I don’t know about you but at the end of the main growing season I always have all these notes in my head about what I loved and what I would do differently next spring.
So instead of taking the time to go try to find some paper that isn’t wrinkled and scribbled on and a pen that actually has ink…and then try to keep track of the list for 9 months…
I am going to make my ‘notes to self’ right here on the blog…hope nobody minds.
NOTES TO SELF
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Tomato cages are wayyyyy better than this…it worked well for the cool spring but tomatoes need cages to grow up in…those tunnels did not control them nearly enough.
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Remember to build more tomato cages before next year.
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Yarn does NOT work as well as twine for green beans, it stretches in the rain and all the beans fall down…so don’t be lazy and go find the twine next time!
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Put a self-closing hing on the garden gate…the dog likes cucumbers.
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While we are on it…cucumbers do well with water. Bitter is not the best flavor.Plant more flowers…
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Make more compost.
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Growing peppers and eggplant in tunnels is an EXCELLENT idea, please remember do this again.
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Pumpkins are great fun to grow…more are needed next year. Try some new colors.
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Squash takes up a LOT of room, remember this so the compost bin doesn’t get covered with vines.
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Barrels are great for potatoes but you would need many, many more to have a large harvest.
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Plant out gourds sooner…
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Plant out cantaloupe later.
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Yum, yum peppers are simply the cutest and sweetest peppers ever…grow lots more!
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6 foot wire fencing is perfect for growing peas.
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Chickens fly…chickens escape…chickens invade!
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Chickens love young pumpkins, which will grow up to be ugly hen pecked pumpkins.
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Remember to enjoy the process…
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Always, always involve the kids…even when they annoy you.
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And don’t hate the camel for doing what a camels does…
Which is anything he can do to try to reach your precious garden.
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Reinforce the garden fence!
Finally…
Remember why you do this every year…
For the health of your family and the health of the planet.
Besides…
Its fun!
So fellow gardeners…what notes have you made to yourself for next year?
Not Dabbling In Normal 
We’re taking copious notes in a garden journal we have for next year.
However… you have a camel? What’s the story on that!
AnnaMarie…it is an interesting story, here is the link
http://sweetgrace.typepad.com/the_inadvertent_farmer/2008/09/hey-baby-want-to-come-see-my-camel.html
I often put a note to myself in my blog. When I find the timing is wrong or I should be doing it a different way. When I plan the garden and make a sowing schedule, I’ll do a search on my blog for “Note to self” and find them all and hopefully do it better next year. At least that is the plan.
Daphne I also make notes on last years sewing schedule about how each variety did. I had never thought to put it down on a blog until last night when I couldn’t find a pen…again! Kim
I’ve been making mental notes and some in my livejournal, including more space for the squash, more compost for the squash, drying beans as well as romano and green beans, since beans CLEARLY like our soil and climate, less chard since I’m the only who eats it, start the fall garden earlier (but where? There’s no room for it until the summer plantings are spent!), etc.
teresa…livejournal? Is that like an online journal? Curious… Beans love it here in Washington too. Some things I have to pamper but not the beans!
I have the same issue with the fall garden. I’m having hubby break some more ground just for fall plantings. Kim
Kim,
One of the ideas I’ve been really happy with over the years is sub-dividing my garden plot into fenced areas that I rotate the chickens through as the seasons progress. It’s described here:
http://selfsufficientsteward.com/?p=208
They provide fertilizer and eat bugs, but we can sequester areas to use for fall and spring gardens.
Just a thought.
Thanks for sharing. Peppers and eggplant in tunnels?
I planted the peppers and eggplant in tunnels just like the first picture. I left the wire over the top all season and just put the plastic back on…I’m hoping for at least another month of fresh peppers, crossing fingers for Thanksgiving…we’ll see!
Thanks for the link, I’m going there right now to see if you can help with the chickens! Kim
Here are some of mine. Don’t just plant heirloom tomatoes, a variety is best (especially after dealing with the blight this year!)
Plant more cucumbers – I could have put up ten times the amount of pickles I did this year.
Six types of hot peppers is three too many! LOL!
Plant garlic later and give it space where I won’t be annoyed with it when I want to plant spring seeds.
Plant more herbs and give basil it’s own garden. It towers over most of the other herbs and steals their light. Also, start dehydrating (and drying) herbs earlier in the season. Plant cilantro by seed and plant in succession to have cilantro during pesto season, otherwise it bolts weeks before I really want it.
I have the worst luck with cucumber, last year was awesome but every other year they are bitter.
I totally agree with the basil thing…gonna add that to my list! Kim
Kim – what a great idea! I was just trying to figure out where I put the list I started…then, oh yeah – I put it in a response to a post on Kathie’s blog! Better get over there to find it.
I also like Daphne’s “Note to Self” idea – hope you don’t mind that I borrow it, Daphne!
Instead of barrels for potatoes you might try
Potato Towers
http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/potato-towers-month-4/
ej…cool idea, I’m gonna have to do a little more research, thanks for the link! Kim
ej, have you seen anyone who actually gets a good harvest from those towers? I couldn’t afford the potting soil and lumber to build them…
Beautiful!! I enjoyed your post. And I’m making a list already, though mine is considerably less colorful.
Thanks, Liz
Great notes! Love the chickens and the camel.