Garden

[donttread]

So i have had to admit that my garden will not have the record setting year it did in 2018. Probably just an average year. I've been beseached by a bad case of powdery mildew in my squash and the gopher has taken out a few cabbage seedlings along with getting busy and not being able to spend the time I needed to in garden during it's most recent growth spurt.
So now it's about damage control. The gopher seems to be at bay at least temporarily and likes my stuff less and less as it matures. I've found a couple of supposed remedies for the mildew and have sprayed my plants.
We\ll have to see what we wind up with.

[donttread]

So last year was a great garden year. Got more produce out of a couple hundred square feet than I ever thought possible. But there is a ying for every yang and this year my garden has more pest that I could of though possible for such a small chunck of ground.
The groundhog has taken out several cabbage, a cauliflower and badly damaged multiple squash plants. Powdery mildew has greatly limited squash production as evidenced by plant after plant with 1 healthy nice squash that started before the mildew and either no new squash or ones that keep dying while they are small. Something literally skinned a zuccini and I have more slugs that I thought lived in my whole town! The Japanese Beetles did their share of damage too!
Plus everything is behind.
I may take a break next year.

[Mister D]

I messed up this year by putting the roma tomatoes near the other plants. They overran 4 out of my 6 bell pepper plants. Otherwise, I had another good year.

[Collateral Damage]

Absolutely horrid year for the garden. Between drought and floods in the spring, then a late chill, back to drought and flood. Then the raccoons got one of two tomatoes that finally appeared, and the one that survived, was about the size of a golf ball. Don't think I'll be seeing another this year, the plants look awful.

Gotta say, some of the herbs did pretty well.

[Collateral Damage]

I messed up this year by putting the roma tomatoes near the other plants. They overran 4 out of my 6 bell pepper plants. Otherwise, I had another good year.

I've learned to prune indeterminate tomatoes. There are a couple of articles out there on the subject, just google pruning tomatoes. Increases quantity and quality....

[Mister D]

I've learned to prune indeterminate tomatoes. There are a couple of articles out there on the subject, just google pruning tomatoes. Increases quantity and quality....

That came up before in conversations I've had. I may need to learn. An alternative would be to plant them in buckets by themselves. Funny this is I hate raw tomatoes. I only use them for chili, soup and my own healthy version of mac and beef. I picked a good 20 pounds or more so far.

[Mister D]

Absolutely horrid year for the garden. Between drought and floods in the spring, then a late chill, back to drought and flood. Then the raccoons got one of two tomatoes that finally appeared, and the one that survived, was about the size of a golf ball. Don't think I'll be seeing another this year, the plants look awful.

Gotta say, some of the herbs did pretty well.

I did well save for the tomato fiasco. I grew 6 or 7 different peppers and they're all doing well except the bells that got smothered.

[Mister D]

I have to pick my leeks. I grew two just because they were there. Maybe I'll make a soup.

[Collateral Damage]

That came up before in conversations I've had. I may need to learn. An alternative would be to plant them in buckets by themselves. Funny this is I hate raw tomatoes. I only use them for chili, soup and my own healthy version of mac and beef. I picked a good 20 pounds or more so far.

I've had horrendous luck with tomatoes, especially indeterminate, in buckets or barrels. Pretty much failure whenever I've tried it.

Some people don't like them raw... but that is my preference... except when quick sauteed with fresh garlic and fresh herbs over home made pasta... I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.

[Mister D]

I've had horrendous luck with tomatoes, especially indeterminate, in buckets or barrels. Pretty much failure whenever I've tried it.

Some people don't like them raw... but that is my preference... except when quick sauteed with fresh garlic and fresh herbs over home made pasta... I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.

NJ tomato yields have almost always been high in my experience. They're popular to grow around here.

I made a meat sauce last weekend. Good but too watery. I will need a little paste next time. I could drain some of the water through a mesh but the paste would be less involved.