First Season in the Big Garden

When we cleared 6,300 square feet for a garden, I was equal parts overwhelmed and excited. For years, I had made do with small backyard beds—shoutout to my first garden that was a whopping 2 feet by 3 feet!—so this felt like an endless amount of room. I could finally grow anything I wanted.

I had Pinterest boards packed with ideas. I had a mental list of what worked at our house. I had a huge space. But I also had a serious case of decision paralysis. After weeks of overthinking, I made the call to keep it simple for Year One.

Back to Basics: The Layout

I decided on rows of crops. It wasn’t flashy or trendy, but it was practical—especially since I wanted to learn how this new space would behave.

I designated one section for perennials both floral and fruit, so we could rototill the annual areas each spring without having to move plants or accidentally destroy anything. 

When we built the garden fence, we added a wide gate on each short end—perfect for the UTV, four wheelers or tractor access. For now, the garden is only reachable by foot or UTV since we haven’t finished our driveway. With the gates lined up directly across from each other, I left that path open and planted everywhere else.

The First Season: A Little Chaos, A Lot of Learning

I filled the corners with specific crops:

• One was all pumpkins

• Another was packed with squash and zucchini

• One... well, that one was mostly weeds by midsummer 

The rest of the garden was rows and rows of:

• Tomatoes

• Peppers

• Cucumbers

• Green beans

• Zinnias

• Sunflowers
  

• And of course, the perennial section

I planted hundreds of plants—but I kept my expectations low. This was a new location with completely different variables:

• Unknown soil quality

• Unknown sun and shade patterns

• A whole new set of pests

Reality Check: Some Grew, Some Got Eaten

Even with an 8-foot tall fence, some things still got eaten. I lost a few crops, had others take off unexpectedly, and noticed spots that just didn’t thrive. But that was all part of the process. Remember? I had low expectations. Because I knew how unpredictable a garden could be even when you think you know your space. 

I learned that:

• One corner is shadier than the others

• Some areas get muddy and soupy after rain and probably need better drainage or more organic matter

• Another corner of the garden sits at the bottom of a gentle slope, and that meant washed-away seeds in some beds

Despite the challenges, every visit to the garden taught me something. Every day there grounded me. Most days it filled my cup, and basket, and soup pot.  Even on the tough days, it was worth it.

As the season ended, I walked through the rows and made a mental list of what needed to be changed and what could stay the same. I took note of what plants I want to move, where I should try something else, and which crops thrived despite the odds.