2025 Vegetable Garden! 6 CRITICAL Planning Steps! This Is The Perfect Time To Start!

[@Saoirse.n.Murphy]

Good morning from the Berkshires in western MA. I will agree that too much sun is devasting for the tomatoes. We used burlap to cover this season. The sun here is white and hot. Not normal, but we saved the tomatoes and peppers. I had planted pole beans for cover, but could not wait for them. The system has changed in the garden. Now, we are protecting plants from the sun scald. Peace Z5b

[@vickiwestlund7777]

Great tips!

[@americanajooma4457]

This is so true. I used to try to grow everything I liked and realized quickly that route was one of disappointment and frustration. Now I only grow what I know will survive the squash vine borers and hot humid NC summers. I made friends with row covers and shade cloth. Great video. Keep it up!

[@N3M3SISstudios]

Good morning brother! God bless! Thanks for the update!

[@Saoirse.n.Murphy]

Going back to the basics; potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and maybe eggplant and peppers for fun. Always pumpkins! I am unable to eat the produce, so Murphy can eat the latter. We give a lot of food away. Will still dabble with Acorn and Butternut. Trying watermelon this year for fun! It is all a hobby and learning curve each season. Season 5 for me coming. My joy is all of it, but I am secretly excited about the garlic this year. Lost ours last season by smothering with too much leaves when they came up in December. Anyway... big win last season was growing onions for the first time. Great! So, going back to some basics and less new funky stuff in the gardens this year. I had a stroke in November. Just put the garlic in.. 135 a week prior, so hopefully get to see those pop up. Peace

[@amsohn1]

Thanks Eric, great info... we started using Seedtime, oh goodness - when you 1st suggested it- I wasn't fond of it to begin with, as it was different than my usual book method; however, I absolutely love it now... we purchased the lifetime membership last summer. Blessings ❤

[@CountryLivingExperience]

You’re welcome. Glad you got used to the program and like it now. It surely saves us a ton of time and keeps up on track.

[@NorthernLycanthrope]

Great info. Thanks

[@CountryLivingExperience]

You’re welcome

[@STManning]

I want to start a garden so bad, but my neighborhood has sooo many beautiful squirrels that IK would eat everything planted. Any ideas to protect what's planted?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

I have never really had squirrels bother my garden in any place I’ve lived. We do have barn cats who like to hunt the squirrels though. You may need to put a wire cage over your garden beds. Honestly most gardeners don’t do that because squirrels aren’t really that bothersome.

[@STManning]

@CountryLivingExperience Thank you so much for that insight!

[@jennytaber-hanson5102]

@@STManning We have a lot of squirrels as well in my inner city neighbor, but I find that I get very little squirrel damage. I think it's a combination of growing vertically, having sources of fresh water available at multiple locations, and being physically present in my garden frequently. I also have periodically sprayed natural repellent around the edges of all my beds. A note that none of this is sufficient to protect strawberries. Those I simply have to fence in and cover with bird mesh

[@STManning]

@jennytaber-hanson5102 Thank you! This is encouraging! I always see them in my yard digging up what they've hidden in my yard and just gave up completely on the idea of starting a garden.

[@Nenea1970]

I'm buying 10 acres in Barry, TX and I have to clear the fence line near the road. I want to grow prickly pear cactus there so I can harvest the fruit. But I also don't want to harvest fruit that has pollutants from the cars. Would a native tall grass help with that issue, or should I plant an invasive bamboo? I want to have privacy, a protective plant that detours pest and people, as well as having a native plant that provides food. Side note: my boyfriend is from Detroit as well. He thinks some of my Texas ways are funny, but cute. HAHA! He made fun of me for saying I needed a toboggan for my head. That's what we call the knitted winter hats here. He told me it was a sled. We're a special breed here in Texas, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Bamboo is a great privacy fence but it can get out of control. It has other uses as well like for building trellises. Love it. A toboggan is a sled 😁😉😁

[@Nenea1970]

@@CountryLivingExperience is there any kind of bamboo that will do well here that I can control with a deep barrier underground to keep it from getting out of control?

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Not that I know of. Sorry

[@victorialg1270]

Zones are for perennials. It is how cold it might get through the winter. I am zone 5b. Rarely colder than 15F in the winter. But I am high elevation. I can have a frost as late as June 10. A hard freeze as early as August 28. Your zone never tells you your frost dates, which is more important for annual garden crops.