The biggest challenge in my garden is:

Hey! I've never been first before.

I voted Budget. I find I have to be careful choosing plants for the gardens. I agonize over each purchase. Trading is an easy way to expand and share. Now that I have more established plants, I share with neighbors and friends.

WEEDS!!!

We live in the country, and are under constant attack from field bindweed, horsetail, wild blackberries, sumac, and several other extremely invasive, deep-rooted weeds that are almost impossible to keep up with if one wants to actually garden! Work in one area, and while your back is turned, the weeds are nearly too big, too widespread, and too deeply rooted in the last area you cleaned to be dealt with!!

Time, there is always something to be done and not enough time for it all.

Definitely time for me! Work interferes with so many other things, but it does provide funds for plants. Sigh!

Weather, late frosts, early frosts, too much rain, chilly springs, cool summers with intermittent heat, chilly nights that bring on mildews and molds, did I mention too much rain? 20 feet of snow helps to protect things, but really!

Hey Kwanjin ~ you had to be up early to be first! LOL

I also voted "time" here. Because I work, I have the money but I don't have the time. If I quit, I would have the time and no money! It's a no brainer for me.

from the TX Gardener editorial... wishing I had the younger persons back and the older persons time!

Weeds, Weeds, Weeds!!!

I just can't seem to keep ahead of them. It could be that I have to much property that I have turned into gardens :)

I agree with Potagere and Debsroots. Weeds and invasives are taking over this year. I also have too much area to garden and only part of it done.

Budget, I try to attend all the Round up's and any plant swaps near me. Take cuttings and seeds.

I am right there with Potagere - WEEDS! We've been blessed with ample rain this summer, but the weeds are overtaking everything! AARRGGHHHH! Samantha

WEEDS WEEDS and more WEEDS!!

DEER!
After 15 years of deer-free bliss, this year they've
started jumping the fence for a nightly buffet of
all their favorites. Milorganite has had some good
results keeping them away from certain cherished
plants & shrubs, but we've started installing a deer
fence on top of the existing fence just to be sure.

Ahhh... weeds are far better than drought! Eh?

WEEDS here, too! I actually voted climate due to the intense FL sun, but weeds run right along with it. I pulled one last week that had reached the same height as the house. Yikes!!! Along with the weeds go fire ant mounds... they build under thick carpets of weeds and when you reach down to grab the center of the weed you have fire ants up to your forearm before you realize it. Nasty critters!

Weeds, budget Japanese beetles and grass hoppers.
Why do I still garden. :>) I love fresh home grown veggies and vine or tree ripened fruits. Not the rock hard peaches and nectarines and other fruit, nor do I like tomatoes that have the flavor of cardboard.

SPACE! No matter how much you have, the plants expand to fill it. If I had an acre, I'd need 5. If I had 5, I'd need 10. If I had 10 . . . well, you get the idea. I have enough plants now that were I to grow them to full mature size, I could fill up a few acres. And I've been holding back! What if I really cut loose?

Oh, yeah, I forgot the killer fire ants that protect the weeds! Thanks (?!?!) for reminding me, Barb!

Oh, podster, you're joking, surely! Even if there is drought, there are still the weeds to contend with!! They have roots so deep that my French weeds are probably drinking your Texas water! Pour a little Lone Star on the soil tonite, wudja?

Potagere

Not enough space! I don't have a garden, I have berms, and pots!
I make use of every free space, but geeeeeeeeeze.

I want an acre!!

oh yeah - I need room for a proper sized GREENHOUSE!
With my tiny yard, I put my temporary greenhouse on my deck, and it's not heated.....
So I'd like room to put a large, heated greenhouse on the property.

I put not enough space. For me it should be not enough arable space. I have 1/2 acre which would be enough for my gardening desire-- mostly. But most of my 1/2 acre only has an inch or two of soil on top of bed rock. Finding enough room to plant my jungle is a challenge. I was reminded of that again this year when I removed a bunch of junipers and put in rose bushes. Making a big enough hole in the rock for the roses was a challenge. I am having the same problem with the groundcovers under them.

Space! I need room!!! Grrrrrr!

Space. I see so many plants that I want and have to pass them up because my gardens are crammed now. It's shoulder to shoulder in there. Have a new gardening project set for next year that will give me more room and I'm sure it will fill up very quickly.

Weeds are my biggest problem I just cant keep on top of them.I swear, sometimes I can hear them growing!

Podster, I'm with you. I need the bady I had when I was 20. ^_^

Weeds, weeds and more weeds! Like Potagere, I'm in a rural area surrounded by open fields. The weeds are unbelievable. Even with mulch covered tarps on the ground and everything in pots, the weeds still try to take over. I think I'm going to have to resort to Round-Up to get things under control. Sigh.

Need more space. It seems like im always ripping more grass out so I can plant more. I always need more space.
Greg

I need more SPACE, preferably an acreage not too far from town.

Our intown lot is fairly spacious, but DH "must" have his manicured lawn, so I am confined to border beds. I have managed to surround much of the property and buildings with bountiful borders, but I want more! haha.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Space, space, space!

Be careful what you wish for!

In our last yard [and a principal reason we moved], if I wanted to plant something new, I had to remove an old and well-loved friend (OK, well, sometimes, I could eliminate a less-loved inheritance; but I am anthropomorphic and just hate to kill a living plant (that is not a 'weed') just on my whim.

But, of course, I often have recall to someone's definition that "A weed is an plant growing where you do not want it", and rip it out. I'm not sure that if St Peter calls me to account on this that this defense would suffice, but there it is.

If you are young and strong and have a plan [and not a few bucks], space is great.

But I got what I wanted : a LOT more space.
So, see my post above!

It's a struggle between me and nature to see who will prevail.
60+ old men can just about strike a balance on "an acre" [I'm extrapolating from sq metres]
A balance may come when we see that, as we go from bed to bed, the weeds are no bigger than on our last pass.

~ Sashagirl ~

I'm a guy.
I was born in the USA
Raised there
Spent most of my life there

I keep hearing how important "manicured lawns" are to American men.
Why is that?

I'm really just curious.

Potagere

I don't think I will ever have enough space (Maybe I will just move to Borneo!) Perfect Climate, Plenty of Space!

I kept looking for one or more answers from about but there wasn't one.My challegenes are not enough space(that means getting hubby to let go of more lawn) Japanese Beetles this time of year and dadnabit wabbits is the spring eating the fresh growth of my bulbs...........the rabbits I can deal with with the help of rabbit scram put down in late fall then again early spring and then again in early summer, the getting less lawn and more place to put plants that I've divided or bought is getting a bit easier through the past 5 years. The Japanese Beetles they're a whole different animal. I haven't found one way to beat those nasties.

I would like more Space...space with sun, because my garden area has become shadier the last 5 years, as the big Oak tree has spread its branches, thus making more shade where I formerly had some sunny area. We have trimmed branches some, but also our neighbors' tree has tall limbs which also shade this area now; maybe I can trim them...when they aren't looking, like late at night?! Shhhh.....=)

It is totally legal to cut the branches of a neighbor's tree that hang over your lot. Trim away!

Oh, gosh... forgot about Drought--- dry as a bone here. Yes, you can water, but it doesn't have the same benefit as Rain.'''''''''' And we do have that high Heat problem...and humidity may be good for some plants, others it causes mildew or fungus on the leaves. Budget,... always, esp. since we have 3 teenagers at home. What were the choices again? I think I may have named them all. Ha! =)

Climate, no rain, wind, wind, wind and heat. No frost, no snow, did I mention wind? It's been hot this summer, in the mid to upper 90's and not a drop of rain.
I have space, up to 110 acres if I want to use them, no weeds because I mulch every inch of the gardens (I'm using about an acre now) and we live on the water (fresh water, a bit salty but that's normal for this area) and have irrigation pumps and belong to the irrigation district so we're allowed to use the water but the heat and wind I can do nothing about. The seasons here are weird too, I planted potatoes last week and will be able to start growing just about anything I want next month. Tomatoes do great from Sept thru about April or May, then June thru August it's too hot.
We put up wind blocks from the north/north west in the winter, from the east/south east in the spring. I've had to learn to use wind tolerant crops as wind blocks for more tender plants.

I have more than enough space, weeds, pests, drought, etc. to encumber my gardening (for which the budget can be meager at times) but the biggest problem is my lack of time. Looking forward to retirement!

Calalily, oh, you shouldn't have reminded me of the Wind! Another thing which is a challenge to us here by the coastline! I know you have more wind, because we are not Right on the bay, but a few miles from it. We still get lots of wind, which not only knocks my pots of Plumeria & others down, but is so drying to all the plants when it's combined with the high heat and the drought. Actually, August is about the only month that we don't get alot of wind here; lately, we sometimes get a little Hot breeze.

WEEDS! Drought! Squirrels! Budget!

Potagere, my DH does NOT lust after a lawn - he wants water features everywhere.