# What happend to yourgarden when you retired?



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Did it get larger or did you find that it was smaller than in your pre-retirement days?

If it changed size , what was your reason?

My garden was three to four times as large before I retired because around my 3rd shift work I grew vegetables to take to the free local growers market to sell to add to my retirement funds.

After my retirement the garden first downsized from 1 and half to 2 acres to a half acre as I was only interested in producing enough produce for our family and as my wife was still working I figured on spending my days doing her share of housework also so we would have the most of her free time.

Then when she decided we should divorce I reduced down to 1/4 acre as that is enough to provide for my needs and with the raised bed technique I used I could still grow produce for the local growers market and pursue my other retirement activities I had deprived myself of.

When I added dating to my activities, I reduced the size further to only 1/8 of an acre to cover my produce requirements and landscaped more of my property around my house for outdoor entertaining use and used the remainder of my acreage I used for small income yield topsoil production as I began concentrating on dating and other retirement income and socialization activities even more because as most every other retiree I found that the dream we often hold of endless travel in retirement and ensuring a small yet adequate yearly income for myself for the next 35 or more years didn't go together.

My home place with garden, hot tuband live grass 9 hole miniature golf course provides about a third of my normal weekly leisure time.

So what happened with your vegetable garden when you retired?


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

The size remained the same for me, about 1/10 of an acre. Untimely consulting assignments and lack of rain have led to a very spotty record of production however. If I had to depend on my garden to live, I would have been a very hungry boy the last few years.


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## jassytoo (May 14, 2003)

The size of ours has remained the same but we have made it a bit more user friendly and it's more productive. Since DH is retired and does a lot more work around here, I get a lot more time to fill the jars and the freezer.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I started growing potatoes. I tried new some new vegetables but only those I thought I might really want to eat. Before I tried new things to see if I could do it. 
But I expanded my garden to have the fresh produce that I used to pick up from the store conveniently when I worked. Now it's more convenient to grow it rather than drive to town when that was no other reason to go.
I also decided that there is no such thing as too many blueberry bushes.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Over the years my garden has gone from near nothing to well over 100'x100' and then back to nearly nothing. Presently it's about 25'x25' and supplies us, the wife and me, with plenty of fresh veggies during the season. 
Although it was only about 20'x20' the season I retired - guess we're eating more vegetarian now? 
Who woulda thunk! :thumb:


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

It is smaller but more productive. I have a grenhouse and hoops to extend the season. We eat more variety but seem to eat so much less. I am more physically active. We eat more milk products as I have more time to make them from goats milk. We have 2 goats in milk most of the time instead of just 1 before. I also have a lot more time to gleann the woods around us....James


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Ours got bigger and and we added a new area for sweet corn,potatoes, and sweet potatoes as they take up alot of room. The original garden is 100x100' surrounded by fruit trees. We've tried new things and also planted larger amts of favorites so we can can more and help our kids with their grocery bills. We eat little meat so our garden is important to us. Live in an area where good vegetables are hard to get at the local groceries and the farmers market aren't worth the trip.


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## SageLady (Jun 10, 2008)

Much smaller, but that has been due to health problems. Just can't take care of a larger garden like we used to be able to do....


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## Mike CHS (Apr 3, 2011)

Mine is getting bigger by a considerable amount. The pre-retirement garden was using what space we had in our 1/3 acre subdivision lot. The post retirement garden is going to be a little over a half acre to start with but will take some time to get ready for planting since it's being cut out of our 19 acre over-grown pasture.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Pretty much the same size, can only get so much before the hoppers and drought consume it, trying to plant more varieties of tomatoes and peppers to see what else will do well here and to see what varieties I like that i haven't grown before. Squash goes mainly to kids, okra gets fire ants in it, legs won't allow beans and peasas i need to kinda squat to pick, so i grow things i can stand upright or sit on a stool and pick. onions and taters have become hopper food last few years so didn't bother to put any of those out this year. In a good year, I should have more than enough for my use and to give away. Haven't had a good year lately, between drought, hoppers, broken legs, ex gf losing her daughter, having surgery that required me to stay in town to help her out most of the day and such.

Ed


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## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

First hoop house almost finished in a 24x40 foot plot. Second is being measured for today. 90x35, Built rain harvester and working on the 500 gallon addition to the already exisiting 550 gallon one. Going to try lavender again. Have a grosso but want a different edible cultivar. As veggies go they have burned up in the last two years. So we are also giving them another whirl. Planting 65 x 40 veggie patch. What I was doing before retirement was zilch. living my dream


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Mine stayed about the same, but I now have some extra time to help at our local community garden---great fun, great people.


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

Since DH's retirement, from twice a day milking, followed by 6 day a week mail delivery, we have been able to do lots more traveling.

All that traveling has greatly interfered with giving the garden proper attention.

Size has remained the same while production has dropped.
Plants not getting watered when needed, harvest not occurring when it should.

But I keep dreaming ~~~~~ perhaps this will be a good gardening year.


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## Corky (May 11, 2002)

Well, I finally found some of my old friends. I should have know you would be here.

When I finally retired, six years ago, my garden got bigger as I joined a farmers market group for a couple of years. Didn't make any money but didn't intend to. Just wanted to have fun which we did. I started a music group and while Milt cared for our stand I jammed with my friends to entertain the customers.
Then Milt decided he was tired of being prisoner to a farm. 
We ended up selling all the animals except the dog and cats. Bought a motor home and are now seasonal travelers so, even though I have been planting a garden each year with full intentions of coming home to mow and care for the garden regularly, we end up with it deep in weeds and find few veggies have survived.
Therefor we finally cut the plot by two thirds. It is now mostly perennial veggies with room for a few annuals. I can clear the weeds and roots in the winter months so that when we stop traveling I can have a real garden again.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

My parents' garden increased in size and became fenced in after they retired at 55. I also noticed that it had significantly fewer weeds than it did when they both worked. They eat a lot more of the produce that they provide, Mom doesn't can, but she will snap beans and freeze tomatoes to make sauce. The garden is really a hobby for them and now that they are in their 80's, they only garden as much or as little as they want to.


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