Hi everyone!

It's been a busy couple of months filled with planting, maintaining the garden, learning new things, and making plans for what's next.

Unfortunately, one of our biggest setbacks came when a strong storm flattened the corn. It was definitely disappointing, but every season teaches us something. During my second attempt at growing corn, I learned just how important a strong root system is. Corn benefits from consistent watering that soaks deeply into the soil, encouraging the roots to grow deeper and become more stable. Hopefully, that will help prevent the plants from toppling over in future storms. Next time, I'll be paying closer attention to watering and may even experiment with adding some type of support structure.

Another challenge this season was a squash bug infestation in the pumpkin patch. Rather than let the pests spread further, I decided to remove the entire patch. It wasn't an easy decision, but sometimes starting fresh is the best way to protect the rest of the garden. I'll be replanting and trying again with a better pest management plan.

On a brighter note, the watermelons are doing fantastic! I'm excited to see how they turn out over the next few weeks.

We also harvested our beans, potatoes, and carrots, and they were absolutely delicious. There's nothing quite like eating vegetables you've grown yourself—it makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Now my attention has shifted to the tomatoes, which should begin ripening very soon. I'm looking forward to harvesting them and sharing another garden update before long.

Gardening is full of successes, setbacks, and lessons, and every season helps me become a better gardener. Thanks for following along on the journey!