Fed up with the garden

[CalG]

I’ve been gardening at this high elevation (6,500-7,000’) for 35+ years. This year is the worst garden I’ve ever had. Did well with cherries, grapes, onions, summer squash, carrots, winter squash, and melons. Everything else is a disappointment. The hottest, driest, windiest summer I’ve ever experienced, and damn ground squirrels (I’ve trapped 10 in the garden). I’m waiting for the season to be over and good riddance to this summer. Better luck next year.

With a harvest that you list, I would call your year pretty good.
Here in the NE, we have had lots of rain, In fact it's raining out there now.
Things are growing for sure. Lots of the small tomatos for the past couple of weeks, with our first sandwich tomato just today (Cherokee Purple) Waiting on the winter squash, we are accustomed to having one a week all winter from storage. The first bulges are showing onder the flowers at this time. There is still time....

And cucumbers! 10 yesterday and 9 today off just two hills. The wife makes a spicey hot korean pickle that we enjoy, so there is always a call for fresh cukes!

 

[CalG]

Episodes Archives - Growing A Greener World®

www.growingagreenerworld.com

Episode 1210 - Year-Round Growing with Eliot Coleman - Growing A Greener World®

Growing food year-round is the ultimate goal for gardeners. Eliot Coleman has mastered it in a region with the bitterest of winters.

www.growingagreenerworld.com

I cant imagine heating a bow house to be practical for feeding yourself. The wife and I spend a bit over $100 a week on groceries (we do rely on summer grown stuff stored, canned or frozen) $100 does not buy much heat, but it sure buys a lot from the produce section.

 

[Yander]

I cant imagine heating a bow house to be practical for feeding yourself. The wife and I spend a bit over $100 a week on groceries (we do rely on summer grown stuff stored, canned or frozen) $100 does not buy much heat, but it sure buys a lot from the produce section.

He doesn't heat them. In his book he talks about heating them as an experiment to grow tomatoes.

 

[Omega Woods]

We are dealing with a plague of tomato horn worms this year. We kill a dozen or more every day. Just incredible.

 

[CalG]

We are dealing with a plague of tomato horn worms this year. We kill a dozen or more every day. Just incredible.

My wife is on a rampage over slugs (They are hard on new starts)

I'm all in a bent over the asian jumping worms..

It's always something ;-)

But at least it's something we know about and not some insidious chemical or gmo.

 

[CalG]

He doesn't heat them. In his book he talks about heating them as an experiment to grow tomatoes.

I've always wanted to "build" on the model of Scott Nearing. Masonry north wall, glass overhead. heated by compost.

Alas, I've got far too many 100 foot maples...;-)

 

[jyoutz]

With a harvest that you list, I would call your year pretty good.
Here in the NE, we have had lots of rain, In fact it's raining out there now.
Things are growing for sure. Lots of the small tomatos for the past couple of weeks, with our first sandwich tomato just today (Cherokee Purple) Waiting on the winter squash, we are accustomed to having one a week all winter from storage. The first bulges are showing onder the flowers at this time. There is still time....

And cucumbers! 10 yesterday and 9 today off just two hills. The wife makes a spicey hot korean pickle that we enjoy, so there is always a call for fresh cukes!

We’re disappointed that the tomatoes, peppers, green beans and cucumbers did poorly due to weather, and squirrels destroyed the potatoes. Last year was the opposite: bumper crops of everything.

 

[goeduck]

Tomatoes off the chart this year in volume but a little behind ripening.
Green beans (the 2nd replant*) are forming with stalks to 10'
Cukes (1st replant*) are gangbusting.
Romain lettuce keeps putting out nice heads.
Cabbage recovered after attack of imported cabbage worm. Should be ready for kraut
Broccoli has nice heads and needs cutting, also hit by cabbage worm, but recovered.
Squash all over the place
Potatoes grew great greens, but I have not harvested yet.
Basil did very well
Fennel bulbs are huge this year.
Celery doing very well.
Snap peas did horrible.
Peppers started off slow but then took off, not ripe yet
No Plums this year
Early season Apples doing well, Late season apples look a little sparse.
Cherries good crop this year.

* due to slugs

 

[Yander]

I've always wanted to "build" on the model of Scott Nearing. Masonry north wall, glass overhead. heated by compost.

Alas, I've got far too many 100 foot maples...;-)

Interesting that you mentioned Scott nearing, if you watch the video, Elliot Coleman apparently bought his land from Scott nearing and they were inspired by Scott's book to do what they did.

If you watch from two minutes in to four or five minutes, of the video I posted above, he talks about it.

 

[shooterdon]

I had a garden for many years and empathize with the frustration of putting in a lot of work and getting little or nothing in return. It does not happen very often but enough times to make it a problem...at least it was for me.

Between the weather, bugs, or critters, there always seemed to be something to deal with.

As I got older, I gave up on it. What I miss most are fresh tomatoes, sweet peas and asparagus. I can live with store bought corn, potatoes and cucumbers.

I do not miss the "good stuff" enough to ever do it again. In my case, we did not save much, if anything, by growing our own stuff.