Try Something New!
I have learned significantly more from my failures in the garden than I have from my successes in the garden.
"Failure" might look different to you than it does to the next gardener. No one enjoys "failure". Maybe that looks like a squash vine taking over your entire vegetable garden. Maybe that looks like a new tree that didn't last a month in the ground because you forgot to water it.
Starting new things in a garden can be overwhelming and stressful at times. I don't know about you but I tend to be drawn to what is familiar and easy. I'm drawn to things I've grown before and have had success with. No one wants their plants or trees to die off because of something they did wrong. We are the same way. We want the hard-earned money we have made to go towards plants and trees that will last.
We must push the boundaries of our comfort levels in the garden.
In 2020 we added many new things to our yard and gardens, including multiple fruit trees and blueberry bushes. We added a peach tree for the first time, having never grown one before! (Peaches do not grow well in cold climates generally, but there are a couple varieties that will work in zone 4.)
Every year we try at least one new thing. A new variety of tomato, a new apple tree, a new fruit or vegetable we have never tried before. Sometimes it works great, other times it is a total flop. There are so many things to learn about gardening.
One of the best things is we are all always learning. One of the most challenging things is we are all always learning!
I work hard to push beyond that voice that tells me everything that can go wrong and instead focus on everything that can go as planned. I do my research but I also don't overwhelm myself with information and sometimes, you have to just DO it.
I encourage you to push yourself outside of that gardening comfort zone. Find something new that you have never tried before. Next gardening season, just do it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.