What I've Learned

Gardening is a never ending learning process. In this video I will talk about what I've learned in the past year. Please comment on what you've learned in the past year!
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Hey Guys, I’m Brian from Next Level Gardening

Welcome to our online community! A place to be educated, inspired and hopefully entertained at the same time! A place where you can learn to grow your own food and become a better organic gardener. At the same time, a place to grow the beauty around you and stretch that imagination (that sometimes lies dormant, deep inside) through gardening.

I’m so glad you’re here!

WHERE TO FIND ME (Some of the links here are affiliate links. If you purchase through our links we'll receive a small commission that helps support our channel, but the price remains the same, or better for you!)

[rhkean]

Don't rely on my kids to water my vegetables when I go on a 1 week business trip in the middle of June. 😂

[JS-jlyj]

I learned that leaving leaves on the ground over the winter till mid spring is the best thing. I have never had as many ladybugs on my red currant bush as I am having this spring. I attribute this phenomenon to the fact that I left the leaves on the ground. I learned that caging my blueberry bushes with chicken wire and single layer of burlap worked to keep the rabbits and squirrels away during the winter. I also learned that saving seeds and then starting plants from seeds the next spring saves a lot of money. The seed companies charge an arm and a leg for 10 seeds in a packet plus shipping. Also, I have learned a whole lot about solitary bees. My first time Blue Orchard Mason bees started hatching a week ago. They all took off into the distance. I thought to myself, what a waste of money. Yesterday, one of the females returned to my backyard and got busy pollinating my blueberry bushes. (That was the main point of getting them.) That one solitary bee, with its shiny black butt, made my day. Update as of 05/20/23: Now I have 3 of my female Mason Bees back in my backyard busy pollinating my blueberry bushes from sunup to sundown. They are living up to their reputation as hard workers and being friendly. They are getting along nicely with 3 bumblebees.

[whitestone]

My biggest take away from this year, home grown herbs are far far better than store bought.

[renata]

I started gardening last year and the biggest thing i learned is, plants are more resilient than i think and i should not be afraid experimenting in the garden. If things dont go to plan you try again and keep going till you figure out some way that does work.

[Tracysop]

I have learned so many things this year. The biggest was NOT to try to do everything new at once. I did a full garden plan for a garden I hadn’t even built yet. I started seeds for the first time and did WAY too many. I learned soil prep and construction. I tried hugelkultur. I tried companion planting. I started composting. I started to run drip, but ran over budget. I wouldn’t try to do “all the things” again. I’d start small and work my way up. However, I learned SO much through trial and error—even through the total failures. I’ve been keeping a garden journal, so I can build on my knowledge. It’s been an exhausting Spring, but a fun and educational one.

[kathyritscher]

I am 67. I learn new things every season. I learned I did not like 1/4” soaker hoses for my containers. I learned that leaving a pile of wood chips for a year makes wonderful compost. I am learning which varieties of lettuce don’t get bitter like others do (Merlot is still going strong and not bitter yet. Others have already bolted). I learned that barky soil from last season in my containers become beautiful soil full of mycelium and worms this year. I learned to pinch the top of my peppers this year. Course that experiment is still in the works. I learned my Purple Leaf Plum makes edible fruit. 😁 I am still learning how to graft. First time didn’t work.

[Lewisiaable]

Having to fight bugs these past 2 years. Especially white flies 😞 I noticed where I had garlic there were no bugs. Planted garlic everywhere no matter what season it is. Also the dried garlic leaves make the best mulch for my strawberries and other plants.

[tiarianamanna]

Haha the most important thing i ve learned about gardening is probably the fact there s endless challenges and always always so much more to learn 😂

[PaullaWells]

Yup. It's the stakes I heard.
I seriously cannot wait to see the cottage garden full and lush. It's going to be so gorgeous!
You'll have to show before and after photos once you have the coop, paths, etc. complete. It will be remarkable all the changes.

[lindasoaft]

I learned not to compare my garden and gardening skills with others on YouTube! I started getting anxious and judging my results with others with much more experience! Also, I learned to plant vegetables that my family likes rather than randomly choosing vegetable seeds. Thanks Brian for all your advice.

[judymckerrow]

One thing l’ve learned this year is that even at my age there’s still a lot to learn. Remembering what I’ve learned is the hard part. 🌷💚🙃

[theadegroot]

I learned that Roly Polies (Pill Bugs) are no friend to plant shoots. I'm kind of lazy about up-potting so I tend to put new plants out pretty quickly when they're still fairly soft and tender. I'm now cutting the bottom off plastic pots and using them to protect my new plants. I'll remove them before the plant gets too big to slip off the protective pot. It gives the plants a good start.

[debbiemcdonald]

I've learned it takes an awful lot of soil mix to fill even a 4'x4' bed. I've learned I can start seeds inside and I've learned that there is a fairly big difference between reading about doing something and actually doing it. Thanks for sharing all that you do!

[pammac]

I learned that topping some plants like zinnias and peppers make bushier plants. I learned from you Brian, that you should not prune suckers out of cherry tomatoes as you would other tomatoes. I enjoy this channel so much! Happy Mother’s Day to all!

[dopehunterkilo]

This is my 3rd year at gardening and I learned that a regular fertilizing routine is a game changer! My plants look so happy and healthy this year and the fruit production is going to be amazing.

[angyles]

I moved from WA to FL last year and WOW. I've learned I had it really easy in WA lol. A big one though, the importance of air flow. Oh, and that planting timing in FL is crazy.

[cindyw]

Brian I had your book on my Amazon wishlist and I got it for Mother's Day today!

[jennhoff]

This year I learned the importance of fertilizing a few weeks BEFORE planting. I got new beds and dirt and everything I grew was so stunted even though I started putting down slow-release fertilizer when they got their first true leaves. I finally pulled it all out and started over and everything went gangbusters. Apparently starting off with nutrition in your soil is important.

[richm]

When direct seeding peas especially, I find there are four direct assaults that take place at different times and I have to protect against them all. First I've discovered the robins wait out of sight as I sow seeds. They cautiously approach after I leave the garden and anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes later they jump in and start pulling up the seeds. When I put on row cover immediately after sowing I have a hundred percent germination. Next, when seedlings are breaking ground and up to three or four inches tall the mice come along and chew them off just above the ground where the stem is very tender. That means tenting the row cover up until the plants are about 6" tall when the stems have toughened up and are not so tasty apparently. Then the bunnies come in. Unlike the mice, they eat the whole plant, not just the most tender part. So I tent the row cover up higher. After a foot tall I'm fine until I actually have peas at which point the chipmunks climb up, pull all the peas out and leave brown shriveled pods on the plant. So now when I plant peas I start by choosing varieties that are three or four feet high at the tallest and put up a row cover tent tall for them to grow from seed to that height.

[ericaharris]

Thank you so so much for this video!! A lot of times people don't want to share their mistakes. As a new gardner I very much appreciate the wisdom that you have learned and pass it on to us!