Let's Grow Stuff

Greetings from the garden. My name is Ben, and today, we're gonna look back at how things went in our gardens this year. So let's jump in and get started.

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Well, this is our final episode of our first season of Let's Grow Stuff. And again, that's why we're looking back. To look at what went well for us, but also maybe what were some misses from the show and in our gardening season as a whole. Because remember, gardening is always about experimenting and learning and trialing things, and improving for future years to come. So with that in mind, let's look at how this year went for us. What was gardening like for us this year? Well, as always, weather keeps us on our toes, and with climate change, it continues to be a wild card from year to year. Weather and climate can impact everything, from our yields to how often we need to water, and the type and severity of pests and diseases we might find. We started this season with a lot of rain and cooler temperatures, which was great for crops that like these conditions, including things like greens and peas. As a result, veggies that need high heat to thrive, such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash got a bit of a slower start. But we made up for any lost time in July, when temperatures spiked and stayed high for weeks. So while we can't control the weather, we can control our response to it. And we can also do our part to mitigate our contribution to further climate change. By growing our own food, we're adding resiliency to the food system. When we compost, we're keeping organic material out of landfills. When we manage our gardens organically, we're encouraging beneficial insects and pollinators. When we water smarter, based on weather forecasts and utilizing water-saving tips, we are helping to preserve clean water supplies for future generations. If this was your first season gardening, I hope you realize that one of the pure joys of gardening is that there is so much to learn, and that you can always make changes and improvements for next year. Take, for example, the varieties of vegetables you chose to plant. Did you like the flavor? If not, choose a different variety next year. Or did the varieties you chose succumb to pests or diseases? Well, there may be a disease-resistant cultivar out there, and you could try growing it next year. So we've done our best to share our ideas and experiences and tips for success. But the important thing to remember is that even if it doesn't work the first time, or the second time, or maybe even the third time, keep trying. And keep learning and experimenting along the way. And if you think the "pros" get it right every time, well, just check out some of these bloopers from this season of filming. But vigilance is key, even...

blegh

all laughing

So there's a lot more to insects than we might real...

stumbles over words

So until next time, happy gardening, and...

beep

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Hope you got that on camera. Well, of course you did.

Tom

You can do it too.

Woman

That was close!

Tom laughing

Woman

Happy gardening, and we'll see you next time.

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