Funny I should see this thread - this is the year that some tough decisions will be made. . . I used to think I could learn to grow anything, then I would learn to grow everything! Yeah - no more. We have access to some wonderful Amish growers that spray very little, will tell you what has been sprayed if you ask, and sell for cheap, cheap, cheap. So, this year, I am planting *everything* and anything that I have a repeat bad performance from, or that seems to be fussy gets the boot. Why should I continue to pour over books looking for information on cauliflower when I can buy 2 heads for $1 all summer? The only things I will fuss with will be things we eat multiple of in one day - I am willing to put the work in for some sort of sweet peppers since we easily go through 10 pounds in a week. More, I think, if we grill. Not even trying this year: Eggplant Okra Most peppers - (putting all of my energy into sweet) corn carrots On notice - behave or be cut next year: Spinach (interesting about chard - we like chard) limas and shell beans winter squashes watermelon melon cukes - I must be the only person who struggles with these? Cauliflower Broccoli Things I am giving up starting from seed myself: Lettuce heads (Amish greenhouse sells a 4 cell pack for $1, and I can't seem to start the seeds to save my life. With the way we eat salad, I'm OK with paying 25 cent each head.) Tomatoes - one last try this year with WS Pepper - same as above My plan is to have a list of what is reliable for me in this climate, on this property, with my personality, and then go from there. I would like to concentrate on different varieties of what grows well and we like real well, like radishes, rather than spending my summer fighting things that just don't want to grow for me. It looks like I am cutting a lot - don't feel bad for me, though. Here's what we eat a TON of (like every day) and we are keeping: Radishes -can't seem to plant enough. Kids are like bunnies Greens like Kale and Collards - and they last pretty far into the winter. Kale is still looking pickable, even after all of this crazy snow. . . Adding more kinds of greens this year. Summer Squashes - want to add varieties this year Tomatoes Turnips - I chunk them up and freeze and use in every pot of soup I make. Snap beans - they wil eat all that I plant, so adding varieties Peas - they will eat all that I plant, so adding varieties This thread is good - permission to let go of what doesn't work. . .

I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I can't deal with starting anything now. Its far too late in the year. I even have some zinnia and some red cosmos in flates here that I started from seed that I still haven't gotten planted in ground. And itts almost August. No matter what my plans for the garden or how much I do, I just never do get to get absolutly everthing I had hoped for done. But I am not really complaining about the garden as I did get so much done this year. And I am still working, currently on moving some daylilies around.

these have been taken

If it starts looking ratty, you can cut everything off at soil level. It will grow back looking great again.