Garden Fail # 41

Vertical garden fails? Oh, let me count the ways! It’s been so much fun and educational learning about vertical gardening, despite the fails (things dying  ). I’m an engineer and my husband is a tradie, so we often ask “I wonder what happens if we …..”, which can lead to fails. But we pick up our dead stuff, put it in the green bin and give it another go! 
This is a collection of our logic and observations, true novices! In brackets are what we learned and what should have done. Even though the unit is slightly different than Mr. Stacky units, the learnings surely apply. Hopefully, all these learnings will lead to our dream of a having a successful micro -farm! Grow produce in a sustainable manner for our community. 

Top 10 garden fails! Ready? Here, we go! 
1. We can grow what we want, when we want. (Respect growing seasons)
2. That’s not enough seeds! (Use the recommended among of seeds!)
3. Plant wherever. (Being mindful of seedlings placement when not mono-planting )
4. Wow my veggies are so voluminous! (Should have thinned seedlings and suckers.)
5. Let vines fall where they may! (Should have built lattice for vining plants)
6. Let’s try new nutrients. (Think twice about this one, as switching nutrient brands killed our cukes and cucuamelons. The attached photos show the before and after of the cucumber plants being gone because they died.  )
7. The pump is making weird sounds. (Not letting the pump run too low! Could have burnt it out and veggies wilted.)
8. What shade of yellow is how much pH? (Using an electronic ph reader gives accurate number for proper pH balance)
9. I’ll rotate the garden tomorrow. (Regular rotation is required when full sun doesn’t cast on all sides)
10. Is it ready to eat? (Learn when things are ready. Our broccoli bloomed and the pretty flowers attracted loads of bees, but it should have been harvested a week earlier!) 

Stay tuned for more! Wonder what we will get up to this spring and summer! Would be great to compare our current unit with a Mr. Stacky. Happy growing all!