Why Won’t My Garden Grow? | Tips to Increase Your Garden Yield

This gardening season has been really different for me. In past years, I’ve experienced almost rapid speed growth and minimum pests and disease. This year really had me wondering- why won’t my garden grow?! But I have solutions to increase your yield and encourage growth.

My patience was tried! I was incredibly frustrated but most of all discouraged. I have vegetables growing in the container but also in my raised garden bed. Here I was teaching people how to garden- and I’m out here with my garden looking like a pile of dirt and twigs (clearly more than that but in my mind that’s what it felt like). I did not know what was best for me to do- but I just about to give up but I ultimately went back to basics and now I am experiencing major success in my garden. I wanted to share the things I used to increase your garden yield right now.

I know I can’t be the only person who is experiencing a slow growth period so I’ve included some tips below. Some that are free and other that may cost (but a low cost).

Study your garden: Cost: Free. I work from home and thankfully the window that faces my garden is my office window. I spent a full day periodically looking out at my garden. What I discovered was that the tree in my yard that was previously not a problem- was starting to cast shadows on my main gardening bed. These shadows were causing my garden and containers in the garden to receive less than 6 hours of sun. Yes, the sun the vegetables were receiving was filtered but some vegetables need FULL SUN ALL DAY. So I (aka my husband) cut some branches and boom- problem solved.

Weed your garden: Cost: Free+ elbow grease. I will admit that I am not on it as much as I want to be when it comes to weeding my garden. Getting the weeds out of your garden is helpful to remove items that aren’t adding to but detracting from your garden. You should go through and pull all of the weeds from your garden. Make sure when you weed, you pull from the root so they don’t come back. I have a quick video below showing how to weed properly. See below.

Water is key- rain water is best: Cost: Free (kind of) This summer it hasn’t rained as much as it has in previous summers. Every summer we have days and days of rain. Even if it’s brief its enough to save me from having to water my garden (a win/win). Storms are good for gardens because there is a lot of natural water. I often refer to rain water as the breast milk of the garden.

This summer however, it has NOT rained as much. I actually usually conserve my rain water and my rain barrel was even pretty empty. In years past I’ve had to empty it because it has overflown from the rain- Not this year. THEN….one day- It rained. And the next day it rained. Like a lot. And my garden loved it. I was able to conserve a lot of the rain water and use it in my garden. This helped my garden grow. This summer because it wasn’t raining much- I had to water a lot. Hose water is not the same. It can be very time consuming and although it keeps my vegetables hydrated- its just not as good. Those days of good rain came right on time.

Fertilizing a LOT. Cost: Free/Varies: I’ve always been a fan of using natural (organic!) fertilizers. But I haven’t always been as frequent with fertilizing. Now, I fertilize frequently and OFTEN. As in not every 7-14 days more like every 3-4 days.

I have used the following natural (food based) fertilizers: coffee grounds; egg shells (from eggs I already consumed); banana peels and banana water (from banana peels). I have links for the store (organic) fertilizer.

Fish Fertilizer is pretty good but it smells AWFUL. I’ve used it in the past and had success. You should dilute it with water. I would say 3 cups to 1 cup of water. I usually pour it in my watering can then water my vegetables via the can using harvested rain water. There are many varieties and fish fertilizer to me is great.

Organic Fertilizer comes like granuals. I usually spread it over my garden like chicken feed. LOL I place it in the areas around the base of the vegetables. I’ve also used this organic fertilizer in my soil as I’m prepping it.

Mater Magic is BY FAR the BEST! This Tomato magic resulted in exponential growth. Like….Crazy crazy. My good girlfriend also used it and we were texting each other amazed at how quickly it made a difference. Like my garden grew almost 1/2 an inch OVERNIGHT. I was looking at the ingredients and it did seem to have more nitrogen than other fertilizers. It is organic and works almost instantly. My tomatoes POPPED Up and out. They are so firm and beautiful. The best part about this fertilizer is that it can be used on EVERYTHING. Yes. All of your vegetables NOT just your tomatoes will grow.

Love and Patience: Cost: Free. One of the things I have alway understood about my garden is that it is going to grow at its own pace. No matter how much I want to push it and rush it- – it grows at its own pace. I continued to love it and affirm it, fertilize it.Some of my anxiety could have been transferring to my plants and I needed to chill T.F. out! I know that I love my garden and if I take care of it- it will reward me as it always has. And that- it is doing.

Happy Gardening Frenns~

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