I'm not going to do a monthy garden report like I started earlier this year, but I think it's good to do a start of season, mid-season, and end of season report here, just so I can compare and learn year after year.
Thoughts on this year, in no particular order:
- eggplant did very well! Do the exact same thing next year. Perhaps new seeds as the ping ting and Japanese egg seeds are many years old.
- small peppers also did well. Try greater density next year.
- sitting area could have had double the peppers (where the beans were -- they didn't work out there).
- Greenstalk peppers should have been much greater density. Watch that youtuber and do exactly what she does.
- ensure that I'm growing best varieties for conditions (esp under tree vs other side)
- Giant Marconi (ensure heirloom) and Buran for pots in front of trellised beans [replacing tomatoes]
- basil: so many basil varieties (as companion plants) is just silly. Pick three or four and stick with them. Pick pretty ones and/or ones that are particularly effective for pest deterrence. And for eating, we don't more than genovese or Thai, and max 4 each unless we are going to make herb cubes (which we should!)
- greenstalks: should they all be for peppers?
- the basil one was just stupid -- we don't need that much basil and it looked all scraggly.
- the peas/pole beans harvest seemed low. Do I plant more per cell? Research that.
- Possible plan:
- spring -- all four with peas (start very early with greenhouse covers)
- summer -- all four with peppers (which will apparently do better here than beans)
- this works because I won't need to transplant until early June, giving peas enough time to harvest (hopefully)
- bell peppers: try these varieties for hopefully larger pepper, more yield: King of the North (Baker Creek) and Ohio Giant (find)
- cucumber harvest was horrible this year. Weird. Perhaps start indoors in large peat pots. Keep with same varieties/quantities though.
- beans were fun to grow and definitely a learning experience. Trellis up summer squash trough again next year but at greater density and check for best variety of pole beans. PLUS do pole beans up pot trellises (again, density and type--we want visual cover earlier on + good harvest)
- tomatoes -- this was the big disappointment this year. So many possible reasons! Old seeds, too much nitrogen in soil, started too late, too much shade (didn't prune suckers), etc. Research this! We need better tomato harvests!
- root veg -- the shady west will be 100% root veg. Research this for varieties that do well without full sun
- spring garden -- I'd like to try cabbage and broccoli again. Research types. If I have the fastest to harvest already, perhaps it's just not going to happen in our garden. What other spring vegetables, besides peas! Bok Choi for sure...that did really well. And cilantro. Any fast growers in the troughs?
- flowers -- 100% store bought from now on. I don't have room in the shed to start seeds indoors. And I have to manage my workload!
- fertilize -- next year I WILL use fertilizer! Make a good schedule and STICK TO IT!
- squash did great, especially at density due to vertical ones. Try three traditionally grown and three vertical for each next summer. Two greens, two yellows, and two patty pans.