Back in 2019, I had the wild idea to propagate the little sprouts that popped up in my yard from my Japanese Maple Trees. I gently extracted them from the ground and placed them into tiny cups with fresh soil.
It's a beautiful tree. I had no idea what I was doing but in the back of my mind I'm always thinking of a business I can start. That day I thought I could grow Japanese Maple Trees and sell them. lol. I had about 40 baby trees. ching-ching!
I was so happy to see them growing. But as they grew, they started to die off. They looked like they got some kind of fungus. I was bummed but not deterred from growing.
After I put in all those hours to grow these trees, I thought, 'I can't eat trees.' I think this is when the gardening bug hit. I needed to grow stuff I could eat!
My SECOND Growing Attempt
I won't spend a long time on this attempt because I wrote about it in an earlier edition.
After trying the Japanese Maples I started watching YouTube videos and I came across a young lady who grew lettuce right in the potting soil bag. I tried it and was hooked.
I laugh when I think back to those days because I didn't know how much I didn't know so I was willing to try anything.
This was 2020, we were all locked down and I needed to be outside. I got this bag of soil and a couple packs of lettuce seeds as soon as I could and propped it up on these weak wooden crates. HaHa! Honey, please ... I was on my way. Within days I saw this ...
You couldn't tell me anything! I was hooked! I devoured all the YouTube videos I could find. On lockdown and watching videos. By the time we had some freedom I went shopping and got my garden going.
Where Am I Now
By now, 2026, I have planted multiple kinds of plants. Yes, I wanted food, but more so, I wanted to learn what grew well in my gardening zone, and in my yard, under my environmental conditions. I also wanted to know what I could grow quickly and the time of year to grow any veggie. That has taken a lot of trial and error.
I've tried growing all kinds of stuff:
Peanuts, Wheat, Bok Choy, Pomegranates, Figs, Pineapple Guavas, Garlic, Ginger, Corn, Roselle, Moringa, Sweet Potatoes, to name a few, in addition to your standard garden fare... like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cukes.
If you give me a seed, I'm going to plant it. Count on it. π
More recently, I started intentionally growing flowers because along the way I realized if I grow pretty flowers for the bees, they will also pollinate my food. ππππ We are partners... as long as they don't attack me. Don't try me Mr. Bee.
I've done a TON of work over the years... but here we are now in 2026, and I feel like I have graduated.
I'm headed to FIRST GRADE GARDENING! haha! I say only First Grade because I feel there is so much more to learn and try.
I'm limited by space but that only forces me to be more creative and imaginative in my yard.
What's next on my agenda?
Well, I gave my blackberry bushes to a friend who has acreage in North Ga. I had them in bags for 4 years and got lots of blackberries, but I felt they needed to be in the ground in order to keep producing.
Currently, I have 2 pear trees, a mulberry tree, and a pomegranate that hasn't fruited yet but due to soon, and some small blueberry shrubs. What I've been thinking about lately is growing plum trees.
This Fall, I plan to get 2 small bare root plum trees that do well in my zone and grow them in pots to control the size. Stay tuned, I'll definitely write about it.
That's it for now friends!
Thank you again for subscribing to my newsletter and riding along on the journey!
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