From: JC_Gilliam@fccc.edu (Jon C. Gilliam)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Garden notes for next year
Date: 8 Jul 1994 09:40:00 -0500

 - Rutabagas have big leaves -- don't plant more than 1 per square foot.
   I planted 4 (yes, four!) to a square foot this year, and they're making
   quite a canopy in their fight for the sun.

 - One hill of 3 pumpkin seeds is enough!  We planted 2 'hills' of 5 seeds
   each this year (and didn't thin any), and pumpkin vines are now invading
   many of the garden paths, the only place I can let them roam free.  Walking
   through the garden is now a bit like hop-scotch.

 - I've got to find a way to grow watermelon and cantaloupes vertically.
   I think next year I'm going to give those A-frames a try.  This year, I
   put up some netting along one side of the melon patch, and since they're
   icebox melons, I think it's going to hold.  Luckily the pumpkin and
   melon vines are far enough apart that they don't compete over garden path
   space to sprawl over.

 - Squash does really well planted among the corn -- both summer and winter
   squash.  If you plant the 'bush' varieties, they won't climb and
   'pull' on the corn too much.

 - New Zeland spinach is somewhat of a dissappointment.  The flavor of the
   fresh leaves doesn't (IMO) compare to spinach, and the leaves are small.
   It does well cooked, however.  Next year I'm going to look for spinach
   varieties that are slower to bolt.  I like spinach.

 - The spring peas are done, and the vines are now in the compost pile.
   It seems that the work you go through to get a mess of beans is pretty
   high in comparison to the amount harvested.  Instead, my advice is to
   plant an edible pod pea, and to freely use them young in salads, or to
   cook with them pods and all.  Shell a few later on for adding to other
   dishes.

 - It is true that you can plant 9 bush beans to the square foot, but it is
   also true that harvesting is a bit difficult if you plant several of these
   square feet next to each other (guess who did that).  If I didn't like
   them so much, I'd say I planted too many green beans this year -- but the
   overflow is making it pretty reliably into the freezer.  Next year I think
   I'll plant pole beans.

 - I know it goes against my grain, but next year I'm determined to really
   prune off those side branches on my indeterminate tomatoes that I'm
   training up strings on my vertical frames.  This year, I've tried to just
   add more strings, and train up the side branches, but they've advanced
   beyond that.  Now there are such nice looking fruit on these renegade
   vines, that I know I can't even force myself to prune.  Do it early.

 - Fresh sage, oregano, and basil are super.  I'm going to plant more herbs
   next year.

 - If you've had a fairly dry spell after your cabbage heads get good size,
   and then you start getting a good rain, run out and pick all the heads.
   If you don't, they're probably going to split post haste.

 - What to do with all those bugs in the Japanese Beetle trap?  Put them in
   the blender with 2 cups water (the *garden* blender), blend well, strain,
   dilute, and spray everywhere.

Bright blessings!
:jon

-----
Jon C. Gilliam 

  Like a wild ass in the desert go I forth to my work!
     -- Patrick Stewert, "Dune"