One of the things I have heard and read over and over from other gardeners and homesteaders is to take lots of notes throughout the year so that I’ll know to adjust things a few days/weeks earlier or later for next time.  I’m curious how helpful this will be with the climate changing as much as it seems to be in such a short period of time.

I feel like all I hear is “this isn’t typical” or “the unusual weather we’ve been having” or the “unseasonably warm/wet/dry…” etc., etc.  So I guess we’ll see what the next cycle of seasons brings for my gardening endeavors. Here are some of the big takeaways from my first year and I feel pretty positive on the whole.

What Went Well – the dubya dubya dubya

Arugula: My two arugula plants are more like bushes.  I have done absolutely nothing in the way of nurturing them and they just keep flourishing.

Beets:  Oh heavenly sweet beets.  They were huge and juicy. If only I had pickled them to preserve the bounty.

Berries: Taking no personal credit, the black raspberries were insane and the raspberries were quite good.  I will just have to make more of an effort to collect them routinely.

Butternut squash:  By far the MVP of this year.  Holy moly I think I had about 20 butternut squashes from two plants.  They grew all over the place (which I will need to work on next year) but every single one of them has been 1000% delicious.  Better than any I have ever bought from the store.

Green beans:  I had more than I knew what to do with all to be harvested at the same time.  Next year, definitely going to try canning some.

Peppers:  I had jalapenos and bell peppers.  Not too many, could probably plant one more plant of each to have extra that I chop up and put in the freezer for the winter.

Tomatoes:  I did all small varieties because I love them on salads and as salads (caprese, cowgirl caviar, etc.).  

Watermelon:  This was just an experiment and we got three watermelons!  The location will need to be re-thought (similar to the squash) but I was surprised anything even took.