This is my third year of attempting gardening, and I think I'm finally getting somewhere! I found a lightweight sheer material to cover my garden boxes that seems to be enough protection to keep out the mice and deer, but still lets in rain and plenty of sunlight! It also drastically reduces damage from high speed winds and insects. My set up could still use a lot of work as I am currently securing the fabric to my garden boxes with tiny hair elastics, but I will continue to improve it in the coming years. For now enjoy these brief descriptions and photos of my gardening journey up to this point.
Year 1-The first time I attempted gardening was in 2022. I started small with some basil inside and some assorted leafy greens outside. It was a bit of a disaster. The basil did alright inside, however all my outdoor plants got chewed up by mice and then finished off by the deer before they really had a chance. I made the mistake of not running the chicken wire I had covered them with completely to the ground, so the deer somehow still found their way in, and I didn't even factor in the mice! Unfortunately the only photo I have from this years gardening attempt is the beginning of the basil.
Year 2- The second year I attempted gardening, my lovely neighbors allowed me to use their garden for the season as the were busy taking care of family elsewhere. The idea of using their garden was incredibly exciting to me; unfortunately I was not so enthusiastic about the end result. It all started out somewhat okay, their garden was set up for mounded rows rather than raised beds, so I spent many hours raking up the soil and sowing the seeds; only for nothing to grow taller than two inches. I'm still not quite sure why that happened. All the plants looked healthy, I was watering them regularly, and they were getting their correct amount of sunlight, but spring turned to summer and summer turned to fall, and all the plants stayed relatively the same size they were in June. My best guess is their stunted growth was a combination of starting them a little later then I should have, and the soil being too sandy for what I was growing. Please enjoy these photos of my poor plants that once again did not stand a chance.
Year 3 (This Year)- With this year still being in progress, there is no telling how this gardening season may end, although, I have high hopes. For now, please enjoy these photos of the early stages of my garden, and Miley hanging out in an empty garden box she is sure I built just for her.
