Some mistakes I made in the garden this year

Things I learned the hard way in the yard this year.

1) Geese will eat everything! Not sure how we are getting around this problem but... I'm brainstorming and open to suggestions- getting rid of the geese and ducks is not currently an option (tick control for ducks and flock protection- geese)

2) While not raking the leaves may help the pollinators it kills all your grass which leads to soil loss by water in our climate- my yard is a mud-pit and I just raked wheelbarrows full of pebbles and am contemplating a slinger truck of topsoil....

3) Do not expect the grass to bounce back after it goes brown in the heat of summer- if its grass- maybe it will work if its clover- mud-pit!

4) woodchip paths look great until chickens

5) If you forget to loophoe- you are going to pull the hard weeds and hate yourself later or eye the rototiller while weeding your asparagus patch- something it going to be sacrificed.

6) Tilling- both good and bad but kills a lot of soil microbes in established soils from everything I have read HOWEVER if you mix in bunny poop and woodchips and give it a couple months- it turns to what I consider pure gold!

7) Get the right tools- broad forks are worth their weight in gold and are not like a pitch or hay fork- they are awesome and lift soil to aerate and not break. Large gardens- a seeder and so on and so forth- it doesn't take away from your enjoyment by gardening easier- it means you can do more stuff.

Gardens need structure. They have layers like a forest- canopies- climbers, mid level, ground cover and root crops and planting to mimic nature does give better results. Conventional garden- didn't do as well.

9) Chickens will inhibit any direct sewing if they can reach it. Chickens will eat everything!

10) Seed buying and seed sewing/ gardening are separate hobbies.