Sunday, January 4, 2009

Retrospective

What a trying year. A late frost in April killed my first planting. Then a cold, very wet spring stunted the growth of most plants. Powdery mildew wiped out most of my peas and beans. In June and July the deer destroyed large parts of the garden. Raccoons destroyed my Cherokee popcorn. Only 1 of the 8 tomato varieties I was growing set fruit.

There were many pleasant surprises though.

Zucchino Rampicante (aka Tromboncino) squash.
Matt's Wild Cherry tomato.
Yard long beans.
Sarian strawberry from seed.
Litchi tomato.
Bunch onions purchased at the grocery store.
Cream of Saskatchewan, Melitopolski, White Sugar Lump, Gold Baby, Chat Chai, and Thai Rom Doa watermelons.
Toothache plant.
Cucuzzi edible gourd.
Kiwi Gold Raspberries.
Stevia.
Gogi berries.

I used no pesticides or other chemicals, My only fertilizer was urine/water at a 1:15 ratio. This attempt at self-sufficiency worked so well I'll do it again.

The mixed plantings in patches turned out to be a pain in upkeep. Back to planting one long row next to the garden pathways.

Water the soil, not the leaves. Old advice that I won't ignore again.

Growing peanuts in the corn patch results in very few peanuts at harvest.

Still green in January: Mizuna, Tatsoi, collards, strawberries, turnips, green onions, and parsley.

Everything likes strawberries. Next year I'll grow strawberries under a net or chicken wire.