Wins and Lessons: Our First Garden in a New Zone

This year’s garden was one big, beautiful experiment. Moving to a new growing zone meant starting from scratch — new soil, new weather patterns, and a whole lot of guesswork. Some things thrived, some flopped, and a few just straight up took over (I’m looking at you, watermelon 🍉).

But that’s the beauty of a first-year garden — it’s not about perfection, it’s about learning.

Let’s start with the lessons, shall we?

Tomatoes: planted way too close together. I was so excited to get them all in the ground that I didn’t think ahead about spacing. The result? Fewer tomatoes and plants that fizzled out fast. Next year, they’re getting room to breathe — and maybe a little more support from the start.

Pumpkins: honestly, I’m not entirely sure what went wrong here. Maybe root rot, maybe too much competition from nearby plants. Either way, lesson learned — next year, pumpkins are getting their own space (probably no where near the watermelon).

Watermelon: speaking of… this one took over everything. Like a toddler with a new toy — no boundaries whatsoever. 😅 Next year, I’ll trellis it and keep it in its own area so it doesn’t swallow the rest of the garden whole.

Carrots: oh boy, I got a little impatient and pulled them too soon. Lesson learned — they need time and space. Next year, I’ll give them their own bed and let them grow a little longer before I start digging.

And the big one: skipping the weed barrier early on. I thought I could keep up with it, but those weeds had other plans. Let’s just say my knees and I have agreed — weed barrier from day one next year!

Now for the wins, because there were plenty of those too.

So many amazing veggies filled the freezer, the kids got their hands dirty right alongside me, and every mistake came with a valuable lesson for next season.

We learned together — what worked, what didn’t, and what we’ll do differently next time. And honestly? That’s the heart of homesteading. Growth doesn’t just come from the soil; it comes from experience, patience, and a whole lot of trial and error.

I don’t have a solid plan for next year’s garden yet, but the ideas are starting to flow. Separate areas for the wild growers, more space for the tomatoes, carrots in their own bed… and maybe, just maybe, a few new things to try. I also want to expand and do some flower beds for arrangements.

Because if this season taught me anything, it’s that every year in the garden brings new lessons — and that’s half the fun. 🌻