While it's fresh in your mind, what improvements will you make on next year's garden?

[lazy gardener]

Do make canned salsa?

Yes. It's pretty good, though I still need to play with my recipe to put the right amount of heat in it.

And this year, I grew Jalapeno and Habaneros. Hubby processed my last batch of Jalapeno. (roasted and steamed the skins off them, stripped the seeds out, then, I buzzed them in the blender to make a sauce.) 1.5 tbsp of the sauce gave a lot of heat to my last batch of chili (about 8 qts!!!) Poor guy was coughing, the tears were running down his face, his nose was dripping. I warned him when he blew his nose that he should take his gloves off first!!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I don't have any kind of drip irrigation set up. I usually just use my 5 gallon bucket waterers. I have a small hole drilled close to the bottom of each bucket. The water slowly drains out so that the water soaks down deep to the roots instead of just running off. I haven't fed them with any hydrangea food, just compost.

What companies do ya'll order from? I've ordered from Baker's Creek, Gurney's and another one I cant remember right now. Also pick up stuff at the feed stores or garden centers near me.

I mostly buy local , but love looking at catalogues. Husband bought some holly plants online.

 

[Arielle2]

I love the straw bales and shower doors cold frame idea, and actually HAVE them ready to go, but my sweetie says "No way!" He says I'm one step away from an old couch and washer on the porch if I put that "stuff" in the garden. "I'll build you a *nice* cold frame!" <tick tock tick tock>

I see nothing wrong with a couch and washer on the porch, either.

OMG... I'm already there....

 

[Arielle2]

He built my cold frame with those plastic plumbing pipes, and thick plastic cover. It's been three days, and it's already falling over! Sometimes I have to let him do it his way, and fail, to get it done *my* way, and succeed.

Lol yup Our simple set up required quite a bit of extra supports to be useful. Too short though....needs a rebuild....

 

[Arielle2]

Mine were looking really good this year, until we went into a dry spell. Some of mine I've had 3 yrs now, and they still look blah by the end of the summer. I keep mine mulched year around. I will trim them up during the winter and give them some compost early spring. They need a lot of water. I don't worry about the ph with mine. They can be what ever color they want.


View attachment 1188714

These are the same plants in May of this year.

View attachment 1188719

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Very pretty. Too much work for me. I enjoy seeing the huge flowers though...they make me happy!

 

[Arielle2]

We Capricorns are famous for doing things our way. I have gotten to the point where i draw sketches of what i want because he can't visualize what i am talking about.

OMG Now I u nderstand .....both Dh and I are capricorns......he'll never do it my way.

 

[Arielle2]

I want to try loose leaf cabbage this year.

I like kale and bok choi.

 

[Arielle2]

Yes. It's pretty good, though I still need to play with my recipe to put the right amount of heat in it.

And this year, I grew Jalapeno and Habaneros. Hubby processed my last batch of Jalapeno. (roasted and steamed the skins off them, stripped the seeds out, then, I buzzed them in the blender to make a sauce.) 1.5 tbsp of the sauce gave a lot of heat to my last batch of chili (about 8 qts!!!) Poor guy was coughing, the tears were running down his face, his nose was dripping. I warned him when he blew his nose that he should take his gloves off first!!!

What a good doobie..... lots of work for such punishment.

I take the easy route: toss whole in freezer, defrost one then fine chop.

 

[Killer Tomato]

I want to try loose leaf cabbage this year.

All of my cabbage bolted really fast. We had one day in April that got in the upper 80's and BOOM -- everything was toast. My rabbits enjoyed the flowers, and it was really pretty. I started the bok choi in the cold frame last week, and it's sprouting like crazy now. We'll see how it does -- I just do the cold frame for fun to see if I can outsmart Mother Nature!

 

[Arielle2]

You should have good luck.
I planted bok choi back in september. The sizes vary, but still tasty. Last year the plants held well past other vegies.