Back in 2012, I became a master gardener. Being older, I have more stiff and sore joints than I did back then. Things change. We change. Our likes and dislikes, the time we have available to garden, moving to a more natural garden, our physical ability and, of course, our weather all change with time.
Likes and dislikes
I decided I didn’t like growing shrubs and having them next to the foundation of my house. They grew much larger than what they were supposed to grow and were covering the sidewalk. I decided to remove them and replace them with flowers that would attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The hardest part was removing them. My beds are now full of color. I read various garden publications and did my research. I have daylilies, salvias, coneflowers, sedum, milkweed and many others.
Time available
The amount of available time also plays a role in our gardening. You may work, have a family with small children or be more involved in your community. I recently retired and have extra time available to experiment with my choices of plants and adding to my beds.
If your time is limited, you may want to narrow down what you grow and how you grow it, or consider gardening with containers or go green. Containers can add color and can be very pretty. Another idea is to plant different green shrubs or plants that require minimum care and maintenance.
Changing to a more natural garden
We all want to do our part to make the world a better place. Changing our thinking about using native plants is one way. Native plants use less water, are more heat tolerant, have very few pests and fewer diseases. Many native plants are less likely to freeze. They need little or no fertilizer or pesticides, which is not only cheaper, but results in less pollution. Lastly, native plants provide wildlife habitats. Reducing the amount of our lawn results in less water usage, fertilizing and mowing. Less lawn cuts time doing landscape chores.
Our physical ability to garden
Gardening relieves stress, boosts heart health and increases mobility. Many new tools and containers in the market make gardening easier.
Cattle panels can be cut to size and used as a trellis for vines and vertical plants like cucumbers and beans. Metal water troughs and feed troughs can be used for planting flowers or vegetables. These repurposed products add height to your garden, requiring less bending over. Be sure to add proper drainage to them.
I have always liked grow bags or smart bags. They are made of something like felt, very light, drain well, and plants like them. You can move them should the weather get bad or if you set them in the wrong place. Wheelbarrows and garden wagons are very handy as well as ergonomic hand tools. My daughter bought me a garden vest with pockets for everything.
Make your garden function for you. Just look in any store or garden magazine and you will see all sorts of garden helpers.
Weather changes
I have experienced drought, Hurricane Harvey and snow in the past 15 years. The snow killed many shrubs and vegetables. Each weather change had a direct effect on our landscape. We have to become familiar with our planting zone and what grows best in our area. Online resources like Aggie Horticulture as well as professional garden nurseries can be a wonderful resources.
As we face these changes, we should embrace them to enjoy and simplify our gardening experiences.
Victoria County Master Gardener Association
