Garden Journal #3
Things to remember for next years Spring and Summer planting. The Golden rule: thin more, seed less.
I need a better Tomato trellis system, the post and cord method was fine but not great, I will try to make some cages, which is my favorite method but costly, I will also try a post and fence method. Also try 2 distinct separate plantings, my first fruit appeared just before July and lasted until the end of July when blight ended the season. Next year do a full planting right at this time to secure fruit for August. I had a good crop this season that spread the entire month of July but it was a lot in a short time. Do a wider variety of types also, include the German Johnson. Space tomatoes much further apart, we did about 3ft this year.
Plant more Arugula and Spring mix greens, spray the Arugula earlier to avoid flea beetle bites, an aesthetic problem though a few customers took note and were not pleased. Spring mix had no trouble, I used red romaine and oakleaf with young Arugula.
Plant English Peas earlier in March, plant potatoes earlier. Plant Watermelons earlier
Black Eyed Peas worked wonderfully. Plant many more Pea and Bean varieties for next year.
Butternut and Baby Sugar Pumpkins seem to be coming in perfectly. Plant more next year.
Peanuts seem to be coming in well, plant again and more.
Potatoes are struggling I believe due to late planting. Don’t forget to pull off all eyes but the strongest and plant it facing up. In clay soils do not trench deeply before planting. Spacing at 1 ft was perfect, mounding at a foot high is also well received.
Stick with one corn variety next season so as to not cross pollinate. Fertilize the soil better as the corn struggled this year due to lack of nitrogen.
Do 2 separate Cucumber plantings next year.
Less Kale, more Collards next year. 2 beds (2*25) of Collards was a lot so maybe go 3. 1 bed of each of the two types of Kale from this year will suffice, Dinosaur and Russian.
Get Spinach in earlier and plant the summer type.
Do not plant buttery leaf lettuces, look for head lettuces and thin properly.
Add Eggplant, Fennel and Okra next season. Do not mess with Onions until you are set up to do this with more attention to variety, soil and water as these are more needy than anything else we work with. The little onions are not worth it, plant and raise large onions or not at all.
Scallions and Basil did wonderfully and were helpful.
Plant more Jalapenos and plant in two stages. Spray peppers with copper based organic fungicide to prevent the spotty problem we had this season.
Plant more watermelon and cantaloupe and start earlier.
Spread out squashes more to prevent rot, allow air flow. We planted 3ft apart in rows 4 ft apart this year, increase to 4 by 4.
Choose a better red beet for larger size. Plant more Chiogas and Goldens.