1. don't use newspaper as seed pots. It molds, soaks up way too much water, and falls apart long before the seedlings are ready to be transplanted.
2. I need to learn a lot more about the bugs and other diseases my plants can get infected with. I need to learn which bugs are good and which are not, and get bold enough to squash those who aren't beneficial.
3. I need to be better disciplined about getting seeds started and I need a better idea of Waco weather so I can know when to plant, etc. Then again, it may just me needing patience about living here longer.
4. Canning is hot work. I'll find out if it worth it in the next day. [I just canned huckleberry jam.]
5. If I have ideas of canning, I need to plant determinate varieties of tomatoes. Want lots tomatoes all at once.... Next time around, I plan to plant both interminate and determinate varieties.
6. Hand digging is hard work, and might break your pitch fork. Borrow a roto-tiller when you can.
7. Ollas aren't as spoofy as they seem at first look. Or perhaps I didn't use them right? Anyhoo, they worked great while the weather was mild, but aren't working as great with the hot, hot weather. Soakers might be better.
8. Get those soakers running EVERY morning, can't let the ground dry out or it will take hours to soak the ground again.
I'm sure I'll think of more things that I've learned in 6 months of gardening. and hopefully, I'll learn more in the next 6 months of gardening.
I think gardening and canning are both skills that one must 'soak' in a bit year by year. What seemed so hard last year can now be done without much fuss when canning this year. Last night I canned pinto beans .. because the ingredients in store bought canned beans made my skin itch just reading the label;( The beans were easy and can be mashed/refried just prior to eating. Very tasty. Time consuming. But .. I was able to do other things while they were cooking .. such as doing the dishes and watching an old Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracey movie.
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