2016 GARDEN REVIEW
Here is what hap in my garden in 2016 . Wow - what a unearthly but interesting year female parent nature throw at us . It look like over and over again I could have planted originally in hind site .
PLANTING SEEDS INSIDE INFO - for those of you who want to constitute your own seeds
Butternut Rugosa Violina
I employ aseed starting soilcalledMetro mix in 300from Agua Fria Nursery . I plant seeds in very small seed flat ( seehere ) . I transplant up 2 time using asoil mixcalledMoonshine , also available at Agua Fria Nursery . Growth was improbable with this stuff and nonsense . I grew my good tomato plant transplants ever this retiring year . Allwarm crop seedswere constitute andbrought inside and placed on heat mats and under lightsas it is too cold to keep them in an unheated nursery . Allcool season cropswere brought indoors and under lights but no heating system matting , they shoot at a low temperature .
APRILNormal spring weather condition pattern . Cold one day and warm the next . Windy .
– Tomato seedswere constitute on April 15 which is late BUT it solve because I used the grunge mixMoonshinewhen transplanting up to a 4 pak from the seed flats(see post above).Moonshinemakes everything grow quicker . I think I should have constitute the cum on March 25 .
– Eggplant and pepper seedswere implant on April 15th with the relief of the tomato seed andthey should have been planted 10 weeks before place them outsidein the ground . So that means I should have embed them on March 15 to embed them alfresco by June 1.I’ll remember that this year !
– Basil , kale and chard seedswere planted in early April . Did well but Ishould have started the semen in March . Transplanted 2x before being planted out of doors in early May .
MAYMay was warm than usual . No late frost . Windy as common .
-Potatoeswere set May 3 . Could have constitute them sooner .
– Tomatoes were transplanted to 2″ potson May 6 .
– Tomato plants were transplant outside in wall of amniotic fluid by May 24.This was late but they catch up as the soil was warmer .
– The soil was too cold for any other affectionate season crops to bedirect seed .
-Kale , chard and onions were transplanted alfresco in early May . likely should have put them out of doors in belated April as they can handle cold nights with course cover over them . involve to think that ! transplant all different types of St. Basil outside in late May under shade material .
– beet and carrot were lineal seed in early May . Germination of Detroit Red beet was respectable but poor for Craupadine beets . Will plant Craupadine semen inside next class to hopefully get better germination . My two best beets develop so far have been Detroit Red and Cylindra . I only planted Atomic crimson carrot this twelvemonth - good germination . grunge temp can be from 50 ° -80 ° F for serious sprouting of these crop .
JUNEJune was a red-hot calendar month averaging 94 degrees with little rain and lots of hint .
– Pepper and garden egg were transplanted in garden with rowing cover protect them from June 1 - 4when the stain was warmer , not May 15 . I have experienced them choke into shock if planted earlier when the soil is still cold .
-Leeks and St. Basil the Great plantswere transplanted with shade textile over them in early June . They both loved the semi - shade and the basils did n’t flower so fast in the heat - huge harvest of them this twelvemonth . My three favorite basils were Genovese ( or Italian ) Thai and Lime Basil ( had to grow this one from seed ) . I grow Lemon basil as well but I have enough lemon tree perfumed herbs with lemon verbena and lemon thyme , so I will pass on that one next year .
Butternut Rugosa Violina
-Thewall of waterscame off the tomatoes in other June and the plant had their drip mould line put around the industrial plant , wheat was placed around their wells to serve continue water system , tomato coop put on and directly put rowing cover over all the rows of tomatoes to keep the leafhopper from biting them and give them a disease call Curly top Virus .
– Eggplant / pepper plantswere transplant out of doors by June 9th with wrangle cover over them . They enjoy the ardent day throughout the season this year .
-Warm time of year crops likebeans and cucumbersweredirect seededoutside in June . I had abig job with rolly pollyseating the seedlings as soon as they sprouted . Planted seeds for both crop 3x and only when I usedSluggo Plusdid the trouble go away and it ’s constituent too . But the cucumber did n’t have enough time to grow to fruit and I never generate good pollenation due to the hot days in June , July and August . No pickles this class . Wah !
chard leafminer damage
-Instead of a green pole bean , this year , I tried a new pole bean calledMarvel of Veniceand I did n’t like it at all . They were theorise to be yellow but by the prison term they become yellow , they were tough and not much flavor . Will not implant them again .
JULYJuly was stinking hot average out 94 degrees with no monsoon . The heat affected the plants adversely . We never get this red-hot day in and Clarence Day out in July .
-I was expecting the monsoons to come by the 2d week in July and they did not . July was very hot average 94 degree andblossom drop was encompassing on tomato , cucumber , squash and dome plants — so very little fruit lot . I did n’t take off the row covers on the tomato plants because the foliage hopper hemipterous insect which likes juiceless , hot windy weather and ( transmits Curly Top Virus -CTV ) was still present . I think OMG , am I depart to have to keep the rowing cover on all time of year ? Luckily August atmospheric condition changed .
summertime squashgot a wilt this year and it was n’t from the squash vine borer as they were cover with wrangle cover . They choke before getting any yield . Can you ideate , I had to ask people for summer squash this year !
Butternut Rugosa Violina
Waltham Butternut and Butternut Rugosawere my wintertime squash this yr . Both did well . I discover they do n’t get squelch bugs and for me it was true , I did n’t have any squash vine bugs on them which was great . right varieties to farm if squelch bugs are your bane . I will turn them again .
-Mygiant pumpkinsonce again could n’t go under blossoms in late June - other July when they should and did n’t set any fruit until August because of the heat and by then it was too later to get big - my biggest was the size of a basketball ! Once again foiled . Will judge next class again !
AUGUSTThe monsoon lastly came in August but not a lot . Still , it cool down down things .
– Tomato blossom ultimately setbut we lost 2 months of growing time . take off the row covers once it cooled down . unluckily , when the monsoons get along , the nights get cold- in the depressed 50 ’s which slows down the emergence of tomatoes but at least I had tomato plant ! By mid August I had 2 box of tomatoes which was n’t enough to warrant going to the Farmers Market . Normally I have 6 + boxes mid August increasing to 10 - 12 boxes by the oddment of August . Not so this yr .
-Thepeppers and eggplantshowever , loved the warmth and were very fertile this season .
-Kale and onions did very well , they do n’t mind the heat or the cold !
chard leafminer damage
– Chard got foliage minersand I battled them all summertime but still reap a draw .
Turned off drip line to Giant pumpkins , summer squash in August as they did n’t do well .
-Weeds , oh yea , weeds - they were fecund once the rainfall did get and I did n’t get on them justly off so the conflict was on but since I decided I was n’t give out to market place and was n’t on any tours this year , I decided to not be so diligent about weeds and picked them at a more easy pace to just savour the garden . Plus I went on more flyfishing trips this preceding summer !
SEPTEMBERWeather much cooler with some rain . Cold night temperature slow up maturation of Lycopersicon esculentum
-This calendar month the tomatoes continue to produce but more slowly and harvest continue . Only lost 2 plants out of 40 plants to CTV disease this year . Because of slight pelting , fungous disease was at an all time low which usually hits the tomato in Aug - Sept.
-Planted my gorgeous garlic . kind were Chenok Red , Music and German White + some Stanley garlic from the SF Farmers Market . desire they do well next summer at harvest metre . Usually I plant garlic in October but I taught a garlic class in Sept and put them in then .
-Beets and carrot - did well and bug out harvesting in Sept.
-I did n’t use any organic antifungal or insect powder this year as pressure was lite .
OCTOBERWonderful warm fall - best ever which gave the veg a chance to bring out more yield to reap
-Harvesting of chard , common beet , Daucus carota sativa , potatoes , peppers and tomatoes were good .
-Potato sizing during harvesting this month were humble . I believe I should have irrigate them more . Will try a bigger variety next year . i tried them in Potato bags and direct in the soil . No difference .
Kale got aphids worse - spray them with water system and still harvested a lot . The really bad ace with aphid I gave to the chickens - they know it !
NOVEMBERUnbelievabley no hard halt until Nov 9th ! I have n’t seen it this fond in November - unremarkably we get a hard freeze in October but not this year !
-Harvested everything leave behind in the garden by end of November - chard , kale , cultivated carrot , beets , tomatoes , leek , winter squash .
DECEMBERPretty normal December atmospheric condition but not much hurriedness .
-Cleaned out garden but did n’t have time to add compost to layer . Will add it next spring .
FRUITThis year was pretty good for fruit . By far the most prolific yield this year were apples .
Strawberries - did ok but I ’d like to amend the beds this year for secure production .
Rhubarbdid well until I lost one to a fungous disease call up red foliage disease . I still have one left which is actually enough .
Apricots - Since we did n’t get a later frost this yr , we had a little apricot crop ( very little ) but hey , it ’s been 7 old age since I ’ve had ANY apricots . Got about 8 jar of apricot jam from them . I just delight the tree as a wraith Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree mostly .
Grapes - My Himrod grapes did great this yr . love them .
raspberry - This was the first season for them ( they were planted last fall ) so product was low .
blackberry bush - Just plant in the spring . They got established and hopefully I will get some next year . seem forward to it .
Malus pumila tree - They were very prolific in the dip as we did n’t get a late frost this yr . Dried many apples and this yr made hard apple cider .
Plum trees and peach treesdid not do well and I will replace them next year ( they are old ) with better varieties ofpeach and pear treesthat will do well here . Will get them from Tooleys Trees in the fountain .
