As I embarked on my second serious year of gardening, I was eager to build upon the successes and address the challenges of the previous seasons. Armed with valuable lessons learned, I set out to create a more productive and efficient garden.
Reflecting on Past Seasons
Last year, while I was pleased with the healthy tomato and pepper output, I realized that there was room for improvement. Overcrowding had been an issue, and I knew I needed to find a better trellis system for my tomato plants. Additionally, I decided to abandon green bell peppers, as they had consistently underperformed.
One of the most significant discoveries of the previous year was the remarkable impact of chicken poop on my tomato plants. It became evident that this organic fertilizer was a miracle worker, boosting plant growth and productivity. Luckily all last year we had diligently been composting our chicken waste such as poop, feathers, and wood chips from coop clean out along with much of our house wasted such as shredded paper and food scraps. More details on our composting methods are in another post here.
Planning for the New Season
With these insights in mind, I developed a comprehensive plan for the 2024 gardening season. I expanded my garden by building a second raised bed and implemented the hugelkultur method as described by Zero Waste Chef, layering organic materials to create a nutrient-rich growing medium. I had a pile of branches from tree trimmings we had been saving for years to use in the fire pit, but never got around to it. So using them in the bottom of the garden seemed an obvious choice to clean up this pile. To provide sturdy support for my tomato plants, I installed posts on each side of the raised bed and planned to use the Florida weave trellis method similar as describe here by Garden Betty.
To enhance soil fertility, I topped off the garden with a compost mixture made of chicken poop and wood chip mulch. This combination would provide essential nutrients and improve soil structure. More details on this build are shared in another post here.
Seed Selection and Planting
While I had started most of my plants from seeds indoors, I purchased serrano and chili peppers from the local store. This year, I aimed to diversify my garden by including carrots, onions, and a variety of herbs: basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro, and dill.
Companion Planting Experiment
I also wanted to experiment with companion planting, a technique that involves growing certain plants together to benefit from their mutual interactions. I carefully researched compatible plant pairings and incorporated them into my garden design.
Progress Report
As the season unfolded, I diligently monitored the progress of my plants. The basil was thriving, growing at an astonishing rate. I’d already made pesto twice, and there was still an abundance of basil left.
The marigolds, were also a bit of a surprise. Turns out I did not pay attention when I purchased the seeds, it was only after they started to get much larger than expected that I revisited the seed packet to discover they are a variety called “Goliath” marigolds. Not ideal as they were intended to be a companion to the vegetables, not their own crop. To maintain a balanced garden, I had to trim them back and plan to select smaller varieties for future companion planting.
The onions were showing promising signs, growing tall greens, but they also started emerging from the top of the soil. I believe the soil was too loose in my garden beds originally and it likely settled around the onions exposing their tops. The dill plant was growing exceptionally tall, reaching impressive heights. The parsley was spreading rapidly, filling the garden with its vibrant green foliage.
The carrots were also progressing well, with their tops growing larger. However, when I pulled one up to investigate, I discovered that the carrot itself was still quite small. I decided to leave them all alone until the summer was nearly over.
The strawberries, though limited in space with only 2 plants, were producing a nice small supply of sweet, juicy berries, providing a delightful snack while tending to the garden.
Overall, I am pleased with the progress of my garden. The thoughtful planning and careful implementation of various techniques were paying off. I was excited to see how the rest of the season would unfold and eagerly anticipated harvesting the fruits of my labor.
