2014 gardening lessons

Only plant cold weather veggies in late March through April.  Wait to plant hot weather plants until mid-May.

2014 Veggie/herb garden:

Tomatoes - Several varieties
Potatoes - Three different varieties
Onions - Red, white, and yellow
Carrots - Three different varieties
Broccoli Romanesco
Cauliflower - This is my last year to see if I can get this to grow
Corn - Three different varieites
Beans - Bush type "green" beans - Three different varieties
Salad greens - Mesculan
Raddichio
Pak choi
Radishes - Two different varieties
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Yellow squash
Scallop squash
Veggie Spaghetti
Peppers - Several different varieties
Sweet meat squash
Red Kuri squash
Speckled hound squash
Okra
Cucumbers -Two different varieties
Artichoke - First year trying to grow
Asparagus
Garlic
Lavender
Rosemary
Oregano
Basil
Sage
Cilantro
Dill

This was my first year to plant everything (w/ the exception of potatoes and onions) from seed.  It was quite the success.  I am going to try growing all my onions in 2015 from seed.  We will see how that goes. 

My goals for 2014 gardening is to grow enough tomatoes, peppers, and onions to not have to purchase any from the store.  I do not think I will get there on the tomatoes because I put them out too early, and several of them died.  When I say I put them out too early, I mean I put them out the last week of April and first week of May.  Lesson learned.  From here on out, they will not be placed in the garden until mid-May and on.  I still have several tomatoes, but I do not believe I have enough provide all my sauces, etc. that I would normally purchase.  Dangit!  Oh well, there is always next year.

We have been independent on the following for the past 1 - 3 years:
Potatoes
Carrots
Green beans
Corn
All herbs
Squash
Okra
Asparagus
Salad greens - I only eat salads during the Spring/early summer.  When my greens are gone, salads go the way of the dinosaur until next year. 

We also planted more blackberry bushes and two blueberry bushes.  I did also plant another peony bush.  I try to add one every couple of years, because I love them so much :)  Next year, I plan on purchasing two more peony bushes and three rose bushes to round out the west side of my house.

Our fruit trees are doing well, along with our grapes.

I am working on smothering out an area by our back garden to place strawberries next year.

We have two veggie garden plots, and one herb garden plot:

Veggie:  One is 13 x 48 feet, and the other is 25 x 62 feet.  Weeding is a challenge, and one I do not enjoy; however, I have pledged to do a better job than in the past at keeping the garden as weed free as possible.

Herb garden:  4 x 13 feet - It needs to be amended this winter.  This is where I plant my asparagus as well. 

All in all, a very productive gardening season so far.

Between the gardening and milking the cow, we have been busy.  That doesn't count the chickens and ducks, but really, they are pretty self-sufficient this time of year.

Take care and God Bless!