So much to tell here. As last year came to a close and I was working in the garden, my thoughts turned to 2023. I began to consider how I was going to approach the garden logistically and labor wise. My biggest successes were from potted plants and greenhouse plants.
I attribute this to the fact that the weather last year was very unpredictable and at times, wetter than normal. When you have a garden you kind of expect that. But, at times, the weather was fierce. I tried to prepare the plants for the predicted storms, but it seemed that no matter what I tried, the storms were damaging.
So, when I thought about what plants did well, they were either in a pot or a grow bag. A lot of my in ground plants were either twisted and torn apart or they were snapped in half by gale force winds. And, if the winds weren't damaging enough, the heavy downpours associated with the storms left the ground soaked and the plants beaten down. This contributed to a bunch of yellow and dying plants.
The potted and bagged plants, however, seemed to flourish. There are many reasons they did. One was that I put up mini greenhouses which prevented wind damage. They also negated the soaked ground issue by being potted. There were 2 or 3 really bad storms where I put my potted plants in my greenhouse, garage and shed to augment the mini greenhouses. That was surprisingly successful.
I began to think that this year, I would grow all my plants in pots. I have more than enough pots to suit our needs. I have finally gotten to the point that I don't over plant. Over the last 2 years, I have accumulated around 200 pots of various sizes and materials by purchases, gifts and handouts. Yeah, I kind of over did it but, for the most part, they were all bargain priced. I can grow just about any plant I can think of thanks to this.
So, I am committed to a potted garden this year. This will be my biggest experiment and challenge in gardening. There is much to do but I have the luxury of being retired. It will be interesting to say the least. I hope you will follow as I travel this uncharted (for me) road. Until next time - Happy Gardening!
