This year's gardening has been a trial.

Last year I had almost decided to give up on it altogether. But reconsidered and decided to go all in and use all the tricks I knew to improve things. I added manure and lime and weeded meticulously, put up some fencing for peas to climb on, planted the next section of my grassy surround and adjusted the watering system. I even rebuilt my Sukkah from the ground up. It was a lot of work. And I spent a fair amount of money too.

Unfortunately, the only thing that was and still is a success is my Sukkah.

Nothing thrived, save for the lavender and a particularly amazing volunteer Sweet Pea.

I got exactly four cups of shelling peas, which I froze, 10 pints of dilly beans about 4 pounds of carrots and this my friends, was the extent of my potato harvest because early on, the gopher did a number on them:

This from three and a half rows of potatoes that I planted. 😭

To say I am discouraged does not cover it.

So.

Over the last several days, I have cleaned out and dismantled my whole garden. This is the before picture:

I don't want to whine, but I AM going to comment that it took a LOT of hands and knees grubbing in the soil and a lot of effort that pushed me to my limits to get it to this state:

It was epic.

I have decided to give my garden a year of rest. If it was in the land of Israel, it would be called a shmita year.

I'm going to plant white clover in all the raised beds and in the potato patch. Clover improves the soil by fixing nitrogen in the roots. And I will take that year to heal my wounded gardener's soul. I hope.

There will be some perennial plants that will need tending, but the bulk of the garden will just need to be mowed and the raised beds trimmed from time to time. The bees should have lots of flowers to visit. Our neighbor nearby has several hives.

The only thing left to do now, is plant the clover, which I hope to do on Sunday.

Then?

Let the healing begin, God willing.