Planning my garden is actually a waste of time. Every year I go over what worked and what didn’t last year and vow to change things this year.
Hah.
Every year I look over the crops I grew, which I liked, which were a nightmare. And I vow to make changes.
Hah.
Garden Changes
There isn’t a lot I can do to change my garden. The size and shape are finite. The black walnuts won’t vanish. Weeds will do their best to take the place over.
Planning my garden comes down to arranging which crops will go where. Even that is restricted by the black walnuts as these kill tomatoes and peppers.
Climate change has altered weather patterns. March is often too cold to plant even peas and potatoes now. Drought and flood alternate.
This sounds so discouraging. But, being a gardener, I persevere. And planning my garden is the first step.
What To Grow?
The monster squash was a problem last year. I don’t eat much of it. The goats adore it, getting it parceled out over the winter. So the monster vines will be back.
I’m trying a second kind of long bean this year and will need to add a trellis. The posts are there. I’m checking around for some wire.
Snow peas are a favorite. The last couple of years they don’t come up because of the cold. When they do, summer heat cooks them. This year I’ll try a short variety in my plastic-covered shade house.
The regulars will be back: red, yellow and paste tomatoes; sweet peppers; Zephyr squash; butternut squash; okra. Spring will be mizuna, napa cabbage, bok choi, cylindra beets, cabbage, turnips and lettuce. Maybe some carrots in the new raised bed.
It’s fun planning my garden. Now I need to finish mulching, weeding and setting up trellises so the garden can grow.