Gardening: When You Don't Accomplish Your Goals

 

Fall is the best time to step back and evaluate your garden. Every year I start out with big goals and some happen and some don't. The 17 year Cicadas put a big hole in all my plans involving fruit trees. However, the veggie garden did well. Too well, in some cases. The point is, rarely do people achieve all of their goals for a particular year and if you're feeling bad about it, don't. It's normal. Life happens. I think when Covid first hit, many people (based on the number of fruit trees and shrubs that were sold out) had major ambitions for growing their own food. That's awesome until you give up under the weight of completely unrealistic expectations. 

So, not that it's (almost) October, take stock in what didn't get done. We didn't get a rain barrel hooked up this year. We didn't get a new collapsible cold frame. Why didn't your goals get done? Do you still feel they are important goals? What needs to happen to achieve them next year? For me, finances and time are the biggest obstacles. 

Gardening isn't about failures and mistakes - just learning opportunities. So don't feel down on yourself. Just take some time to rest, reevaluate and gear up for next year!

Dealing With Disappointment

 The Cicaida apocalypse of 2021 has been, by far, the most frustrating gardening experience I've ever

A horn worm, common source of tomato failure.

had. Thousands of flying bugs with red eyes landing on all my trees (and me whenever I would go outside) and sucking the life out of them has literally brought me to tears. Originally, I thought about writing a whole post on the experience but no one needs that in their life. Instead, I'd like to offer some encouragement to all of you for when you, inevitably, have your own garden disappointments. It all has to do with having a good perspective. 

First, be thankful we're not homesteaders from the 1800s. If they lost a crop, they didn't get any of that food to eat till the next year (assuming they had more seeds to work with). If they lost a fruit tree, they didn't get to eat any of that fruit till they had more trees established. We always have the option to go buy food at the store. Yes, it's really disappointing but we don't have to go without and we can try again soon.

Second, every gardener, no matter how experienced,  has had failures. It is impossible to have great success all the time. You're in good company. 

Weeds are another source of garden failure. 

Third, and yes this is so cliché, but all disappointments are learning experiences. What when wrong? What can you do next time to have better results? Many of my blog posts here are based on failures I've had in the past. Maybe next time you can improve the soil, plant at a different time, try a different type of seed, water more often, etc. 

Finally, and I'm such a hypocrite for writing this, but see it as an opportunity to let go of control. As much as I read and prepare and work, there was nothing I could do about the cicaidas. Sometimes big storms just come through. If you fight mother nature you'll lose every time. So accept the things you can't control and roll with it. 

Having a gardening failure doesn't mean you are a failure or that you don't have a green thumb. Just learn from the experience and try again. Next time might be your biggest success.