What will you do differently next year?

13 years ago

I don't like to get ahead of myself and we certainly should be enjoying THIS year's garden. Still, I can't help thinking of what I'll do differently next year.

A lot of my changes will come with my veggie garden.

1. No more tomatoes in the ground! Too much trouble. All going in Topsy Turveys next year. I've had great success with that.

2. Only plant vegetables I actually like to eat. :-P

3. Don't underestimate how many seeds from any given packet will actually grow. I have five million baby carrots and about the same amount of radishes in a three foot area.

As for other things:

1. More mid-summer bloomers. After my lupine and the like is done I have about a three week period where not much is blooming.

2. Give up on watering systems. Either hold the hose or use my little five dollar sprayer from Home Depot.

3. Mulch more of my trecherous hillside so I don't kill myself weedwacking.

4. Don't listen to neighbor. Re: trecherous hillside. He has been trying for three years to get me to use his lawnmower instead of my weedwacker. Finally, I relented. (I've only ever used a push mower and had no idea how to mow with his gas powered one) He brought it over, said 'push this and it goes automatically up the hill' and left. I got to the top of the hill and the thing kept going down the other side. I couldn't stop it! It's funny to picture, but seriously, I almost died. I was about two feet from going head over heels over the rock wall and landing on top of his mower. Luckily, both the mower and I stopped in time. Ugh!

So... how about you? What are some things you'll do differently next year?

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Comments (16)

Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
13 years ago
Omg scully! Your story was funny tho i know it was scarey at the time!
I will still wintersow but not ws every seed i recieve in a trade and ill keep my jugs organized.

I will put money away over winter for next yr, you cant have enough!
Maybe ill invest in good tools too, i could use a little flower snipper.
Hmmm i dont know what else, but i know theres alot! I hate to admit it but i had some plant casualties , id like to work on getting them in place quicker..but i buy things with no place in mind...
And i vow to wake up earlier before work, make myself coffee and enjoy my garden, rather than running out the door.
These are things i could start this year!
Good topic! :)
organic_kitten
13 years ago
Plant more seeds that I have gathered instead of buying them.

I am going to try not to push my zone so much, and just enjoy what loves to grow here.

Try not to expand my space any more.

Sit and enjoy the garden more.

Compost even more.

Can't think, but I know there's more.
kay
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craftlady07
13 years ago
what a crazy story - I'm so glad you didn't get hurt!!

The #1 thing I have to do is I need to divide and move more things next year. As many perennials were breaking dormancy and still so small I forgot how crowded they really do get and I feel so bad :( I have a catmint that is totally squished between some blue star amsonia and obedient plants and I feel horrible for the poor thing. Next year it will be able to breathe and I'll actually get to njoy it.

I also want to WS again (this was my 1st year) and I'll be better about getting the seedlings in the ground early so I won't lose as many. I will make DH put up lights if we do peppers from seed again...the poor things are barely 4" tall right now, but they are growing at least.

That's all I can think of right now, all things considered I think I did a pretty good job this year :)
lavender_lass
13 years ago
Plant my peas earlier!(LOL) They're still so short and now it's getting hot...but I knew the garden wouldn't be ready in time. Next year, I'm hoping to plant them in April, not June :)

I also need to spend more time on my kitchen garden, but I'm hoping to get the weeding finished in the next few weeks. My roses have been taking up all my time, but I will spend more time on the veggies next year!
totallyconfused
13 years ago
If I do nothing else next year I am going to move the ornamental grass that is taking over my raised planting area. Between it and the two baptisias that are planted with it, everything else is getting buried alive.

Totally Confused
DYH
13 years ago
Glad you are okay! I don't like to use mowers. Glad my husband does.

What I will do differently:

No more new varieties. I have the plants that I want. I'm happy. I just need to divide, collect seeds, propagate those that I have to fill in for mass plantings. The economy has hit us hard and I really don't need to be spending money on plants--just seeds and compost.

If a plant dies (and I'm not at fault), it doesn't get replaced by the same plant.

I'm paying attention to when seeds are ready to drop naturally from the plant. I'm going to spread a few at the same time and compare to sowing in the fall or spring.

Stop using annuals in containers. This year, I planted 4 containers with perennials. Two are succulent and drought-tolerant. Two are primarily cast iron plant drought-tolerant. Cheaper in the long run. Easier to maintain without so much watering and feeding. Returns next year. Better.

I have a few designs to tweak again.

Cameron
cindysunshine
13 years ago
I will plant early crops in the vegie garden again - lovely crisphead and romaine lettuce, spinach, beets, and snow or snap peas.

I will add tulips this fall and more true lilies.

Start flats of annuals - I especially want a bunch of nicotiana. I'm going to do zinnias in a flat and get them started as plants and plunk them in the garden when they are small - you do have to water them more that way and have to be careful as they hate transplanting but I think I'll end up with more in the places I want them.

I have to figure out a better watering system. Going to really work on that - easy watering would make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.
scully931
Original Author
13 years ago
You all made me think of even more!

Yes, I need to remember also, that PLANTS GROW! My catmints which were eeny weeny in April are now crowding out everything I planted nearby.

Also--I agree--we should all take more time to just sit and enjoy!
vicki7
13 years ago
1. No more picky, bug-magnet plants. Like brugmansia for
instance.

2. I'll start staking my Casa-blanca lilies while they are
still small and pliable. Right now they are about 6ft. tall and
leaning badly.

3. I'll start earlier in the season on my "cutting garden".
It's a small area that I prepared about the first of
June, with tall zinnias and marigolds. They are faring
ok, but if I'd started BEFORE the sizzling temps hit,
I think they would've done better.

4. No more buying plants that I have no idea where I'll
plant them (yeah right, wishful thinking on my part)
schoolhouse_gw
13 years ago
Mulch sooner instead of waiting "until it rains real good" before doing it because I always end up mulching too late or not at all in the Spring.
prairiegirlz5
13 years ago
That's my resolution too: Stay on top of the weeds, apply mulch, grow more ground-covers. We had to skip mulch this year and while everything is still growing strong (lots of established perennials), we also have a ton of weeds. Plus the ground gets so dry it has huge cracks.

I don't need more plants, just more of the same varieties, so I will be dividing lots of them.

But I still want Blue Paradise phlox. :^)
wren_garden
13 years ago
The garden is now 7 years old. Next year will be the year of propagation every which way there is to do so. Cuttings, division, collect and grow from seed, etc. No purchasing any new plants, plant exchanges don't count, I said "no purchases" ( right Vicki, we can do it) With all the new babies it will be time to establish a pot getto, the true sign that I have crossed over some kind of line in my gardening life. The other must is to master the art of composting. There is a 6'x3'x4' pile of pulled weeds, pruneings and dead headed flowers in the back corner of the yard. It has been growing there for 3 seasons hidden by the above ground pool. Next year I will dig it out and see what there is. Then that spot will be the new home of a proper compost pile.
Oakley
13 years ago
Scully, was it a self-propelled mower, meaning you don't have to "push" it? If so, LET GO of the self propelled handle when you're going downhill! LOL. Been there done that, then LOVED it! Now my dh does all the mowing cause I used the excuse "I'm only a girl." :)

1. Get rid of the yellow blasted HUGE Cosmos from the middle of the flower bed. What was I thinking?

2. No more crowding the flowers. A little more space is much better for them and me so I can see snakes!

3. Plant lots of flowers along our fence line.

BTW, hand held hose watering is the best. Or one of those little "fountain" sprinklers where the flower leaves will prevent the water going all the way up, and they'll dry in the morning air.
roper2008
13 years ago
What I will do differently next year is not to get too
many flower seeds, that I don't know where to put
them. Some are still in the dixie cups I started them
in.
susie_gardener_2007
13 years ago
I'm going to try to resist buying ANY new plants. Even when they are on the half-price rack at the store. They are usually pretty far gone by the time I buy them at half price. Then if I don't get them planted right away, by the time I finally plant them it's iffy if they will even come up, so I really didn't save any money. I feel so bad about that.

That's was a funny lawn mower story....scary, but funny! Glad you didn't get hurt.
scully931
Original Author
13 years ago
haha... it was self-propelled, Oakleyok and I promise I DID let go of the handle thingie. :-P It's just that it was so heavy and even though I leaned back with all my weight it wouldn't stop.

He tried to offer it to me again the other day and I said "No, thanks. I'll use my weedwacker." His response? "But, the mower works your boob muscles." WTH?!?! haha. This is a 70 year old married man. Oh, my. What characters they are.

What will you do differently next year?

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Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca

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