2024 Garden Notes

Production

Garlic - 7/14 2 large bulbs for seed 3oz, 8 small bulbs 4oz

Kale - 7/14 12oz, 7/21 8oz

Swiss Chard - 7/14 3oz, 7/21 6oz

Snap peas - 7/13 6 edible, 7/14 8 dried, 7/21 1 edible, 30 dried

Zucchini - 7/17 14oz, 7/21 21oz, 7/28 21oz, 8/4 23oz

Aug 24

• Kale - 32 oz
• Swiss Chard - 16 oz
• Carrots - 19 oz. Most were still really small likely because I planted them too closely. However, I did get a couple full size carrots over one inch in diameter. I will likely try a different variety of carrot next season.
• Green beans - 15oz. Still getting a ton of Japanese beetles on this plant but it is now producing pretty well. 
• Mayakoba beans - around 150 pods (7 plants). Removed all the plants since they were showing signs of yellowing and harvested all the pods. They are now sitting on a tray in my kitchen window to further dry out.
• Tomatoes - 6
• Buckwheat - even with my fence, something is eating the ripe seeds. My hunch is it is birds. I likely will not replant given the challenges I've had turning them into productive plants.

Aug 17

• Tomatoes - 4
• Concord grapes - 4 gallons
• Zucchini - the plant continues to grow upward with new leaf and flower shoots but none of it is turning into edible zucchini. It would be pretty luck luster production if all I got were five zucchini the entire season.
• Butternut squash - I have three squash growing off the one plant. However, I think that mouse is now eating one of the squash. I may have to pick the other two early just to ensure I get some harvest from the plant.

Aug 4

• Carrots - tried picking one and it is still too small.
• Flax seeds - the flowers appeared and the seed pods are starting to form.
• Zucchini - noticed a mouse ate the first zucchini of the season that I was planning to save seeds from. It ate it from the inside out using a small hole on the underside that I didn't notice until I went to pick it.

July 28

• Beans - the darn Japanese beetles found this plant and started munching the leaves. The flower buds still seem intact so we'll see if I get pods. The Mayacoba bush beans have started growing a few pods already.

July 21

• Snap peas - the rest of the plants dried out so harvested all the pods and removed the places. Then replanted 18 seeds to see if they will completely grow before the freeze. It'll be neat to get two harvests in a single season.

July 13-14

• Garlic - picked bulbs and dried them in the sun next to the bed it was grown in for 24 hours during a 100 degree dry day. Then snapped the stem off and cleaned off the root bulb. Saved the two biggest bulbs for planting next year and put the rest in a dry, shady place in my kitchen.
• Carrots - only 33% seed growth success. Tops are now 8 inches tall. May start using them as a parsley substitute. Still seems early to harvest carrot roots.
• Tomatoes - plant is now 2 feet tall and first flowers have bloomed. No fruit yet.
• Peppers - plants are now 1 foot tall. Needed staking and added single stake to two and a tomato trellis to another.
• Flax - very impressive and tidy looking growth along the two rows that I planted them in. Plants are now 6-8 inches tall with flowers bulbs starting to appear.
• Buckwheat - sparse sprouting results likely due to old seeds used. Hoping to get new seeds to preserve for next year. Plants are 8-12 inches tall and flower buds have appeared on a few of the plants.
• Broccolini - not great success with this plant. The stems were not strong and the plant did not turn into the broccolini I am accustom too. Just some withered flowers and no real part to eat.
• Kale - still not getting the curly variety I am supposed to. This version though did not have spikes at least. Harvested about a pound of kale. Newer leaves growing in seem to have more curl so hopefully they stat that way.
• Swiss Chard - not as impressive as a variety I planted a few years ago. One 12 inch plant where I harvested about 6 small leaves. One 6 inch plant where I should be able to harvest a few leaves soon. And two puny plants that may not make it.
• Snap Peas - picked them too late. Only six total that could be eaten as a snap pea. There are several that can be used as green shelled peas but left them on for now. Picked six dried pods for seeds next year.
• Green beans - only four of the plants seem to have sprouted enough to grow up the trellis. The trellis may be too small for this variety. No signs yet of flowers and bean pods.
• Mayakoba beans - lost a few of the plants that originally sprouted. Still have about 75% of them and they appear healthy. Plants are 8 inches tall and there are flower and been pods starting to show.
• Zucchini - have my first zucchini ready to eat but leaving it on to get seeds for next year to keep from the earliest zucchini. Have another one growing that should be ready mid next week.
• Butternut Squash - getting several flowers to appear on a plant that is now over 3 feet in length and about 2 feet in diameter.
• Grapes - cleaned up the plant by cutting and removing any branches that either didn't have grapes or that grew for several feet after the last bunch of grapes on that brand. Still dealing with a Japanese beetle infestation but hoping new with fewer leaves and fewer places to hide, that it helps cut down on the issue.
• Strawberry - getting more legs to grow but plant is still small and no signs of berries.
• Serviceberry - started to show signs of withering and dying likely from not having enough water and being exposed to too much sunlight during a heat spell. Fed it more water to try to revive it. Berries are ripe but minimal and the seeds are too large inside to make it appealing to eat.
• Walking Onions - harvested all the seed tops and trying to figure out best way to store them. Also picked a few of the roots to expose a shallot type bulb. Will try harvesting more next weekend to try pickling.
• Cucumber - plant is now 2 feet long and starting to get flowers. Appears healthy but shady location seems to be hindering growth a bit.
• Fig - plant seems to have bounced back after unsuccessfully trying to move it to a different location in the yard. Branches are now 18 inches tall and 18 inches in diameter. Not seeing any signs of fruit yet.

Lessons Learned

• Root Bed - plant more garlic maybe using the entire perimeter. No need to do red onions again. Stick to perfecting usage of walking onions that have thrived for over 5 years now. Continue experimenting with roots to fill the middle. Carrots were a challenge but the bed and fence was not yet set up properly when they sprouted and there were signs of squirrels or bunnies getting to them. Radishes have been too spicy but will keep experimenting.
• Peppers - start from seed earlier. 4/1 was too late. Perhaps try 3/1. Also, may need a better quality seed starter soil mix to encourage better growth.
• Tomato and Pepper bed - try doing four plants in the bed, 2 tomatoes and 2 pepper plants. One tomato in middle has been successful but 3 pepper plants and one Japanese eggplant in corners have been lackluster.
• Beans and Peas - try doing one entire row of snap peas and one of green beans. Will need larger trellis though. Potentially build a triangle trellis.
• Zucchini and Butternut Squash - planting zucchini closer to walkway was a good decision. Put both on the same side of the garden bed and consider planting herbs on the other half.
• Cucumbers - try planting in a sunnier spot but using same hydroponic method.