Will there be a fall harvest?

That is the question I keep asking myself.  See, I’m new to gardening.  I bought $50 worth of seeds and supplies to garden in the spring but we were moving so I didn’t get to plant early like I wanted to.  Then the summer heat set in here in Texas and I just did not get out there and plant those seeds.  I read lots of books (that I now can’t remember anything about) and drew lots of diagrams of what I wanted to do.  I dreamed big dreams about a big garden. But then I totally missed out by not getting started.  I had given up and figured I would just be ready for next spring.  Then I saw a post about a fall garden, so I looked up all my seeds. Lo and behold, they all had dates of when to plant for a fall harvest!  I hadn’t even thought of that possibility!  I got to work putting those precious seeds of hope in little transplanting pots so they could start growing until I could get the ground ready for them.  They grew so fast and I was loving seeing the growth each day.  But they grew faster than I realized and I had not tilled the ground or added all those ingredients that make for fertile soil that I had read about in the spring.  So a couple weeks ago I just got out in the 100 degree weather and tore out all the grass in a little section next to our house and stuck the plants in as is. Well….what was so beautiful died with in a couple of days.   It was just too hot!!

But I was determined to not give up!  I went ahead and stuck some of the same kinds of seeds next to the dying plants. I lost a month’s worth of growth in two days.  I was so sad!  Then…the weather cooled down just a little, we got a little rain, and now….look at this beautiful sight!

I may not have a green thumb, and there may not be enough time for anything to produce before November frosts get here…but I am ok with that.  I am enjoying the process and I know I will learn some wonderful lessons that will help me when I actually put all that planning to work in the spring instead of just throwing some seeds in unprepared ground.  We may be eating zucchini leaves instead of actual zucchini this fall, but next summer we will reap a harvest!  A friend encouraged me with this quote: “Anything worth doing is worth doing…poorly. At first. Who does it right the first time?!?” -Joel Salatin   Another encouraged me that at least I made mulch.  So either way, I’m learning and at least growing some green plants if not food.  What about you?  If you garden, how was your first season? What lessons did you learn?  I need all the help I can get!

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth 1 Cor. 3:6