I know this video is about gardening, but I couldn't help to think about how there are so many life lessons present. We ARE the plants in this world. If there is a problem with a plant, it's usually the soil (environment). Negative people (bad bugs) are going to be around so surround yourself with great people (good bugs). The weeds (bad times) in your life aren't always bad for us....they attract the bugs and birds (things and people) we need. With all that said, have patience as you grow and learn to enjoy your failures as you share them with people just like you. Then celebrate the success of others either way. I love this! Thank you Gardener Scott!
If you live pathologically, then you pathologicalize your society and if enough people do that it creates a hell. This was in reference to people who live nihilist existences.
Sin #6: I don't trust my seeds. Instead of planting 1-2 of them in each little hole I plant 3-4 seeds. And then I'm having a hard time choosing which little plant will live and which shall be sacrificed.
1)Soil is Key; 80% of all issues/success are due to soil. Soil = 40% Mineral; 25% Air; 25% Water; 5% Organic matter (Test your soil for mineral content.) 2) Bugs happen. Don't kill them, attract the good bugs instead. 3) Weeds will win. Learn to control them with MULCH; don't give up. 4) Patience is a virtue. Plants take time to. grow. 5) Learn from your failures; Share failures with fellow-gardeners. DO NOT USE CHEMICALS FOR ANY ISSUES!
What a wonderful experience listening to your videos Gardener Scott!! You explain things so clearly without talking down at us newbies; you speak with so much passion and understanding of gardening that it makes me want to go out and get started immediately. But am just starting my compost pile while waiting to build my raised bed. I moved to the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa a year ago and unfortunately we're on solid bedrock you cant make a 10cm hole without an excavator LOL it's that bad. We have vast citrus Macadamia nut and avocado farms surrounding us and everything seems to flourish even though it's largely orange clay soil covering the rock. So I'm doing lots of research to try and get the best soil mix possible but there's so much information out there. Please tell me, does Bokashi have any benefits as a compost additive? I'm reluctant to use chemical fertilizers but will have to use it if there's no other option. I firmly believe in Bone Meal (my dad had a marvellous garden always and this was his regular go-to) I don't know if this is correct but his results were good. I'm sorry this is so long but I'm a lady of 63, my brother is 70 and I so much want our veg patch (14m x 2m) to be a success, just to see his pleasure. He still works a six day week as a welder boilermaker repairing earth moving machinery and making frames for the most beautiful exotic wood tables but gratefully the co. is letting him retire in Dec and we shall hopefully have immeasurable joy from watching our garden grow. He hasn't had the time over the last 14 yrs but I do now. Three weeks ago we planted four young fig trees and we couldn't believe it when we saw the first three tiny figs forming on Kadota cultivar!! It was leap in the air kind of joy truly. I'm going to watch your 'Make Great Soil' video now; thank you so much for your presence on TH-cam and for your kind and patient knowledge you're sharing with us. Blessings and love from SA! Felicity and Alan.
If we have never killed a plant, we have never tried to grow one. Old timers like me realize we are trying to conduct a symphony, making everyone play nice together, but sometimes we hear a sour note. Just keep on playing. Great video.
Elbert, right on. I had family stay with us two weekends in a row. Talk about sour notes, we had a few. I've come to the conclusion that I can accept and work with the good and the bad. I love them all.
Gardener Scott Thank you so much. I'm a new gardener of 57 who values your wisdom and experience and I needed to hear these words today. More than you know, but I'm sure you can imagine. So I got knocked down again ( compost failure) turns out copperheads loved my compost pile of leaves. On to plan B. What I'm saying is one failure after another can hurt your feelings but to keep going and find what works for you, priceless!!! I'm sure the fruit will be sweeter when I get there, No, I know it will!!! Relax except and learn. Because when your green there is room to grow. Well that's what I took from this video, so Thank you again! Sincerely, Cathy
Hey Gardener Scott! The most successful gardener in our family was my grandfather who has long since passed. I am so glad I saw this video because I hear a lot of his wisdom in your words of advice. As a new gardener I pride myself on not giving up after one season and hope to one day be as confident in my own garden in Queensland as you are in Colorado (I have visited Colorado Springs multiple times and remember with fondness seeing a painting by Arthur Dove entitled "Fog Horns" in the Fine Arts Center. Cheers!
I ask my mowing man to leave big patches of the weeds in my lawn for the bees and ladybugs etc especially the dandelions and the tiny native wildflowers. He thinks I'm crazy but I'm not. 🤪
Decades later I finally understood that the soil is alive. As guardians, it is our job to feed and nourish this magical stuff. Look at the rewards. Very nice video.
Probably why I never had a problem with gardening, from the first year. I knew about compost and quickly learned about beneficial insects. That prepared me for *&$ last year when I started a no-till veggie garden from scratch and had to deal with all the pests from wireworms to deer and everything in between. Luckily after 15 years of decent gardening I was almost prepared for the heartbreak. Next year I'll get a fence to keep the damn deer out. They are still frustrated by the netting and frost blankets I'm currently using. Haven't figured out how to foil those, but the damn voles were certainly happy in there.
@@marshwetland3808 Crop protection is number one priority. I have an endless hoard of predators, bed scratchers, heap diggers, garbage spreaders, hole chewers, angry biters, venomous serpents, and a zillion bugs.
Of course you can start gardening or continue gardening at an advanced age! You just have to dream a bit smaller and make some concessions perhaps. Garden smarter, not harder. I´m 72, a cancer survivor with some mobility issues due to the chemo, but I am strong, healthier and definitely happy because I can exercise in and enjoy my flower, fruit and vegetable garden. I just accept what I can and can´t do, go about things a bit slower than I used to, pace myself and take time to "just relax and sit a spell". I started gardening in my 20s and will continue until I drop, hopefully next to my favorite climbing rose :-)!
You might have to start smaller. Get some raised beds containers. And grow what you like. Get some help to get something set up that you can manage. Get help with maintenance.
I can so relate. I did so many things that weren’t helpful or productive, like not covering my soil in winter. I love your channel. You are so helpful!
Grew up in central California. Never used any soil amendment. Now I live in blue ridge mountains in north Carolina. Having to rethink all my techniques. Just have fun with it😃
Interesting. I live on the gulf coast, and growing up the only gardening books I saw were for gardens much further north. One day it hit me as I was reading a seed packet that said, “Direct sow after last chance of frost.” and realized we don’t even have any frost most years! Once I understood the importance of soil, zone, weather my “luck” improved greatly!
I love your messages, Gardener Scott. You have an amazing and positive message about gardening. I've just this year made MY very first garden. I have been around gardens most of my life. My grandmother had a HUGE garden. My dad and stepmom had a nice large garden. And I helped them with their gardens. I didn't know how much I'd absorbed of their knowledge, but I'm not so foolish to think I know it all. I searched online for guidance and found you. We now have a lovely raised bed garden. This year I planted summer squash, zucchini, corn, watermelon, green and purple beans, mini butternut squash, cherry tomatoes, beef steak and Cherokee purple tomatoes, sweet potato, sweet red bell peppers, green onion (WOW those little things are potent!!!), carrots and purple carrots, beets, radishes, thyme, basil, dill, and mixed lettuce. I have learned so much this year. I have learned that some things need more room than I gave them (zucchini, squash) and I've learned there is a reason my parents and grandma made mounds and rows, and I've learned to be more patient for things to sprout. I was worried that I'd done something wrong, but boy was I wrong. My garden by the end of this growing season was nuts!!! Next year will be more organized, and easier to harvest from. Boy those zucchinis are hiding genius'!
Thank you Scott! Your video (and voice) has had a calming effect on me. I've taken to farming 3 years ago at age 52, and have been facing exactly what you were talking about. Now i feel more hopeful than ever with your 5 amazing tips.
First of all, thanks for the informational videos. You have about 5 different videos from mistakes to myths when gardening. Unfortunately, I have had to learn the hard way on many of these issues. Like following advice that is not right for my situation. This is important when amending soil. Trying to grow stuff that will not do well in my zone. Not to mention over and under watering/fertilizing. How does that old saying go? If at first you don't succeed, sky diving is not for you.
Great advices. However imo the No.1 is don’t wait for the perfect timing or soil or best knowledge or anything, just start first, plant whatever you want, and learn from what you get.
"Weeds happen." This can't be stressed enough. I made peace with the weeds in my lawn long ago and only look to be sure garden weeds aren't interfering with my vegs. It beats spraying weed killers near me and on my food. (Tomato horn worms are an exception but they get hand picked and drowned!)
One big key to decrease weeds is to not ever let them go to seed !! If you spend a few years doing “no till”, tilling turns up new seeds that will now germinate, and keep weeds from going to seed, you will win the battle......not the war but the battle :)) I also learned about which weeds are edible, dandelion and purslane are two of my favorite. Very nutritious, no work or cost and very good....free food !! Happy gardening !!!
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 I also have just found so many "weeds" in and around our yard are edible and medicinal. I love that and look at them in a different way. I like the saying "grow food, not grass".
Very sound advice, I knowing most of these things being on such a low budget, usually workaround things like poor soil and at times I have found pulling weeds very cathartic, also I don't mind waiting for my garden, even though it won't wait for me, it's always a challenge and I never get bored, but I can only do so much.
Love your attitude, your calm, your smarts, and your honesty. I feel like I'm talking with someone with a lot of experience and, like me, has learned valuable lessons.
New sub. New to raised beds. Thank you for your content. Binge watching. I’m sure I will have questions for you as time goes on, I see you respond to your viewers, I’m glad for that. I’ll try not to drive you crazy lol. We just lost our elder so I will be utilizing your wisdom. Thanks so much.
This spring, I planted zucchini, cucumber, and okra. The bugs decimated my cucumbers and squash, but my okra is going strong. Now, I'm going to try a few fall/winter plants: brussel sprouts, Kale, radishes, jalopenos, and Beets. I hope to have success. Soil prep is huge and I'm not sure how exactly, but mixed topsoil, compost, manure, and mulch all together and filled up my raised bed. I'm thinking of getting a soil ph tester to better prepare. I'm learning still.
I have one more to add. It is ADDICTIVE! And if it ever gets in your blood you can't help yourself. After CHRISTMAS and the trimmings are put away, those thoughts start to creep in. You find yourself checking out seed catalogs, thinking of soil amendments or changing the layout of your plants for better use of sun and rain. I can't help myself. This time of year I just have a need to scratch in the dirt.
Thank goodness that you make these videos! As a fairly new gardener (previous to this year I only grew succulents and potatoes!) it’s good to know others make the same mistakes and how best to fix. Good in good out!! Bug’s definitely happen🤣🤣🤣
I have trouble with composting outdoors. Temperate rainforest zone, soggy almost every month. I decided to get compost year round, using worms that are naturally here, red wigglers. I keep the bins indoors, feed scraps from kitchen (except dairy, meat and acidic foods, onions citrus, garlic). The compost doesn't smell except for a nice "earthy" smell. It's cheap, easier than turning compost piles, and it doesn't get soggy unless I make it soggy.
I am no expert but have been using cardboard and mulch for 5 years ish. Really keeps in the moisture, attracts lots of beneficial bugs and wipes out weeds..layer: mulch on top, cardboard, soaker hose under.
$0 budget gardening with very bad soil. i have just watched ur hugelkultur vid and im hopeful now ... a shovel and some hard wrk ... and im on my way ;)
Your pointing out something that applies to any endeavor. Research before beginning. As I write, your hitting on exactly what the basics are but often people jump in thinking if you have dirt, water and seed that's all needed. Now we have internet and massive input from so many people it's overkill and proppe can wonder what is of help and what isn't. This is a good video. Take this advise and consider your climate may differ from those your viewing. There is always a learning process, it never ends and weather conditions change you need to adapt to. Cattle panels with plastic or shade tarps are of great uses. Take notes, pay attention and learn from failures. Elevated beds can not only be back savers but provide better pest control and drainage. If all you have is hard or clay soil get some sand, manure and till it in but a couple inches of manure only and not fresh. Farms are usually willing to sell a dump truck of manure, sand is obtainable from concrete companies and great for carrots but I can't put everything in here and do not over use sand but enough to help break up hard soil after tilling.
This is not just another "5 things I wish I knew", it is important, distilled wisdom. I knew most of these, but I forgot I know them. Thanks for the reminder!
Wise words mate. I’m always amazed at how good wasps are at controlling pests. A few years ago I had an infestation of flea beetles on beat spinach. I held off spraying and the wasps picked every last one!
I think one of the best things to do, is to start your plants indoors while canning food, and listening to Bach. The humidity, and the perfect temperature in the home, helps these plants really grow, and the music helps them feel happy.😉
I too have grown to love weeding. I set a schedule for each area of my landscape/garden and when it pops up on my to do list for the week I go out and put on a good audio book and get to work. I have used weeding to read dozens and dozens of books about everything from gardening to stock trading and a few good star wars books.
Building my first raised vegetable garden now to plant all sorts of veggies. Can you please tell me what to fill it with that will give me the best results (as far as soil, compost, mulch, ect). If you could recommend items that I could buy at a store like Home depot, that would be great. Thank you!
What I love about gardening is everything it teaches yo, like what you have just laid out is applicable to life. We can learn much about life by observing the garden.
Patience is not my strong suit. But I learned my lesson this year when I put my peppers in ground on the date suggested but ignored the actual temperature outside. It was still too cold and those peppers were badly stunted.
I've worked in tomato breeding as a trainee. And thanks to that work I realized that when you're experimenting, failure is always an option. And I also learned at horticultural school that when you're growing something then you better count in your expected losses right at the start. For example, when you want to grow 100 flowers then go on and expect 20% of them to fail to even germinate. And do look back and remember how far you've come already. I started my garden journey last year. We could only grow tomatoes in pots because we just didn't have any beds prepared for anything else yet. But this year we have beds ready, we already have tomatoes and herbs in the greenhouse and cucumbers ready to be planted, too; we even have our little nursery now. As long as you keep going, you'll get there.
I've been a what I call a sporadic gardener but have carried a love for it since I was very young and in 4-H in northern Minnesota. Now that I'm retired, I want to grow as much of my own food as I can, so I have LOTS to learn! Love your channel and have learned so much already! Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge!
Thanks. Tiny is a good way to start so you can focus your efforts. It does mean than failures can be devastating, but it also means the successes will shine. Just enjoy it and that in itself is a success.
The gardener whisperer strikes again! LOL thank I felt my regular anxiety going down that had nothing to do with gardening! LOL hahahaa you are awesome. Thank you!
The best thing about learning how to garden and solve problems today is TH-cam! It's so easy to find answers now. I don't know how the old timers did it.
This could very well be a video about life in general! 1.) Cultivate good soil. 2.) Expect and accept problems and failure. 3.) Use problems to your advantage! 4.) Have patience. Great video, Gardener Scott! Thanks for the great sermon...er, I mean the helpful gardening hints!
Love your channel! Just stumbled upon it and I’m hooked. Thank you for being a wealth of knowledge. Your videos are amazing - the most calming voice, clear concise information and great advice!!
Well I sure learned alot here.my failer was that I planted all my okras in a cluster group next year I promise to read the package and do them right.lol
I love watching your videos Gardener Scott. This video has inspired me to continue to enjoy gardening. I grow boysenberries (which is not a very common fruit), and I remember it took almost 2 years for them to grow I had to learn that patience is key. I also experienced failure but then was told that it happens and I did not let that stop me! And even though there’ll be weeds, I use them to make a stinky weed tea fertilizer and I was amazed by the results of that liquid fertilizer! I never even used pesticides with chemicals in them. I always made my own. And the rest of the facts you mentioned in this video 100% make sense and makes very excited to continue enjoying gardening in the future! And I hope to continue growing boysenberries in the future!
The gardener's mantra----NEXT Year! It's why we live FOREVER.....because we're waiting for that perfect year. Loved the video. I've also gardened for 30 years and I love it more every year. Greatest joy there is.
I need that. So far I’m on year two of gardening. I’m already doing a lot better, but I’ve already made some mistakes. But I can definitely see my progress. I just gotta keep at it.
77 people hit the thumbs down button? Apparently there are 77 people that "know it all" and think they can have a weed free garden with apple trees that fruit the year you plant them, and likely missed the entire point of this video. So to those 77 of you, for your own sake I hope you learn patience, and become wise enough to know that all knowledge has value. Thanks for the great video as usual, patience is my key struggle. This was a great reminder to enjoy the fruits of my labor over time, and not focus on instant gratification.
Totally agree. One of the things that make gardening so enjoyable is that there are a lot of ways to fail. It's not easy, but all of those ways that one can fail are manageable. It's fun to learn how to be better and to do better. The reward is food! Do this difficult task and you will be rewarded with food that didn't exist until you wanted it to...Pretty cool.
Thank you so much for another great video! I have just retired and sold my flat in the city (Montpellier, France). At last I'm going to have a garden :) Been watching your super videos for a couple of months now & can't wait to get stuck in! Thanks again!
Will start my 1st garden this coming spring. Thoroughly enjoyed your video. Not really sure if I have the temperament for gardening, but I’m going to give it my best effort. Anticipate referencing your videos quite frequently.
Thanks, Tim. I have many videos to review so I hope you enjoy the others too. I find that when you start gardening and stick with it, the temperament just happens naturally. Enjoy it.
Thank you for this video. Most gardening channels make it look so easy, they show the successes and bountiful harvests which makes new gardeners feel like losers when they can't replicate what they researched. I suspect that many gardeners use commercial fertilizers and have more help than they admit. For those of us that don't have acres, irrigation systems and grow rooms, the story is quite different.
Greetings from Connecticut Gardner Scott! Thank you for another awesome video. I’ve got a small garden approximately 400 ft.² that I’ve pretty much done the same thing with for 20 maybe 25 years. This year something changed with the help of your videos. I planted my first fall garden and added a garlic and shallot bed that I m really excited about. Next year will be all organic and heirloom and I’m more enthusiastic than ever. Thank you very much for so freely sharing so much of your knowledge. I’ll be studying and looking forward to more great videos. Sincerely grateful, Dale
Are you doing more video .new garden. I looked online. When's the last frost datte on. Average in Ontario. May 23-24 I have 161 days to growing. Season Thank you for explaining. . The knowledge what to look for. And first frost date on average between November 1st-10 thankyou.. Birds all my Pest Control they eat all the grubs. What it rains so . I guess I can say. I grow a hundred percent organic. With no chemicals.
Great tips Scott! I'm still a fairly new gardener, and all of these points are right on the mark. I'm pretty sure I've thought or considered all of this ;) And you gave a great message: "Don't give up!"
I know this video is about gardening, but I couldn't help to think about how there are so many life lessons present. We ARE the plants in this world. If there is a problem with a plant, it's usually the soil (environment). Negative people (bad bugs) are going to be around so surround yourself with great people (good bugs). The weeds (bad times) in your life aren't always bad for us....they attract the bugs and birds (things and people) we need. With all that said, have patience as you grow and learn to enjoy your failures as you share them with people just like you. Then celebrate the success of others either way. I love this! Thank you Gardener Scott!
This comment is great! These videos are too. I feel like I’ve found my people!
That's pretty good bro. I wish more people thought that we should all lift each other up. More on this later.
If you live pathologically, then you pathologicalize your society and if enough people do that it creates a hell. This was in reference to people who live nihilist existences.
What a great way to explain life.
Sin #6: I don't trust my seeds. Instead of planting 1-2 of them in each little hole I plant 3-4 seeds. And then I'm having a hard time choosing which little plant will live and which shall be sacrificed.
I learned that too. I now plant 2 per pot unless the seed is really old, then I plant 3 to 4.
I have a hard time with that thinking because I want them all to live and it seems like a waste of seeds.
1)Soil is Key; 80% of all issues/success are due to soil.
Soil = 40% Mineral; 25% Air; 25% Water; 5% Organic matter
(Test your soil for mineral content.)
2) Bugs happen. Don't kill them, attract the good bugs instead.
3) Weeds will win. Learn to control them with MULCH; don't give up.
4) Patience is a virtue. Plants take time to. grow.
5) Learn from your failures; Share failures with fellow-gardeners.
DO NOT USE CHEMICALS FOR ANY ISSUES!
Good synopsis.
thank you! :)
How do you find the proper balance???
How do you measure the amount of air in the soil?
5% Sweat, or tears.
This is actually pretty good advice for life in general.
This could be a life coach speech heavily laden with garden metaphors!
I agree; listening to him makes you not only a better gardener, but also better in life general!!
Thank you sir, for sharing your experience 👌
What a wonderful experience listening to your videos Gardener Scott!! You explain things so clearly without talking down at us newbies; you speak with so much passion and understanding of gardening that it makes me want to go out and get started immediately. But am just starting my compost pile while waiting to build my raised bed. I moved to the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa a year ago and unfortunately we're on solid bedrock you cant make a 10cm hole without an excavator LOL it's that bad. We have vast citrus Macadamia nut and avocado farms surrounding us and everything seems to flourish even though it's largely orange clay soil covering the rock. So I'm doing lots of research to try and get the best soil mix possible but there's so much information out there. Please tell me, does Bokashi have any benefits as a compost additive? I'm reluctant to use chemical fertilizers but will have to use it if there's no other option. I firmly believe in Bone Meal (my dad had a marvellous garden always and this was his regular go-to) I don't know if this is correct but his results were good. I'm sorry this is so long but I'm a lady of 63, my brother is 70 and I so much want our veg patch (14m x 2m) to be a success, just to see his pleasure. He still works a six day week as a welder boilermaker repairing earth moving machinery and making frames for the most beautiful exotic wood tables but gratefully the co. is letting him retire in Dec and we shall hopefully have immeasurable joy from watching our garden grow. He hasn't had the time over the last 14 yrs but I do now. Three weeks ago we planted four young fig trees and we couldn't believe it when we saw the first three tiny figs forming on Kadota cultivar!! It was leap in the air kind of joy truly. I'm going to watch your 'Make Great Soil' video now; thank you so much for your presence on TH-cam and for your kind and patient knowledge you're sharing with us. Blessings and love from SA! Felicity and Alan.
Agreed.
I agree.
But, all my favorite TH-cam gardeners are like that. I think the garden is a metaphor for life and the best garden teachers show that well!!!
Thumbs up if you love the dog trying to get in on the video, so cute!!!
Thanks. She likes to be involved. 🙂
If we have never killed a plant, we have never tried to grow one. Old timers like me realize we are trying to conduct a symphony, making everyone play nice together, but sometimes we hear a sour note. Just keep on playing. Great video.
Thanks, Elbert. The symphony analogy is spot on.
Elbert, right on. I had family stay with us two weekends in a row. Talk about sour notes, we had a few. I've come to the conclusion that I can accept and work with the good and the bad. I love them all.
Beautifully said
Thanks for your thoughts couldn't have said it better myself happy gardening
Gardener Scott Thank you so much. I'm a new gardener of 57 who values your wisdom and experience and I needed to hear these words today. More than you know, but I'm sure you can imagine. So I got knocked down again ( compost failure) turns out copperheads loved my compost pile of leaves. On to plan B. What I'm saying is one failure after another can hurt your feelings but to keep going and find what works for you, priceless!!! I'm sure the fruit will be sweeter when I get there, No, I know it will!!! Relax except and learn. Because when your green there is room to grow. Well that's what I took from this video, so Thank you again! Sincerely, Cathy
Agree with you. I look at failures as a challenge to get it right next time.
His words are so soothing, even the dog went sleep, lol.
This is actually pretty good advice for life in general.
My favourite quote: "Feed the soil, not the plants. The plants will look after themselves."
I like that quote too. Thanks.
@@GardenerScott you should check out Back to Eden Gardening channel name L2Survive .
I
Let food be thy medicine...
I am learning gardening and English. Excellent tips. Thank you Scott ! Rom from France
You are welcome. Thank you, Rom.
Hey Gardener Scott! The most successful gardener in our family was my grandfather who has long since passed. I am so glad I saw this video because I hear a lot of his wisdom in your words of advice. As a new gardener I pride myself on not giving up after one season and hope to one day be as confident in my own garden in Queensland as you are in Colorado (I have visited Colorado Springs multiple times and remember with fondness seeing a painting by Arthur Dove entitled "Fog Horns" in the Fine Arts Center. Cheers!
I ask my mowing man to leave big patches of the weeds in my lawn for the bees and ladybugs etc especially the dandelions and the tiny native wildflowers. He thinks I'm crazy but I'm not. 🤪
Decades later I finally understood that the soil is alive. As guardians, it is our job to feed and nourish this magical stuff. Look at the rewards. Very nice video.
Thanks. It may have taken awhile, but it's important that you know now.
I'm trying to consider and educate myself as someone who primarily grows soil. Everything else can be built up from that.
Probably why I never had a problem with gardening, from the first year. I knew about compost and quickly learned about beneficial insects. That prepared me for *&$ last year when I started a no-till veggie garden from scratch and had to deal with all the pests from wireworms to deer and everything in between. Luckily after 15 years of decent gardening I was almost prepared for the heartbreak. Next year I'll get a fence to keep the damn deer out. They are still frustrated by the netting and frost blankets I'm currently using. Haven't figured out how to foil those, but the damn voles were certainly happy in there.
@@marshwetland3808 Crop protection is number one priority. I have an endless hoard of predators, bed scratchers, heap diggers, garbage spreaders, hole chewers, angry biters, venomous serpents, and a zillion bugs.
@@dystopiagear6999 absolutely!
My lesson: Don't start gardening when you are 70. Then patience is a problem. But I still enjoy it.
Of course you can start gardening or continue gardening at an advanced age! You just have to dream a bit smaller and make some concessions perhaps. Garden smarter, not harder. I´m 72, a cancer survivor with some mobility issues due to the chemo, but I am strong, healthier and definitely happy because I can exercise in and enjoy my flower, fruit and vegetable garden. I just accept what I can and can´t do, go about things a bit slower than I used to, pace myself and take time to "just relax and sit a spell". I started gardening in my 20s and will continue until I drop, hopefully next to my favorite climbing rose :-)!
You might have to start smaller. Get some raised beds containers. And grow what you like. Get some help to get something set up that you can manage. Get help with maintenance.
I am starting at age 60!
start at ant age! It is a beautiful hobby, that gets you in touch with mother nature.
@@beatricekarbaumer-jones6514 you can just raise your beds a bit higher
I can so relate. I did so many things that weren’t helpful or productive, like not covering my soil in winter. I love your channel. You are so helpful!
Grew up in central California. Never used any soil amendment. Now I live in blue ridge mountains in north Carolina. Having to rethink all my techniques. Just have fun with it😃
Interesting. I live on the gulf coast, and growing up the only gardening books I saw were for gardens much further north.
One day it hit me as I was reading a seed packet that said, “Direct sow after last chance of frost.” and realized we don’t even have any frost most years!
Once I understood the importance of soil, zone, weather my “luck” improved greatly!
The Bob Ross of gardening. Love your positive vibes man
Damn this can be translated directly to life much love happy plants❤️
I agree. Happy plants to you. 🙂
Yeah grt rid of one idiot in government and another one comes along
Came here for gardening tips, came away with a philosophy lesson.
patience, yea, you definitely have to wait for asparagus!
I love your messages, Gardener Scott. You have an amazing and positive message about gardening. I've just this year made MY very first garden. I have been around gardens most of my life. My grandmother had a HUGE garden. My dad and stepmom had a nice large garden. And I helped them with their gardens. I didn't know how much I'd absorbed of their knowledge, but I'm not so foolish to think I know it all. I searched online for guidance and found you. We now have a lovely raised bed garden. This year I planted summer squash, zucchini, corn, watermelon, green and purple beans, mini butternut squash, cherry tomatoes, beef steak and Cherokee purple tomatoes, sweet potato, sweet red bell peppers, green onion (WOW those little things are potent!!!), carrots and purple carrots, beets, radishes, thyme, basil, dill, and mixed lettuce. I have learned so much this year. I have learned that some things need more room than I gave them (zucchini, squash) and I've learned there is a reason my parents and grandma made mounds and rows, and I've learned to be more patient for things to sprout. I was worried that I'd done something wrong, but boy was I wrong. My garden by the end of this growing season was nuts!!! Next year will be more organized, and easier to harvest from. Boy those zucchinis are hiding genius'!
Being a new gardener, this video is so helpful! Thank you! Actually these 5 points are good advise for life in general!
I'm so glad it was helpful. I agree with you... the lessons of gardening can be helpful in life.
Thanks For Your Informative Videos.
Thank you Scott! Your video (and voice) has had a calming effect on me. I've taken to farming 3 years ago at age 52, and have been facing exactly what you were talking about. Now i feel more hopeful than ever with your 5 amazing tips.
Thank you, Pete. Glad I could help.
First of all, thanks for the informational videos. You have about 5 different videos from mistakes to myths when gardening. Unfortunately, I have had to learn the hard way on many of these issues. Like following advice that is not right for my situation. This is important when amending soil. Trying to grow stuff that will not do well in my zone. Not to mention over and under watering/fertilizing. How does that old saying go? If at first you don't succeed, sky diving is not for you.
Great advices. However imo the No.1 is don’t wait for the perfect timing or soil or best knowledge or anything, just start first, plant whatever you want, and learn from what you get.
Nice to see your dog in the video!! He looks very content! Right now I love my strawberries.. easiest thing to grow. Starting garlic in fall.
"Weeds happen." This can't be stressed enough. I made peace with the weeds in my lawn long ago and only look to be sure garden weeds aren't interfering with my vegs. It beats spraying weed killers near me and on my food. (Tomato horn worms are an exception but they get hand picked and drowned!)
Thanks. I like to practice live and let live in the garden... except for horn worms.
I have seen horn worms so big you need to tackle then with a whip and a stool!
Food for the birds?
One big key to decrease weeds is to not ever let them go to seed !!
If you spend a few years doing “no till”, tilling turns up new seeds that will now germinate, and keep weeds from going to seed, you will win the battle......not the war but the battle :))
I also learned about which weeds are edible, dandelion and purslane are two of my favorite. Very nutritious, no work or cost and very good....free food !!
Happy gardening !!!
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 I also have just found so many "weeds" in and around our yard are edible and medicinal. I love that and look at them in a different way. I like the saying "grow food, not grass".
You are the Bob Ross of gardening.
Very sound advice, I knowing most of these things being on such a low budget, usually workaround things like poor soil and at times I have found pulling weeds very cathartic, also I don't mind waiting for my garden, even though it won't wait for me, it's always a challenge and I never get bored, but I can only do so much.
Thanks. Keep enjoying what you do.
This was a surprisingly deep video.
Love your attitude, your calm, your smarts, and your honesty. I feel like I'm talking with someone with a lot of experience and, like me, has learned valuable lessons.
"Gardeners have grand visions"
YUP.
Trying to balance visions vs reality during a pandemic...
(Me to myself) "shouldve started 10yrs ago"
The best time may have been 10 years ago, but the second best time is today.
Thank you so much for your kindness to share your knowledges !!! God bless you and your family !
I have a 97 yr old GPaw and his gardening advice is invaluable! What an amazing resource! ❤️❤️❤️🌺🌷
New sub. New to raised beds. Thank you for your content. Binge watching. I’m sure I will have questions for you as time goes on, I see you respond to your viewers, I’m glad for that. I’ll try not to drive you crazy lol. We just lost our elder so I will be utilizing your wisdom. Thanks so much.
Welcome aboard! Feel free to ask questions when you want.
I'm binge watching too! Scott is amazing! He's got me so excited to garden again...this time doing it better!!!
This spring, I planted zucchini, cucumber, and okra. The bugs decimated my cucumbers and squash, but my okra is going strong. Now, I'm going to try a few fall/winter plants: brussel sprouts, Kale, radishes, jalopenos, and Beets. I hope to have success. Soil prep is huge and I'm not sure how exactly, but mixed topsoil, compost, manure, and mulch all together and filled up my raised bed. I'm thinking of getting a soil ph tester to better prepare. I'm learning still.
I have one more to add. It is ADDICTIVE! And if it ever gets in your blood you can't help yourself. After CHRISTMAS and the trimmings are put away, those thoughts start to creep in. You find yourself checking out seed catalogs, thinking of soil amendments or changing the layout of your plants for better use of sun and rain. I can't help myself. This time of year I just have a need to scratch in the dirt.
Thank goodness that you make these videos! As a fairly new gardener (previous to this year I only grew succulents and potatoes!) it’s good to know others make the same mistakes and how best to fix. Good in good out!! Bug’s definitely happen🤣🤣🤣
I have trouble with composting outdoors. Temperate rainforest zone, soggy almost every month. I decided to get compost year round, using worms that are naturally here, red wigglers. I keep the bins indoors, feed scraps from kitchen (except dairy, meat and acidic foods, onions citrus, garlic). The compost doesn't smell except for a nice "earthy" smell. It's cheap, easier than turning compost piles, and it doesn't get soggy unless I make it soggy.
this is my second year and I'm still learning. I will not give up. thank you for the info
That's the way to approach it. Enjoy!
One of the best videos I’ve seen in awhile Gardener Scott! Simple important information to make better gardening! I will share. Thanks for posting. 🌲
Thank you, Stan.
@@GardenerScott 1 thing you have to learn .... Biochar only works the first year .... Tests made by university in belgium has proven that ....
I am no expert but have been using cardboard and mulch for 5 years ish. Really keeps in the moisture, attracts lots of beneficial bugs and wipes out weeds..layer: mulch on top, cardboard, soaker hose under.
$0 budget gardening with very bad soil. i have just watched ur hugelkultur vid and im hopeful now ...
a shovel and some hard wrk ... and im on my way ;)
Your pointing out something that applies to any endeavor. Research before beginning. As I write, your hitting on exactly what the basics are but often people jump in thinking if you have dirt, water and seed that's all needed. Now we have internet and massive input from so many people it's overkill and proppe can wonder what is of help and what isn't. This is a good video. Take this advise and consider your climate may differ from those your viewing. There is always a learning process, it never ends and weather conditions change you need to adapt to. Cattle panels with plastic or shade tarps are of great uses. Take notes, pay attention and learn from failures. Elevated beds can not only be back savers but provide better pest control and drainage. If all you have is hard or clay soil get some sand, manure and till it in but a couple inches of manure only and not fresh. Farms are usually willing to sell a dump truck of manure, sand is obtainable from concrete companies and great for carrots but I can't put everything in here and do not over use sand but enough to help break up hard soil after tilling.
The dog napping makes this video 1000% better, thank you :)
This is not just another "5 things I wish I knew", it is important, distilled wisdom. I knew most of these, but I forgot I know them. Thanks for the reminder!
Wise words mate. I’m always amazed at how good wasps are at controlling pests. A few years ago I had an infestation of flea beetles on beat spinach. I held off spraying and the wasps picked every last one!
where can i hire an army of good bugs lol.?
From upstate N.Y. Soil there is so rich, you dont have to anything and always get a bumper crop. I think it because of the glacier history
Mr Scott your videos are so helpful and i can’t stop watching to it! THANK YOU !
I think one of the best things to do, is to start your plants indoors while canning food, and listening to Bach. The humidity, and the perfect temperature in the home, helps these plants really grow, and the music helps them feel happy.😉
Great message Gardner Scott. I got my Gardner Scott t-shirt and love it! Thank you. Have a great day sir 😊
G00D Morning from Auckland, New Zealand it’s Tuesday, 26 May 2020.
Thank you. This is the first video I’ve ever seen laying out these important truths. Great content. Thank you sir
I too have grown to love weeding. I set a schedule for each area of my landscape/garden and when it pops up on my to do list for the week I go out and put on a good audio book and get to work. I have used weeding to read dozens and dozens of books about everything from gardening to stock trading and a few good star wars books.
Building my first raised vegetable garden now to plant all sorts of veggies. Can you please tell me what to fill it with that will give me the best results (as far as soil, compost, mulch, ect). If you could recommend items that I could buy at a store like Home depot, that would be great. Thank you!
G00D Morning from Auckland, New Zealand it’s Tuesday, November 26, 2019.
Good night from NYC! Last Nov. I was in Auckland. So lovely! ♥️🙏
What I love about gardening is everything it teaches yo, like what you have just laid out is applicable to life. We can learn much about life by observing the garden.
Great advice for beginners and a timely reminder for the seasoned gardeners. Btw love the dog must be a joy to have him/her around
Thanks. Yes, she is fun to have around. Especially when she behaves in videos.
Great advice! Thanks Gardner Scott! - Chris from Mississippi
🌹🌷wisdom. Philosophical insights. Spiritual. 🌺🌸
Patience is not my strong suit. But I learned my lesson this year when I put my peppers in ground on the date suggested but ignored the actual temperature outside. It was still too cold and those peppers were badly stunted.
Wondering why 150+ people disliked this tutorial?
I've worked in tomato breeding as a trainee. And thanks to that work I realized that when you're experimenting, failure is always an option. And I also learned at horticultural school that when you're growing something then you better count in your expected losses right at the start. For example, when you want to grow 100 flowers then go on and expect 20% of them to fail to even germinate.
And do look back and remember how far you've come already. I started my garden journey last year. We could only grow tomatoes in pots because we just didn't have any beds prepared for anything else yet. But this year we have beds ready, we already have tomatoes and herbs in the greenhouse and cucumbers ready to be planted, too; we even have our little nursery now.
As long as you keep going, you'll get there.
You get some music playing and get a cold drink and have a garden you can work on then I’ll have a better time outside then on any game
I've been a what I call a sporadic gardener but have carried a love for it since I was very young and in 4-H in northern Minnesota. Now that I'm retired, I want to grow as much of my own food as I can, so I have LOTS to learn! Love your channel and have learned so much already! Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge!
I’m trying to find your patience. But starting with a tiny garden, I will be heartbroken if I fail completely. Just hoping some of it works out.
Thanks. Tiny is a good way to start so you can focus your efforts. It does mean than failures can be devastating, but it also means the successes will shine. Just enjoy it and that in itself is a success.
I always order 5000 lady bugs and release them into my garden they completely destroy the aphids and other pests
The gardener whisperer strikes again! LOL thank I felt my regular anxiety going down that had nothing to do with gardening! LOL hahahaa you are awesome. Thank you!
The best thing about learning how to garden and solve problems today is TH-cam! It's so easy to find answers now. I don't know how the old timers did it.
This could very well be a video about life in general! 1.) Cultivate good soil. 2.) Expect and accept problems and failure. 3.) Use problems to your advantage! 4.) Have patience. Great video, Gardener Scott! Thanks for the great sermon...er, I mean the helpful gardening hints!
I agree! That's how I like to live.
Love your channel! Just stumbled upon it and I’m hooked. Thank you for being a wealth of knowledge. Your videos are amazing - the most calming voice, clear concise information and great advice!!
Well I sure learned alot here.my failer was that I planted all my okras in a cluster group next year I promise to read the package and do them right.lol
Thanks Gardener Scott. I'll try again this year!
I love watching your videos Gardener Scott. This video has inspired me to continue to enjoy gardening. I grow boysenberries (which is not a very common fruit), and I remember it took almost 2 years for them to grow I had to learn that patience is key. I also experienced failure but then was told that it happens and I did not let that stop me! And even though there’ll be weeds, I use them to make a stinky weed tea fertilizer and I was amazed by the results of that liquid fertilizer! I never even used pesticides with chemicals in them. I always made my own. And the rest of the facts you mentioned in this video 100% make sense and makes very excited to continue enjoying gardening in the future! And I hope to continue growing boysenberries in the future!
The gardener's mantra----NEXT Year! It's why we live FOREVER.....because we're waiting for that perfect year.
Loved the video. I've also gardened for 30 years and I love it more every year. Greatest joy there is.
That's right! Thanks.
Great tips. Thank you. There is no OFF position on the GENIUS switch. Let's get cooking.
I need that. So far I’m on year two of gardening. I’m already doing a lot better, but I’ve already made some mistakes. But I can definitely see my progress. I just gotta keep at it.
77 people hit the thumbs down button? Apparently there are 77 people that "know it all" and think they can have a weed free garden with apple trees that fruit the year you plant them, and likely missed the entire point of this video. So to those 77 of you, for your own sake I hope you learn patience, and become wise enough to know that all knowledge has value. Thanks for the great video as usual, patience is my key struggle. This was a great reminder to enjoy the fruits of my labor over time, and not focus on instant gratification.
I appreciate your support. I wonder about the thumbs downs too, but don't let it bother me.
Totally agree. One of the things that make gardening so enjoyable is that there are a lot of ways to fail. It's not easy, but all of those ways that one can fail are manageable. It's fun to learn how to be better and to do better. The reward is food! Do this difficult task and you will be rewarded with food that didn't exist until you wanted it to...Pretty cool.
Absolutely. Few things in life can give us such a reward, even when we get it wrong.
Just what I needed. Thank you Scott.
Gardener Scott you are just a good person , and wise❤️
Thank you for this video it’s made me feel so much better.
Glad to hear it. Thanks.
Love your videos. Very informative for a new gardener.
"Weeds will win" That's tough for me to accept.
Eat em. Learn which ones are edible and let those crowd out the rest
Thank you so much for another great video! I have just retired and sold my flat in the city (Montpellier, France). At last I'm going to have a garden :) Been watching your super videos for a couple of months now & can't wait to get stuck in! Thanks again!
You are very welcome.
@@GardenerScott Thank you sir!
Will start my 1st garden this coming spring. Thoroughly enjoyed your video. Not really sure if I have the temperament for gardening, but I’m going to give it my best effort. Anticipate referencing your videos quite frequently.
Thanks, Tim. I have many videos to review so I hope you enjoy the others too. I find that when you start gardening and stick with it, the temperament just happens naturally. Enjoy it.
Just found your channel..you had me at NO PESTICIDES👍💪..immediately subbed
Thanks, Lisa. Welcome to the channel.
This video may have contained the best advice for life ever...and the gardening tips were great too!
Your like the Alan Watts of gardening! Great video Scott
Thank you very much. There is much about Eastern philosophy that fits well with gardening.
Thank you for this video. Most gardening channels make it look so easy, they show the successes and bountiful harvests which makes new gardeners feel like losers when they can't replicate what they researched. I suspect that many gardeners use commercial fertilizers and have more help than they admit. For those of us that don't have acres, irrigation systems and grow rooms, the story is quite different.
Thank you for your wisdom!
Greetings from Connecticut Gardner Scott! Thank you for another awesome video. I’ve got a small garden approximately 400 ft.² that I’ve pretty much done the same thing with for 20 maybe 25 years. This year something changed with the help of your videos. I planted my first fall garden and added a garlic and shallot bed that I m really excited about. Next year will be all organic and heirloom and I’m more enthusiastic than ever. Thank you very much for so freely sharing so much of your knowledge. I’ll be studying and looking forward to more great videos.
Sincerely grateful, Dale
Hello, Dale. So glad to hear you're trying new things and enjoying it. Thanks.
Are you doing more video .new garden. I looked online. When's the last frost datte on. Average in Ontario. May 23-24 I have 161 days to growing. Season Thank you for explaining. . The knowledge what to look for. And first frost date on average between November 1st-10 thankyou.. Birds all my Pest Control they eat all the grubs. What it rains so . I guess I can say. I grow a hundred percent organic. With no chemicals.
Adam, I will be adding new videos every week. One hundred percent organic is great.
@@GardenerScott . I look forward. To seeing your videos every week. I get so excited on one pops up.
great advice to us newbes on the path .thanks
Excellent points & same here, I wish I knew bout soil importance esp b4 I started
Thanks.
Great tips Scott! I'm still a fairly new gardener, and all of these points are right on the mark. I'm pretty sure I've thought or considered all of this ;)
And you gave a great message: "Don't give up!"
Thanks.
You're the Bob Ross or Mr Rogers of gardening
Lot of information for the New gardeners