2023 Garden Final Grades

I am once again reminded of how much I depend on modernity. This year's garden reminds me, again, of how helpless I would be in a world where I had to be self-sufficient for food. Specialization and trade, folks.

The worst part is how good things were looking in August. The beans were rolling in, the tomatoes were ripening, the acorn squash was looking spectacular. Sigh. We might as well start with the squash.

Acorn Squash. 

This year I planted Table Queen squash, AKA "Des Moines." The vines grew very well, and flowered, and... well, this:

That's it, the entire crop.

I'm not sure what happened. I had 1-inch green netting over the garden to keep critters out, maybe that messed up pollination? Maybe not quite enough sun? Maybe it's just the gardener.

Grade: F.

Basil. I make room for Vickie to plant some herbs. Her basil was spectacular.

Grade: A

Beans

I planted bush beans (Seed Savers Exchange Provider) and pole beans (SSE Kentucky Wonder). I got a decent amount of beans from both, but the KW beans withered in the heat and died, preventing the continuous harvest I was hoping for. I think maybe the KW beans failed to get enough water as a result of a problem with the drip hose I used to water them. 

Next year I think I will stick to pole bean, if I plant beans at all, and devote a whole 4x4 space to them.

Grade: C

Carrots.

In a way these are incomplete, but I have pulled up a few, and they all seem tiny underground despite a lush above-ground growth. I have not covered up that garden yet, and will be picking the rest in the coming weeks for fall and winter dinners.

I used the 16 plants per square foot recommendation from a square foot gardening book. I think that might be a mistake. Next year I will plant carrots, but I will spread them out more.

I have planted SSE Red Cored Chantenay, Paris Market, Dragon, and Jaune du Doubs.

Grade: C- (preliminary).

Canteloupe

This is the first year I tried to plant this. They never seemed to thrive, and here is the entire harvest ("Hearts of Gold," by Botanical Interests. The entire harvest:

Grade: F.

Cauliflower

This is the first time I tried these. I started them early, and two plants survived transplanting. They grew tall, but never flowered or produced fruit. They still seemed alive when I dug them up today to cover the garden for the winter.

Grade: F.

Cucumbers

These actually did reasonably well, but they fizzled out at the end of the hot summer. I used Ferry Morse Garden Bush Slicer Hybrid, which the package says are meant for container gardens. They did fine, though the cucumbers were disappointingly small, only 3-4 inches long.

Lesson for next year? Try another type of cuke, one not designed for containers.

Grade: C-

Mint

Another of Vickie's herbs, it did just fine.

Grade: A

Okra. 

These never went well (SSE Hill Country Red), growing slowly and not generating their first fruit until well into September. No okra next year. I did end up getting maybe three edible pods.

Grade: D-.

Tomatoes

These did OK. I got them all from Earl May and Home Depot. As usual, the cherry tomatoes (Bonnie Sun Sugar Yellow and Bonnie Super Sweet Cherry) did well, until trailing off in September. Grade: B+

As usual, the bigger tomatoes struggled, giving only a handful of tomatoes (Heartland Natural: Better Boy, Early Girl, Cherokee Purple; Earl May Lemon Boy). Grade: D.

I'm not sure why I can't seem to grow bigger varieties successfully. Maybe I need to fertilize them more aggressively and give them even more room. Or maybe I shouldn't bother at all and stick with the little ones.

Watermelon

I picked up a couple plants labeled "watermelon" at Earl May on impulse. I got two edible fruit during the year for my summer, one the size of a softball and one a little smaller. Grading on a curve, C+

Fun, but may not be worth the garden space next year. 

Others

I tried starting some onions indoors. None survived transplanting. I grew a little lettuce in the space where the onions and most of the cauliflower died. I got some to eat, but not much. I planted some radishes in place of the pole beans when they died, and while they didn't die, they didn't produce either. Vickie planted a dill plant that failed.

Overall: So much disappointment, in a year with no catastrophic weather, unless you count the heat and dryness. Grade: D. 

I think I will try to plant fewer things next year - Carrots, tomatoes, Cukes, Vickie's herbs, maybe beans and/or squash.  

And I renew my appreciation for people who actually are good at this stuff.