2020 Garden Lessons

 


This year was very successful for tomatoes and peppers. Corn grew well but the squirrels snatched most of the cobs before I could eat them. The squirrels ignored the tomatoes this year. I bought a high powered BB gun so hopefully that will help keep them at bay next year. Beans did well early on but late in the season they got some kind of disease, a later batch that I planted did well though. Cucumbers did very well early on but then the squash bugs took over quickly, I did get a late fall crop from one plant though. Squash did horrible, the squash bugs were overwhelming. Potatoes were good and I might even get a fall crop. Onion were amazing in the big raised bed. Garlic didn't store too well, could have been better, switched to a softneck variety this fall, Polish Red. Salanova lettuce was very good. Carrots worked well in the growbox, did not germinate in the raised bed, I should have covered them with a board. Overhead watering did pretty well for the most part but the squash plants sure didn't like it or the watermelons. Installed a new drip irrigation system from Hoss Tools. Need to make sure there are no leaks before burying it in spring. The Fall garden I started too late and I'm not sure I'm going to get much out of it. It looks like the only place to plant for Fall is in the very northeast corner of the garden because everywhere else is just far too shaded. The big sycamore tree takes awhile to lose it leaves. I might need to set up a spot at the cabin for fall gardening. Here is a list of most important lessons:

1. Start using BT and other insecticides as soon as damage is detected, preferably organic. Fall garden got hit hard with cabbage worms. Might look into row covers for insects and to shade fall crops early on.

2. Use fertilizers early on to help the plants get a strong start.

3. Might need to Sulfur the garden. PH was pretty high in the soil test done on 10/1/2020. 7.3 PH

4. Start seeds inside then move cold weather crops to basement. Make sure to protect from slugs and such.

5. Go to the Amish place over by Liberal for spring crops.

6. Go easy on cucumber plants, spread out plantings by 21 days.

7. Cut some suckers off the tomato plants and replant for succession, worked well with the sun gold.

8. Seeds I may need: Fast growing baby cabbages, heat tolerant broccoli, romaine lettuce, napoli carrots, butternut squash, big sweet peppers.

9. Wood chips may not be the best for in between the rows, makes it hard to till the soil. Might be best to stick with shredded leaves,

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