2012 New Year's Resolutions for my PNW SFG

Resolutions: lose weight, blah, blah blah...

As for gardening, last year I started planting in my H3s at the end of January. Stuff did OK temperature wise, but I wondered about the available light slowing things down. That's why I had decided to plant later this year. But this year my winter has been so 'light' that I couldn't resist; today I planted lettuces and radishes.

I haven't thought of using 'light' to describe my winters before. Usually, we get dark heavy clouds hanging around tree top level (it feels like) and drizzling for months. It feels darkish at 10am and 3pm. This year, we've had some real rain, and some real wind, but a lot fewer dark days. So winter feels lighter. We'll see what happens.

When is the best time to start spring planting of cool crops in the PNW? You'll know for sure about 30 days after the best time has come and gone! My weather varies enough from year to year, that that's the way it is. So I make smaller, staggered plantings to either take advantage of early nice weather, or cut my loses if we have unusually bad weather.

I have made little progress on my greenhouse for tomatoes and peppers, but I guess I can procrastinate a little while longer since I won't need it until May. LOL

A reminder to self: I can squeeze in all the lettuce, radishes, and scallions that we can eat, around the broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage I'll be planting. No need to dedicate squares to those items.

Ooh, great thread Furbalsmom! Let's see, SFG resolutions:

1. I had planned on a second 2'x6' bed under my kitchen window to complement the 4'x6' bed I built last spring. I have been thrown off by the vent in the foundation (didn't have THAT on the drawing board) that I can't block and I MUST come up with a decision on a solution! If I really want a few more squares, I'll have to figure out how to build a table top type bed to avoid blocking the vent. But then it won't match, which will bug me, so I keep thinking it may be best to just put in a row of berry bushes there. But I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to keep any type of berry within the two feet of alloted depth! It's a quandary, and I've got to figure it out soon!

2. Love broccoli but hate cabbage moths! Also hate spraying weekly for cabbage moths (my, but I'm lazy). Must. Buy. Tulle!

3. Potatoes! I resolve to grow some in tubs!

4. Tomatoes. Ugh. I will try them again this year. This year I want to try a tomato I can put up as tomato sauce or tomato soup - something my family uses. (So... I'll also have to learn how to can if I'm successful at the growing!)

5. Compost! Makin' my own this year folks.

I am pretty confident that my resolutions are doeable.

Boffer, thanks for the reminder of interplanting some of those smaller veggies in among the bigger veggies.

Gwennifer, sorry I have no suggestions for your under window garden. Too bad you feel the TT would not match the beds because TT are so great to get your crops up where you are eye to eye with them. Very easy to keep up with bug awareness. Hope we have a good tomato summer, canning is pretty easy.

3 beds at various height like stair steps down to the ground level bed. Or what ever layout looks nice and deliberate not accidental.



Kay

Maybe I'll post a picture and see if all you wonderful folks can figure it out. Major part of what has me stumped is that I built my existing bed out of vinyl fence parts - posts and railings - and I had purchased enough of these parts to build the second, narrower bed the exact same way. I can't figure out how to use those parts in a table top! And I've kind of got too much money into it to want to change directions now.

But see, it's kind of a personality flaw I have - struggling with perfectionism. My "perfect" plan isn't going to work, and so I've been stuck. That's why it's at the top of my list of resolutions. I've got to push through and figure out another solution!

Kay, I agree that stair-stepping beds are lovely. From North to South I have two feet against the foundation, a three foot aisle, my four foot bed, another three foot aisle, and two feet against the fence. 14 feet total. Can't fill in those aisle spaces, or wouldn't be able to get through the yard from East to West. Can't use the two feet against the fence for fruit or veggies, because they are in the shade from the neighbors Cypress hedge. You're exactly right - I want it to look planned and deliberate, not like and afterthought or something I made do with.

I will make all new mistakes this year, and not repeat any of last year's.


(anyone wanna start a betting pool?)

Protect tomatoes, cukes, zucchini and peppers from squirrels

Find a way to cut a huge hole in the clouds over my garden that is long east to west and follows the suns path from south to north and back.

Hey, hi, Des Moines GardenrZK!
Welcome to the pack!

Could you mow those clouds just a little further north? I'll trade ripe tomatoes for that!

Janezee