Garden Thoughts 2010

I am finally done with all things garden this year and wanted to record my thoughts for reference for next year.

What went well:

• Tomatoes, they grew almost too well. I planted 12 roma tomato plants. One per square. I had buckets of them left on the plants when the time came to worry about them freezing. I pulled off all the green ones hoping they'd ripen and I could use them. Only the ones that were close to ripening worked. The rest just went mushy or moldy before they ripened. 
• Watermelons. I planted three seeds in the center of a 4x4 box and I got 4 good sized watermelons.
• Raspberries. The canes from last year produced at the beginning of the summer. New canes produced from mid summer till even now. I just pulled off 1 1/2 cups of berries. I was able to make 12 jars of raspberry jam and some raspberry/strawberry fruit leather.
• Strawberries. The everbearing plants from last year did awesome this year. Some just kept on producing and I probably have some strawberries and I pull off right now. 
• Green beans were easy again this year. 
• Cucumbers produced pretty well even though I only had one or two plants.
• Cantalope did okay. I got two decent melons off the vine.
• The boys planted Red corn in their square and even though we only ended up with a few ears they tasted good, unlike last year.
• Onions were very prolific. They were easy to grow, they are harvested early and I still have a bunch of little ones left to use.
• My potatoes didn't have brown spots inside every one this year. I did have a couple with brown spots but most were good and I got a bunch.
• Zinna flowers. The boys picked these out for their box and I loved clipping them and putting them in a vase on the table. They remind me of gerbera daisies but more wild.
• The spinach I planted last fall started growing again this spring and I ended up with a bunch of it early on.
• The carrots I planted this spring grew well and I really enjoyed cooking them and eating them.

What didn't go well:

• Peas, I think I planted them a little late, not all of them sprouted and I only got a few pods off the plant. They were also hard to open and get the peas. 
• The Peppers had issues this year and just didn't grow. They may have gotten too much shade from all the tomato plants. I probably only picked about 4 good ones off of 3 plants. Last year I picked probably 3 times that much.
• Lettuce just didn't work out for me this year. It smelled and tasted bitter and I just wasn't motivated to pick it. 
• I planted 4 broccoli plants and none of them actually produced a head. Lame.
• The carrots I planted last fall started growing again this year. But either I waited too long to pick them or they grew woody over the winter. They were no good after all.
• I planted a couple cabbage plants. One actually grew a little head, not too impressive though.

What I will do differently:

• Plant less tomato plants, not so close together. The plants in the center didn't quite produce as much as the ones on the edges. Also I need to stake them better the ones on the edges got so big and heavy with fruit that they fell over despite my cages.
• Plant more red corn. Yum. Space out the plantings so they aren't all ready at the same time. 
• Plant more cantalope, and maybe try starting it inside if they can be transplanted.
• Don't grow vining green beans. By the time they start producing the bush beans have already been at it for a while and I'm sick of them by the time they are there and they are a pain to take off the trellis.
• Maybe plant pickling cucumbers. I actually don't like fresh cucumber all that much and they tend to go bad before we use them all.
• Start the peas earlier or try a different variety.
• Watch the strawberry runners better and keep their boxes more tidy.
• Try different lettuce and broccoli.

I'm sorta burned out on the garden right now. Luckily it is winter now and by the time spring comes I'll be ready.