Lessons Learned So Far This Year

There are a few things I've learned so far this year, and here they are:

Use sterile soil for germinating seeds. Although I agree with Steve Solomon that a good way to eliminate weak plants in the beginning is to cast aside the idea of sterile seedling soil, I'm not sure if this is more important than the treatment of the plants once out in the garden. No matter how "strong" my starts were, since the weak had died from the damping off disease, all of the pac choi was demolished by slugs, and many others were fatally attacked. I think my efforts are better served focusing on row covers, deep watering, trellising.

Label pots themselves so plants don't get mixed up. I like to think I'm beyond this. So does my toddler.

Establish a better germinating area in the house.

Broccoli raab are huge plants and W doesn't even care for the taste, so next year, perhaps one or two plants only.

Limit broccoli to five plants tops! Not sure why I planted so much broccoli this year, but I did.

Tomatoes limit to five plants, plus five paste tomato plants. Again, waaay to many plants!

Work on a better pea/bean trellis for next year. Pea / bean teepee is good; perhaps they can take up their own pie-section in the Wheel with the teepee trellis.

Do not plant anything in partial shade no matter how convinced you are it will be ok; it will not be!

Humus from nature's needs is fantastic! Get more next year.

Two rows of spinach is plenty; cover against leaf miners!

Put out slug/snail bait before you put out plants - 2-3 weeks before.

Next time, focus on planting lettuce better - smaller plantings, 10 days apart. Use a calendar so you don't forget!

Peppers and eggplants - just a few plants each; see how pots do this year.

Basil - for some reason is hard to start. Start outside and plant a LOT.