A Confession: I’ve been a bad gardener. I have started beds and abandoned them at the first sign of infestation or disease. I have neglected to water or properly irrigate rows of plants, leaving them to the mercy of mother nature. She’s a cruel master that will sow every manner of pestilence and plague at my plants, negating all the time, effort, and money I’ve invested. It has always been easier to buy produce at the store or decorate with silk plants.

But year after year, I have been drawn to the idea that I should be growing my own vegetables. Every spring, I would spend time browsing the plants at the big box stores, buying a few plants, and feeling a sense of satisfaction as it grew. Then, inevitably, the plants would decline and I would lose interest.

When I began my own research, most of the information and techniques were not accurate for my particular growing zone. Most of the available information pertains to temperate zones, i.e. most of the United States, rather than the subtropical zone 9B where I reside. The techniques, plant varieties, and growing seasons are vastly different. I wasted a lot of time and money chasing the wrong solutions.

This year I began to take courses with the local county extension office. They have great courses on gardening techniques for your area, backed by up- to- date university research. The most important thing that I have learned is to research the care and common diseases/pests associated with each specific plant species. Armed with the correct knowledge, everyone can have a green thumb.

I’m becoming a better gardener. I’m excited to begin documenting my research and experiments. Please join me on the journey and remember to subscribe for updates.

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