My hard work in the late winter/early spring is finally paying off. The tomato plants are taller than me (and Andy for that matter) and the pepper plants are doing well. The corn is sprouting through the hard clay and I think we're going to get a decent crop. Despite her best efforts, Lucie has not destroyed the squash bed and I'm hoping to get at least two giant pumpkins.
Here's what worked and what I would do different next year:
Worked:
- The raised beds worked really well and Andy deserves all the credit for making them. They are made from old fence boards. I am thinking that they may last 3-5 years so I am toying with the idea of sanding them down and painting them with some non-toxic paint.
- Using the old fireplace mantle as the border for the corn patch.
- Using organic fertilizer.
- Waiting a little longer than usual to put in the tomato plants. The ground should be pretty warm and I waited until late May to put them in.
Changes for next year:
- Plant taller plants in the back. Even though all of my tomatoes are perfectly happy, it makes sense to pay attention to the sizes listed on the tags.
- Give tomatoes more room and keep a better eye on stray branches.
- My beans did very poorly in part because I didn't have them properly staked. I may try to do companion planting and go native by planting the beans with the corn.
