Because we can so easily be drawn into thinking we need Pinterest-worthy gardens, I have decided to show you some side by side photos that show reality you see vs the reality you’re not shown. I am also including some tips as recently asked on my blog facebook page. Hope you find this helpful!

Reality: beautiful zinnias and butternut squash vines thriving… right next to dying potato vines, weeds, and overrun marigolds.
Lesson learned: in gardening, I always plant flowers for pollinators. They bring a variety of bees, butterflies, and moths into the garden in droves! Sometimes there are so many, the flowers look like they’re fluttering. Make room for them! It is healthy and makes for stronger plants.

Reality: pole bean vines covering our arch next to… dying bush bean vines. Even tho these dying bean vines are ugly, they’re also necessary. In order to get the dry shell beans, the vines must die.
Lesson learned: though beans can take up garden space, they are a top veggie to grow.
1) you can grow many varieties, from pole (more prolific and vertical space saver) to bush (succession planting champ over the gardening season, both for fresh eating to preserving). Succession planting is something you should definitely look into to get the most out of your garden space…

2) you can grow both green beans and dry/shell beans from the same plant. The above pole beans we ate and canned as green beans and we will also dry the remaining for shell (similar to a kidney bean) and for seed for next year!

3)beans make a great veggie for a self sufficient lifestyle. Enough said! Canned, dry, or even froze- these work horses play an amazing role in my kitchen.

Reality: young October shell/dry beans growing next to red peppers and dead marigolds. Yes, red peppers are wonderful! But keep an eye on them- they can also be over-the-hill or have disease. These Jimmy Nardello peppers are a new variety I am trying.
Lesson learned: some years crops are prolific and grow an immense amount! Other years, they hardly produce. So, even if you’re sick and tired of preserving those beans…peppers…zucchini… keep at it! You don’t know if you’ll get any next year! It is good to put up extra! You may know that your family needs about one jar of green beans per week… but if they’re still growing and healthy, put up more! Next year the bugs may get them or you may not find the seed you want, etc.

Recently I was asked what has worked and what hasn’t in my gardening experience. Here are a few things to note: (above, me and our popcorn growing so tall)

• I continue to learn new things every year. I like trying new things, but I also like to know what works and what doesn’t. Take notes! Keep records! You may not be what some call an organized person, but if you truly want success, make an effort and keep those records.
• A fun-type garden that tries ‘all the things’ isn’t the same as a productive garden that feeds ones’ family. I love the idea of alllll the beautiful veggies… but the reality is, there is only so much space. I need to stay realistic with my expectations and plan a garden for production if that is what my goal is. Yes, gardens can be lovely as well as successful- but growing more of less is a bit more realistic than trying 10 types of fill in the blank veggie and not getting enough of just one or two types.
• If I can say anything that would be helpful to people (and I have mentioned this in previous posts), start small. What does that look like? Try a small in-ground plot before diving in to 1/4 acre; utilize one raised bed before investing in 41; do a planter pot of herbs before you make 1/3 of your garden an herb bed… common theme? Try something before sinking into overwhelm (of all sorts) with too much of everything. Another idea: plant a fall garden if it isn’t too late in your zone.
• I am still learning. Example: I have no tips or tricks for root veggies. But I hope to have success with them ‘next year’. Keep trying! I can’t give up some areas- I just want to keep at it. Other areas, it is ok to move on! But don’t give up entirely. Even one veggie feeding your family is a step in the direction of self-sufficiently. Goal: becoming more a producer than a consumer. Maybe you won’t be able to grow a years’ supply of potatoes (I haven’t reached that goal yet myself), but you can grow some if that’s one you eat. Grow some!
• Lastly for this list I will say that it won’t really serve your family to grow veggies you won’t eat. It’s wonderful to gift them! But, if you want to grow more for your family to eat, grow what you eat. Swiss chard is gorgeous… but I don’t like it. So I don’t grow it. Dry beans are ugly… but we eat them, so we grow them. Stick with your family’s faves.

And finally, reality: gorgeous, vine ripening sauce tomatoes next to…. Bug eaten, blossom end rot reject tomatoes. It happens. My tomatoes are so thirsty- my 13 year old will water tomorrow morning. But, they are still producing.

Lesson learned: I am trying a new (previously tried but not to this degree) method for preserving tomatoes by freezing the sauce tomatoes after coring. Then I will thaw, take skin off, and sauce them before canning. We eat lots of sauce with different names- I make one type tomato sauce and use it for pasta, pizza, etc. I do hope to have enough to try ketchup and/or bbq sauce this year. We shall see!

A blessing in disguise??? Turning those nasty tomatoes into… EGGS! Yum!

Has this helped you?? Comment below OR on our facebook page. Feedback is very encouraging and it tells me what you want to hear about. Thanks for reading!!