Sept. 20 Column: New Gardeners

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating. The one good thing about the pandemic has been the surge of interest in growing vegetables. Thank heavens for a silver lining, right? In my garden column today, I write about the challenges new gardeners have faced this year. You can read about this in The Spokesman-Review: New vegetable gardeners share triumphs and tribulations. (or you can read the text of my column under the video below)

I recently asked folks on Facebook to weigh in on how their first ever growing season. This column is a compilation of what I heard from them and my suggestions for next year’s garden.

As you can see by the photo above, I had some fun making an arrangement of vegetables. And then we ate the evidence, LOL.

For this week’s video, I had to shoot it indoors. That’s because of the horrible, smoky conditions  here in Spokane. I haven’t said much about this but the smoke rolled in here last Friday. It’s coming from all of the wildfires in Washington, Oregon and California. The air quality index went all the way up to 499 (on a scale of 1-500!). Needless to say, it’s important for us to stay inside. That has been difficult, because of all of the things I need to do out in the garden! But I’m behaving myself, so don’t you worry.

We’re supposed to get some rain this weekend and we’re all hoping that will knock down the smoke. Fingers crossed. So my video is shorter than usual but I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless:

New Gardeners garden column:

Did you grow your first vegetable garden this year? Well done! Even if you experienced some problems or frustrations, I hope there were plenty of positive aspects. That way, you’ll want to do it again next year.

I recently asked new gardeners on Facebook how they fared and received a lot of interesting replies. I want to emphasize that no gardener has ever had a “perfect” garden on their first try. Come to think of it, I’ve been growing veggies for ages. Yet I don’t think I’ve ever had everything go according to plan. Do I still love it? You bet.

Vegetable gardening is a learning experience. You build on that experience by repeating your successes and talking to others about the challenges you’ve encountered. Then make adjustments each year. It should feel satisfying to grow vegetables. If you ate a homegrown tomato for the first time, you know it was worth the effort right there.

What new gardeners had to say:

One new gardener realized he hadn’t spaced his plants properly which impacted their growth. It’s always a good idea to follow the spacing recommendations on seed packets or plant tags. When plants are crowded, they have to fight for sunlight, moisture and nutrients. Stressed plants are often targeted by bugs.

A lot of folks were frustrated that our cold, wet spring affected their plants’ production. That’s one of those things we can’t control but you might feel better knowing you weren’t alone. I should have waited a bit longer to plant my warm-season crops. Others mentioned they probably planted theirs a bit too soon as well. We should all wait until the danger of frost has passed. Remember to harden-off the seedlings before planting day. Do that by slowly acclimating them to outdoor temperatures and the intensity of the sunlight.

New gardeners had trouble finding supplies

New and experienced gardeners alike mentioned how difficult it was to find basic gardening supplies. While I know that was frustrating, it’s fantastic to have so many new gardeners. I’ve long maintained everyone should know how to grow their own food. A lot of folks began that journey this year. Most garden centers and online sources are back on track now.

I heard positive comments, too. One couple said their crops produced so well, they’re already sketching out next year’s garden and looking through seed catalogs. Now that is organized and I’m very impressed. Another person has appreciated the distraction that gardening has provided. “It has kept me centered and sane during these difficult times,” she said.

New gardeners encountered insect problems

Many people dealt with insect problems on their plants, which is always discouraging. The first step is to get them identified, then learn about organic solutions for controlling them. Experienced gardeners are great resources as are our local Master Gardener programs. Refer to the end my this column for ways to contact them.

A frequent frustration of new gardeners was that their gardens got out of control. That made it hard for them to keep up. Enthusiasm can cloud our judgment but it’s wise to start small and gain experience. Then you can get the hang of this thing called gardening. Above all, remember the gardener’s mantra: There’s always next year.

Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at Susan@susansinthegarden.com. Watch this week’s “Everyone Can Grow a Garden” video at youtube.com/susansinthegarden.

INFORMATION BOX: Master Gardener Programs

• Spokane County Master Gardeners: Contact via email at mgardener@spokanecounty.org or by phone at (509) 477-2181.
• Kootenai County Master Gardeners: Contact via email at volunteerimg@uidaho.edu or by phone at (208) 446-1680.