Hey everyone! I've been having a tough time with my vegetable garden for the past two years; it's just not producing anything worth harvesting. My tomatoes take forever to ripen, the cucumbers aren't growing at all, and my carrots only reach about 6cm long, while the beets barely get to 2cm wide. 10 years ago, I had a thriving garden, so I'm unsure what's gone wrong now. We replace the soil yearly and add supplements, but I've just discovered that after moving the soil around, it feels lifeless—no worms or insects at all. Could the second dry year be affecting my plants? My garden gets plenty of sunlight, and we do water it, but I wonder if it's enough. Also, is there a free app out there that could assist with gardening? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
Before you add anything new, I recommend getting a soil test done. Local universities sometimes offer this service, providing you with a thorough analysis of nutrient levels and suggestions for improvements. Instead of hand watering, consider a drip irrigation system with a timer—it's more effective. Can you pinpoint what's making the plants unproductive? Are they stunted, or are you just seeing lots of leaves without any fruit? Sharing a photo could help identify the issue!
You’re in Eastern Canada too! I recommend starting a compost pile with a good mix of 'browns' and 'greens' plus some manure and food scraps. Leaf mulch from under trees is a great addition for microbes, and don't hesitate to mix in natural greens like clover and dandelions. It can act as a natural fertilizer and really boost your garden's productivity!
It sounds like you've hit a rough patch! Over ten years, many factors can cause a decline in garden productivity, so let’s break it down. Lack of moisture from drought can definitely impact growth. Where exactly is your garden located? In my area, gardens need about an inch of water per week, especially during hot spells. You might want to consider a rain gauge to help monitor your watering. Also, when you say you add new soil every year, are you using in-ground beds or raised ones? If the soil feels dead, adding compost could really help revive it. Regarding apps, just Google gardening resources; there are tons of tips available out there!
For watering, are you soaking the soil once a week or doing lighter watering more frequently? Also, it’s interesting that you mention your soil seems to lower throughout the year; adding organic material could help maintain its level! If you're checking pH and using compost, that should help too.
I think everything is indeed staying small; we did get one tomato, but it was eaten by a squirrel! My cucumbers are flowering but don't produce any fruit yet. I plan to test the soil and compost, but can I include kitchen scraps in my compost mix?