A misconception of gardening is that it either goes perfectly or terribly, and that's not necessarily true. One Instagram user shared his journey learning the ins and outs of gardening and shared his mistakes so you won't make the same ones. "Let me tell you all the things we did wrong," he said in the video.
The scoop
Bo (@dadadvicefrombo) uses his Instagram account to share his life — and his best dad advice. One of his Reels shared how his first farming season went — both the ups and the downs, and he gave advice for a variety of different crops.
To start, he mentioned that he planted his corn in raised mounds — small piles of dirt — instead of into the flat ground. As a result, many of his corn plants blew over, and he later learned that corn roots don't grow very deep, so it's actually better to plant them at ground level. In addition, Bo shared that they needed overhead sprinklers for the corn, which provide more water than the soaker hoses they tried first.
Next, Bo shared that his wiring for his berry trellises — which support the vines as they grow — wasn't strong enough. He ended up needing to add in wooden structuring, as well.
Lastly, he learned that his pumpkin patch needed more water, which he discovered when he asked a neighbor why their pumpkin patch looked so much healthier, and he realized that keeping deer out of his orchard proved to be a challenge without a fence.
Throughout all of this, Bo shared they were still having an incredible experience learning to grow their own food, "We're off to a good start and I can't wait for next spring," he said.
How it's helping
Bo's "dad advice" is truly the best way to approach gardening. There can be a lot of trial and error, but sticking to it is a great way to spend more time outside and even save money in the process. A 600-square-foot garden — about the size of a three-car garage — costs an average of $70 to create but can yield approximately $600 worth of food.
Plus, growing some of your own food will cut down on the planet-warming gases produced by vehicles that would normally transport your produce to the store. Your fruits and veggies travel an average of 1,500 miles to get to you, so cutting that down to just a short walk to and from the garden can make a huge difference.
What everyone's saying
Comments on the Reel were nothing but supportive and grateful for Bo's advice.
"We learn something new every year!" said one user. Another encouraged Bo, saying, "The best gardeners make mistakes each year. Gardening is about learning new lessons each season."
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