I'm having some disappointments in the garden this year, so while they are fresh in my mind i'm making notes and planning for next year. I'm already finalizing 2012 in my GrowVeg program.
What i'm changing the most is reducing the number of things i am growing. I'm going very spare (for me):
Winter squash, 2 types
Summer squash
Tomatoes, maybe 5 types
Early potatoes
Maincrop potatoes
Broccoli, 2 or 3 varieties
Kale, 3 types
assorted herbs
Job's Tears (gotta do something fun)
Bush beans
Onions
and
Cucumbers
I'm jettisoning kohlrabi as i mentioned before (its like having broccoli that needs to be peeled- no fun) and i'm going to give up on cabbage. I love cabbage, but its still cheap and mine just ends up buggy. The snails and slugs always bore into them leaving slime and frass. Then the earwigs come in behind them and throw a party. I simply cannot bring myself to eat something that earwigs have been dining on and pooping in for 3 months. Disgusting little creatures.
I'm going all out with tomatoes, giving them one entire row. Same with the bush beans. I'm liking the potatoes this year even though i don't eat them and i planted them late- they are getting a full row. I forgot all about my kale this year (doh!) So they will get about half a row. Cucumbers will round out the kale row.
Winter squash will likely be Early Butternut- my favorite type from the grocery. I have been wanting to grow Delicata for a few years but never bought the seed for some reason. I intend to try it out next year along with the butternut.
Broccoli will get the better part of a row to itself, the rest of that space will be the usual culinary herbs.
I'll try petunias with the potatoes, nasturtiums with the cukes, basil with the tomatoes and sage with the broccoli and kale... marigolds sprinkled throughout.
I'm hoping my berry plants from Raintree will come in soon, the money is still in my account so i know they haven't shipped anything yet. Their website does not seem to state when the fall shipments are begun, i know it will likely be mid August at the soonest, but being the impatient person i am.......
So that is the plan for 2012.
