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What I learned this year...
+26
markqz
countrynaturals
H_TX_2
tomperrin
givvmistamps
brenda g
Kelejan
Lindacol
Unmutual
boog1
dixie
sherryeo
Furbalsmom
Goosegirl
Squat_Johnson
plantoid
martha
boffer
Roseinarosecity
stripesmom
Mamachibi
janezee
BackyardBirdGardner
llama momma
Chopper
ashort
30 posters
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What I learned this year...
This was my first year to SFG and my first year to have a garden. Dad had one when I was a kid, but it was a row garden and I hated working in it. SFG is much different! Anyway here are the top three things I learned this year - everyone feel free to add their own....
1. Plant as early as possible. Waiting too long reduces how productive a plant will be.
2. Don't be scared to rip that plant out after it starts to decline. You can plant something else
3. When it gets really hot in late July and August, most plants will not set fruit - therefore split the summer season with a second crop of hot weather crops. They foliage will grow well and then they will explode with fruit as soon as the heat breaks.
1. Plant as early as possible. Waiting too long reduces how productive a plant will be.
2. Don't be scared to rip that plant out after it starts to decline. You can plant something else
3. When it gets really hot in late July and August, most plants will not set fruit - therefore split the summer season with a second crop of hot weather crops. They foliage will grow well and then they will explode with fruit as soon as the heat breaks.
ashort-
Posts : 518
Join date : 2011-02-17
Age : 56
Location : Frisco, TX zone 8a
Re: What I learned this year...
4. Do not fret about imperfection. If something doesn't work - replant!
5. Pests happen - and I think they are sometimes worse the first year before beneficials have time to find them.
5. Pests happen - and I think they are sometimes worse the first year before beneficials have time to find them.
Re: What I learned this year...
6. Expand compost operation! Still learning how much finished black gold compost should be on hand to support current and future boxes. So far I'm going with the idea that you can't have too much finished compost until proven otherwise.
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 4914
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: What I learned this year...
7.. Recharge your garden after pulling late summer veggies for fall. Put in more compost! If you miss/slack off on this one, your fall is very light on the production.
BackyardBirdGardner-
Posts : 2710
Join date : 2010-12-25
Age : 50
Location : St. Louis, MO
Re: What I learned this year...
8. "Fall" planting starts in July...or June, but for sure not in fall.
9. Consistent watering really does equal no cracking skins or roots.
9. Consistent watering really does equal no cracking skins or roots.
janezee-
Posts : 236
Join date : 2011-09-21
Age : 117
Location : Away
Re: What I learned this year...
10. Plant fruits that are a different color from their vines unless you LIKE baseball-bat sized zucchini.
Mamachibi- Posts : 298
Join date : 2011-06-17
Location : Zone 6b
Re: What I learned this year...
11. Pepper plants will become huge in MM, so you want to stake or cage them for support. If you don't, you risk them falling over and then breaking stems and peppers when you try to support them later.
12. If you prune your tomatoes, don't stop. They will look fine one day and then fall over the next. Keep pruning and weaving them on their trellis daily.
13. Don't feel sorry for tomato worms. There are plenty of them out there. One worm can defoliate a tomato plant in a matter of days. Plus, eat your tomatoes.
14. Plant more swiss chard. It has a flavor that grows on you, you can use it in many ways and it's one of the super foods for your body. It's also pretty in the garden and will grow even when it's too cold for other things.
12. If you prune your tomatoes, don't stop. They will look fine one day and then fall over the next. Keep pruning and weaving them on their trellis daily.
13. Don't feel sorry for tomato worms. There are plenty of them out there. One worm can defoliate a tomato plant in a matter of days. Plus, eat your tomatoes.
14. Plant more swiss chard. It has a flavor that grows on you, you can use it in many ways and it's one of the super foods for your body. It's also pretty in the garden and will grow even when it's too cold for other things.
stripesmom- Posts : 291
Join date : 2011-03-28
Location : SE Iowa
Re: What I learned this year...
15. keep a journal or notebook of what you planted, and when to expect your harvest.
Roseinarosecity-
Posts : 315
Join date : 2011-08-14
Location : 10a - San Gabriel Valley - Pasadena, California
Re: What I learned this year...
16. Just because broccoli can survive sub-freezing temps just fine, it doesn't mean they will subsequently produce big heads. Broccoli does best between 40-80°F
Re: What I learned this year...
Mamachibi wrote:10. Plant fruits that are a different color from their vines unless you LIKE baseball-bat sized zucchini.
Love it!
Prelude - (Longish - sorry!) in 2010, my back was trashed at the beginning of the season. I had brought in composted top-soil to fill in some craters in the yard. The person who filled my boxes for me used the topsoil along with the correct ingredients. The soil came complete with verticulum wilt. Therefor...
17. If you have verticulum wilt, make note of it so you don't put tomatoes in that box the next year.
![What I learned this year... 926169](https://2img.net/u/2912/12/27/03/smiles/926169.gif)
martha-
Posts : 2177
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: What I learned this year...
18. The very best passive way to kill slugs is to leave your 'just finished mowing the lawn reward bottle of beer' in the garden with that last couple of swallows in it. Just lie it down in the path next to the bed, and walk away.
a.) Refills come from Walgreen's $2.99/6-pack.
b.) Wine bottles make for an even bigger, longer-lasting "Slug Motel."
c.) Don't forget to go to recycling once a week, before Mom comes over for lunch.
a.) Refills come from Walgreen's $2.99/6-pack.
b.) Wine bottles make for an even bigger, longer-lasting "Slug Motel."
c.) Don't forget to go to recycling once a week, before Mom comes over for lunch.
![affraid](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/affraid.gif)
janezee-
Posts : 236
Join date : 2011-09-21
Age : 117
Location : Away
Re: What I learned this year...
Putting all our used paper and newspapers through Alison's semi commercial office shredder then putting it on the kitchen /garden compost heap & wetting it down really brings the worms up for a good feed .
It looks like we will have a high worm cast content compost this time next year.
It looks like we will have a high worm cast content compost this time next year.
plantoid-
Posts : 4091
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: What I learned this year...
20. Seed catalogs beget longing for more squares
21. More squares beget longing for seed catalogs
22. see #20 :drunken:
21. More squares beget longing for seed catalogs
22. see #20 :drunken:
janezee-
Posts : 236
Join date : 2011-09-21
Age : 117
Location : Away
Re: What I learned this year...
23. Fall is the best time to grow green beans. In the spring, beetles ate holes in most of my beans. I planted Aug 15th last year, I will move that up to Aug 1 next time.
24. It's really hard to plant too much lettuce.
25. Voles are awful creatures.
24. It's really hard to plant too much lettuce.
25. Voles are awful creatures.
Squat_Johnson-
Posts : 440
Join date : 2010-05-25
Location : Beaver Dam, Kentucky, zone 6a
Re: What I learned this year...
26. One should probably prune suckers from tomato plants unless you want something like the monster in "Little Shop of Horrors"...
ashort-
Posts : 518
Join date : 2011-02-17
Age : 56
Location : Frisco, TX zone 8a
Re: What I learned this year...
27. 2 cucumber plants are more than enough for 2 people who only use them in salads.....
GG
GG
Goosegirl-
Posts : 3424
Join date : 2011-02-16
Age : 59
Location : Zone 4A - NE SD
Furbalsmom-
Posts : 3138
Join date : 2010-06-10
Age : 77
Location : Coastal Oregon, Zone 9a, Heat Zone 2 :(
Re: What I learned this year...
28. It is absolutely worth it to make every effort to get your Mel's Mix right from the beginning. I think that just has to be the most important thing. If you take shortcuts, you're just cheating yourself and your plants! It is amazing how the plants seem to love it!
29. I love fall gardening for my climate! So much more pleasant to work in this weather, the plants aren't almost audibly gasping for air, like in the hot summer, and there are less bugs to deal with! I won't give up a spring/summer garden, but I especially look forward to fall gardening from now on.
29. I love fall gardening for my climate! So much more pleasant to work in this weather, the plants aren't almost audibly gasping for air, like in the hot summer, and there are less bugs to deal with! I won't give up a spring/summer garden, but I especially look forward to fall gardening from now on.
sherryeo-
Posts : 848
Join date : 2011-04-03
Age : 72
Location : Mississippi Gulf Coast Zone 8B
Re: What I learned this year...
32: if ya dont wanta plant 12 brussel sprout plant's keep your "other half" outta the "bargain racks" at lowes ![What I learned this year... 63597](https://2img.net/u/2912/12/27/03/smiles/63597.gif)
![What I learned this year... 63597](https://2img.net/u/2912/12/27/03/smiles/63597.gif)
boog1-
Posts : 256
Join date : 2010-09-01
Age : 67
Location : jackson,mi
Re: What I learned this year...
33. Read up on preserving methods because you will have too much of something and may kick yourself later for not taking advantage.
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 4914
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: What I learned this year...
34. Prune all lower branches off everything, especially if they start touching the grass outside of the box. Apparently this can reduce some insect damage(stinkbugs for example).
35. Plant something other than tomatoes that moths and butterflies like to put their eggs on. Conversely, if you want a butterfly garden, plant tomatoes in it!
36. If you plant something, make sure you know what to do with the yield from said plant.
37. End of the season is a great time to have just built your new compost bins(aka: spent plant graveyard)
38. Drip irrigation is the only way to go.
35. Plant something other than tomatoes that moths and butterflies like to put their eggs on. Conversely, if you want a butterfly garden, plant tomatoes in it!
36. If you plant something, make sure you know what to do with the yield from said plant.
37. End of the season is a great time to have just built your new compost bins(aka: spent plant graveyard)
38. Drip irrigation is the only way to go.
Unmutual
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 391
Join date : 2011-04-23
Age : 52
Location : Greater New Orleans Area Westbank(Zone 9b)
Re: What I learned this year...
dixie wrote:30. I don't need 8 squares of celery.
I smile each time I see that post. When I pulled out all my carrots I smiled, but... omg too much
![silly me](/users/2912/12/27/03/smiles/926169.gif)
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 4914
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: What I learned this year...
llama momma wrote:dixie wrote:30. I don't need 8 squares of celery.
I smile each time I see that post. When I pulled out all my carrots I smiled, but... omg too much![]()
Actually 4 squares of celery was too much for me because mine never tasted good enough for human consumption and took forever to get going. The goats enjoyed it though. But I should have planted more carrots(currently have about 3 squares getting close to harvest and 3 just planted).
Lindacol- Posts : 773
Join date : 2011-01-23
Location : Bloomington, CA
Re: What I learned this year...
39. Carrots do very well in deep tubs. Next year this will free up several squares for new things to try.
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