Organic Garden 2009

It was an outstandingly good year which was perhaps best symbolized by the watermelons producing (which occurs approximately once every three years).  I had a record season with my okra.  Japanese Beetles gave the plant a run for its money early in the year but the ever-diligent vegetable ultimately won out once it got a solid foothold.  Though it got off to a slow start, my tomato crop turned out amazingly well.  The cole season vegetables held out longer than usual, largely due to summer arriving fairly late (but once we reached record temperatures in June, as can be expected, everything quickly bolted).  Conversely, and no big surprise, the pumpkins suffered from blossom rot once again (a regional hazard when dealing with organic melons).  The green beans yielded but once yet, this season, they summarily died due to Tobacco Mosaic.  

Tomatoes (two 12-footers in back):  Stupice, Redfield Beauty, and John Baer 

More Tomatoes (Sweet 100, Yellow Pear, Isis Candy, Martino Roma, and Tommy Toe)

Cucumbers (A & C and Straight Eight)

More Cucumbers

Okra (Star of David and my own secret strain)

Okra

11-Foot Okra Plant (personal best)

Eggplant (Black Beauty)

Herbs (Tarragon, Sage, Chives, Dill, Stevia, Oregano)

Hot Peppers (Rooster Spur)

Habaneros  (Caribbean Red)

The Primary Garden

Not Pictured:  Tomatilloes, Watermelon, Corn, Lettuce, and Spinach.

Gardening Secrets:  Always use fresh seeds, i.e. render your own the season before from your best plants.  Conduct germination tests to increase odds of a better, stronger yield (scratch seeds to speed germination).  Closely monitor nitrogen levels, esp. if you are using wood mulch.  Use organic green and brown compost as well as pot ash as fertilizer.  Burn the previous year's plants to inhibit infestation during the subsequent season.  Know your beneficial insects.  Incorporate companion plants into your gardening schematic.  Implement ground reflectors to deter leaf eaters.  Give all plants, with the exception of beans, twice the recommended amount of space.  Utilize trap and cover crops.