Gardening 2011: What I Have Learned

Every year I learn more about gardening as I try new things and improve on older things. Here's my list of good and not-so-good things from this year:

• Peat Pots! This is the first year I've actually had success with seeds. True, amazing success. And I attribute it to peat pots. I have tried Dixie cups, paper towels, egg cartons, you name it. This time it actually worked. 
• Give plants their space - they grow faster than you think they will. When I put in the seedlings, they seemed to have way too much room. And since I'm a lazy gardener, I didn't want them too far apart - too many weeds that way. The good and bad of it is, those plants are very crowded in some places. Especially where the native plants (also grown from seed) are taking over.

The echinacea (coneflower) to the left and the malva zebrina (the striped purple flower in the middle) are being overtaken by the evening primrose (the pink cupped flower to the top left and bottom right). The primrose is a native, so I'm going to let it grow wild...but on its own, not in the middle of my flower bed!

• Buy plants in fall. We were too busy in spring to do much more than put in our seedlings from the peat pots. Which was okay - the seeds did great, and when I got around to buying, I got great deals. We'll have to see how well they overwinter, but I'm guessing it'll turn out okay.
• Wear gloves. I know, Duh. This is a big one when you have puncture vines (aptly named). Even with good gloves, I have a new splinter in my hand every day or so. When I don't wear gloves (this is a daily lesson because I try to pull weeds when I see them instead of running to the garage to get my gloves), I get a sticker in about 1-2 minutes. 
• Watering is not optional. Thank heaven (and also the city) for secondary water. In the "Intermountain West", as the Salt Lake Valley is called, there is no atmospheric water. Establishing plants requires constant watering. 

The weeds (to the top and right) seemed to have enough water,
but the poor eunonymous is about half dead...but still half alive!

We'll find out next year if I've learned any of these lessons.