Your greatest gardening success? After "everyone" said it couldn't be done?

Mine is harvesting greens and veges all year round. Which "everyone" laughed at and told this California newcomer it couldn't be done.

Except for my failed garlic drying disaster this past year ( 😢 ) we haven't bought a single vege in a store for over two years. And we are about 1/2 to 3/4 plant  eaters. Still had yet another person snark today about all my plastic tubs under snow. We're eating fresh carrots, radishes, baby beets and onions, bunching onion tops, spinach, miners lettuce and kale. All of which are small, in general, but very sweet and crunchy from their time in the cold ground. He's eating store bought non-organic canned and frozen veges that are a two-hour round-trip drive away because what's "fresh" in the produce department, isn't so fresh around here this time of year. So, snark away, buddy!

Definitely different weather over the last two seasons. With a hot fall and a much colder winter than we've seen in our 5 years here, I lost a lot of veges. Thankfully I intentionally over planted. I overcorrected from the previous fall and winter which was the exact opposite. Putting my thinking cap on for fall/winter 2022. Think I'll pay more attention to the Farmers Almanac weather prediction, which in hindsight, is spot on.

My father says it isn't possible to harvest more potatoes than what you planted. It doesn't matter how many times I plant 10 pounds and harvest more than 100, he claims it's not possible.

(Then he complains when I don't take him at his word anymore.)
Not sure that counts, but I needed to vent. Thank you.


I've been told okra won't grow up here, but I've grown it before.

I'm often told that vegetables won't produce unless the garden is completely weed-free, but mine do.

I'm told I can't raise chickens in the backyard, but I think they meant in the sense of "not allowed to", which they were wrong about. I made sure before I got them.

I'm told I have to eat or freeze everything within a month or it will go bad. I have squash in the basement that's been sitting there 16 months, and still solid.

Growing gardens in Wyoming!

Building simple, free soil that works...

8 gallons of biochar spread across 2x30 foot bed edged with split pine (firewood pieces). 4 inches wood chips (mixed, mostly pine and cedar but it didn't matter), then 2" horse manure on top. No mixing, no watering. 9 months later: 4" deep, real good soil. Not a trace of chips or manure. All of this was just spread out on some heavy, "lifeless" clay.

And I bet the char wasn't necessary, but it was in there. I just got 6 more yards of good clean horse poo. I am sure I can get a mountain of chips and then it's time to get serious.

Unbelievable. I am over the moon. Keep it simple, stupid. Hashtag. Etc.