My First Gardening Adventure

My first gardening experience was a disaster. It began a few weeks after I moved into my first home and I thought it would be a good idea to start a fruit garden. However, I didn't understand the distinction between "dirt" and "soil" and was dealing with barren, hard, nutrient-deficient, and unforgiving terrain. I made some attempts to make my garden look nice, but even Martha Stewart would have struggled. I took some stained boards from my basement and used them as a garden border to keep out pests, and built a creepy shrine out of the rocks I had collected from the garden.

I have no idea what I was thinking when I did that. I went to the store the next day and bought whatever looked good, then watered it every day for several weeks before realizing it wasn't going to grow anything. Feeling dejected and betrayed, I went online and found a gardening guide that taught me the true skill required for gardening. I learned how to prepare the best soil, when to plant the seeds, how much to water, and how to grow fruits. I implore others to learn from my mistake and do a lot of research on the types of plants they're trying to grow, as well as the climate. Spend money on quality soil, fertilizer, and gardening tools.

I still remember my first gardening experience to this day. I didn't think I'd ever want to garden again after that disaster. I almost turned my casual hobby into the most enraged topic you could possibly bring up to me.

It began a few weeks after I moved into my first home. I was ecstatic just to have my own grass to mow after living in apartments and condos for so long. In between plans to paint the walls and renovate the interior to my liking, I thought it would be a good idea to start a fruit garden so that I could have some fresh produce and put my yard to good use. I knew absolutely nothing about gardening at the time. But, still in my brash youth, I decided I didn't need help. How difficult could it be to start a garden and grow things? After all, it happens all the time in nature and no one has to do anything about it.

I already had a grassless patch in my yard where the previous owner had attempted to grow a garden. Any attempt they made, however, was a complete failure. The area was overgrown with rocks and weeds, with no signs of any edible plants. I worked for several hours over several days to clear out the entire area, leaving nothing but dirt. However, I didn't understand the distinction between "dirt" and "soil" at the time. I was dealing with barren, hard, nutrient-deficient, and unforgiving terrain.

I made some attempts to make my garden look nice, but even Martha Stewart would have struggled. I took some stained boards from my basement (how convenient, right?) and used them as a garden border to keep out pests that couldn't jump more than a foot (I figured I would be safe from lawn gnomes). In front of it, I built a creepy shrine out of the rocks I had collected from the garden. I have no idea what I was thinking when I did that.

I went to the store the next day and bought whatever looked good.

Strawberries? Sure! Watermelon? Yeah! I hacked a hole in the rock-hard ground and inserted the seed. After that, I believe I watered it every day for several weeks before realizing it wasn't going to grow anything. Even after I realized this, I continued to water in the hopes that my seeds would sprout at the last minute. But I was heartbroken because I knew there was no hope. I had no fruit to show for all those hours of pulling weeds and tossing rocks into a pile.

So, feeling dejected and betrayed, I went online and searched for a gardening guide. I quickly came across a website that taught me the true skill required for gardening. It was then that I learned about soil consistency, nutrients, ideal watering conditions, seasons, and everything else. I knew exactly what to do after researching my area and how to grow fruits. I learned how to prepare the best soil, when to plant the seeds, how much to water, and so on. I was completely prepared for the next planting season after just one night of browsing the internet and printing off sources.

If you're in my situation and you're itching to start a new garden... I implore you to learn from my blunder. Make sure you do a lot of research on the types of plants you're trying to grow, as well as the climate. Spend money on quality soil, fertilizer, and gardening tools. Hopefully, you won't have to go through the emotional ordeal that I did.