Welcome to 2025, where the Gulf Coast's gardening adventures are as unpredictable as the weather forecast.
Whether you're a green-thumbed guru or a sprout-level beginner, this journal is here to …
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Welcome to 2025, where the Gulf Coast's gardening adventures are as unpredictable as the weather forecast.
Whether you're a green-thumbed guru or a sprout-level beginner, this journal is here to help you navigate the joys, challenges and occasional chaos of gardening on the Gulf Coast. Let's grow, glow and maybe throw in a few garden gnomes for good measure.
Reflecting on your garden doesn't have to feel like homework — it's a chance to celebrate your green thumb wins, laugh at the "oops" moments and dream big for next year.
Let's dig in (pun intended) and turn your garden reflection into a realistic productive adventure.
What rocked in your garden?
Start with a victory lap. What made you feel good in your garden this 2024 season?
Happy plants: Which plants thrived like they were born to be there? Did your tomatoes turn into jungle vines, or did your peppers keep you stocked for spicy salsa?
New tricks that worked: Did you try something new, like vertical gardening or mulching, and watch it pay off? Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for those genius ideas.
Surprise wins: Did a "meh, let's try it" experiment become a standout? Maybe those wildflower seeds you scattered turned into a bee party.
What tried to kill your gardening vibes in 2024?
Every garden has its grumbles. Think of this as your chance to rant, learn and laugh at the chaos.
Pesky pests: Did the aphids throw an all-you-can-eat buffet on your lettuce? Maybe squash borers had their own version of "Garden Wars." What worked (or didn't) to evict them?
Weather drama: Did Mother Nature throw a tantrum? Floods, heat waves, droughts — all three? How did you handle them? What worked and didn't? Which plants didn't care, and which ones were moodiest?
Plant flops: Who didn't pull their weight? Be honest — was it the broccoli that bolted faster than you could say "harvest" or the cucumbers that curled into question marks?
Water woes: Too much? Too little? Or maybe your sprinklers decided to water everything but the garden?
It's all part of the gardening adventure, so jot it down, shake it off and move on.
Improve soil health: Commit to adding compost, practicing crop rotation and testing your soil's pH and nutrient levels. Have you ever tested your soil? Probably not. Yes, I am calling you out. This is the year you do it!
Smarter plant choices: If something flopped, was it the wrong plant for your climate or just a diva that needed too much attention? Don't try it again for a few years if it gave you a headache in 2024. I always suggest trying to grow at least three new varieties you've never grown before but rotating things you didn't have great luck with every three years. Our weather and soil conditions change so frequently that some things need time.
Most important: don't hurt your ego trying every year to get no results. A happy garden is where you are able to harvest 50% of it. If you aren't meeting that number try new varieties!
Increase sustainability: Incorporate rainwater harvesting or start a compost bin. These are ways to also bring down your gardening bill but also make your plans more healthy for free.
Focus on perennials: Invest in long-term crops like fruit trees, berry bushes or perennial herbs.
Plan to attract more pollinators: Include more flowers and native plants that attract the beneficial native bugs in our ecosystem. More pollinators means more fruits and veggies you harvest.
Create a calendar: Schedule planting, pruning and harvesting times for each crop.
Budget: Plan for seeds, soil amendments, tools and any new infrastructure.
Start small: If trying new techniques or new plants, remind yourself that you don't need to spend $500 on that new irrigation system and can test it on a small scale first. You also don't need to start all 50 of those seeds that you've never tried to grow before. Seed start 10-15, and take into account half will not germinate/survive it, and, best case scenario, they all grow into a bountiful harvest. You do not want to take up space in your garden though with 40 vegetable plants you've never grown before but "had good reviews." Trust me!
Better layout: Optimize plant placement for sunlight, airflow and companion planting. Think about what parts of your garden seemed to scorch plants and which ones might have offered too much shade.
Seasonal successions: Plan for year-round harvests by planting in succession.
Pest management: Research natural pest deterrents and homemade sprays. Education on different bad bugs in our gardens are key. Read up and learn to identify them to better manage them in the future. Remember that on the Gulf Coast organic gardening is all about spraying before you see a bug! Preventive care is key.
More raised beds or containers: Increase growing space while improving drainage and soil quality. Did your ground garden not do so hot? Start smaller and then row larger. Setting realistic goals are key.
Add functional features: Consider trellises, drip irrigation or a landscape-quality plastic for weed control (not that cheap cloth stuff; it never works, so don't get discouraged).
Congratulations on making it through another year of gardening adventures. Everyone kills plants, even me! You've worked hard and earned the right to dream big for 2025. So, here's to more blooms, fewer weeds and understanding that all gardens have their highs and lows! Keep planting, keep dreaming, and let nature do its thing.
