Hi, @scottij, Wow, twice winning the yard of the year award is impressive! Must say I am green with envy that your expertise with raising tomatoes helped pay your way through college. Must have been beginner's luck and the fact that when I started veggie gardening I removed tons of earth before adding all sorts of composts and amendments. That very first outrageous bumper crop of several varieties of tomatoes which I eagerly shared with neighbors and friends had me thinking of a new "second income" in retirement. smiles Was short lived because never again have I achieved close to the same results. Kudos to you!

I can commensurate with your ban from extensive gardening and need for gloves when you do because the 2 changes I dread most is becoming unable to have my fingers in the dirt and loss of driving privileges. Wind, dust and hot sun require masks and hats for me too now. Due to very weak knees, I do my gardening while sitting on my rump and "scooting". The time will come when getting back up may not be possible. Constructing some very tall, "standing" raised beds may be required in the future.

I agree that while aging and increasing health conditions limit more of what we once took for granted and enjoyed, there are some advantages as well. For example, I no longer make excuses for telling others I stretch out for a "read" and possible nap most days. Smiles

A friend was complaining after moving here from Arkansas about the fact that while we were both 7b locales, things just didn't thrive here like they did in her home state. West TX is a very arid, hot area with clay soil and her home received a great deal more rain with much better loamy soil. I'm also remembering how dismayed I was to see how much better plants grew in my daughter's 7a home area of Austin where wildflowers proliferated and we paid big $$$ to get nursery varieties, only to hold our breath that they'd survive the season.

Hope you continue to chime in here and would like to know what your primary gardening focus is now? I'm moving toward more perennials each year.