pots! I also started seeds way too early out of pure excitement. I had to transplant some four and five times before it was warm enough to go outside. I garden in Asheville, NC.
Oh, I know that trap of planting seeds too early, because I think I can get ahead. Then I notice that the seeds I forgot to plant and therefore plant later do so much better.
Hello from Dallas, Texas... I wanted to to say that I love your videos/channel. It has proven to be a wealth of information and ideas. I would like to make a suggestion. could you show some of your viewer's garden photos. That would be fun. Thank you for your great work.
That is such a good idea. I'll think about it as there may be practical issues (eg resolution etc). A really great suggestion.
I want to thank you for sharing so much knowledge and love for gardens. I am starting my garden. These videos help me and inspire me!
You are so welcome!
I second that. I’m not a fan of raised beds, can’t say that I’ve ever had much success with them. Thanks for the nomination Alexandra, I’ll get thinking 🤔 👍🏼
I see you've done one already, so don't feel you have to. Just thought a shout-out would be nice.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden - it's very much appreciated, thank you. I'm happy to do another one, I've made plenty of mistakes this year !
The micro climate thing is so true. Where I live is so different than a mile down the road, or ten minutes away at my friends' house. It's such an interesting intracacy.
Thank you!
We is the name of your beautiful dog. Kisses to dog from Kate. X🥰🥰
Thank you! she is Lottie and I'll be introducing her and telling her story in the January garden tour, I think.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden
So looking forward to hearing all about her. Thank you. Kate. X
🌷🌿🌱🌿🌸ENJOYED 🌼🌿🌱🌿🌹
Thank you! and I would add emojis too, except I must admit that I don't know how to access them on desktop!
Really enjoy your channel, your subject's are always well explained.