Are you happy with your 2015 garden?

[buckabucka]

Rough start here. I am late. Still have to finish corn and sweet potatoes.
A small rodent (rat?) started tunneling under the black plastic in the hoophouse, taking a few peppers and eggplants each day, and even a couple tomatoes by chewing through the stem. I put an end to it by wrapping every plant in a hardware cloth collar. Seems to be working well, but was a real pain.

My brassica seedlings had cabbage worms before I put them in the ground, but seem to be recovering.

 

[thistlebloom]

Hey @Collector ! Good to see you! Sorry you have to leave your established fruits. That's tough when they are beginning to produce well. But a bigger garden space sounds just excellent!
Farther north is always a good thing, right?

 

[Smart Red]

To each his own rating but a 5 means average which is good as every garden can't be the best.

Mine is behind but for everything it (&I) have been through, I'm good.

Seedcorn, the rating does depend upon more than a bell curve where 5 is average. Seeing as we are mostly experienced gardeners, we should be already ahead of the bell curve. That we have been learning and practicing new or different ideas and techniques for improving our soil and choosing proven seed, we are ahead of the curve.

True, my garden not having much planted isn't up to a 5 or 6 (or even a 2-3 right now although strawberries are an 8 and potatoes might be a 9) regardless of my experience, but I doubt anything other than severe drought or a plague of locusts will keep my garden from eventually outshining most of the gardens planted this year in south-est, central-est Wisconsin.

Sorry again, @seedcorn, it's a teacher thing. I always got angry at those who graded on a curve. The bell curve is a tool that can be applied to a population at large. However, once instruction or training has been given, there should be no student at the lower end of the curve -- unless one is admitting they are a crummy teacher.

 

[HotPepperQueen]

I would have to say that my random garden (peas, carrots, beans, squash, zucchini, onions, radish, kale, swiss chard, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lots of lettuces, tomatillos, garlic, and potatoes) I would give it an 8 out of 10. For once I actually got my potatoes, peas, and onions in early enough so they are farther ahead than they ever have been this time of year. Sure the radishes and onions need to be weeded but for the most part it looks pretty good.
My largest garden I would give it a 6 out of 10 so far. I just planted my tomatoes and peppers on Sunday and my starts were pretty short but were strong and dark green. They survived 50mph winds and heavy rain only 10 hours after planting. I was shocked everything survived. I am planting melons and sunflowers tonight when I get home in this garden. Not too many weeds yet and I plan on putting straw down to prevent them and keep in moisture.
Next are my berries and fruit trees. Raspberries are so far a 9 out of 10. I can't give them a 10 quite yet because they haven't set fruit but they are bushy, have tons of flowers, and look incredibly healthy. My blueberries I would give an 8 out of 10 just for the fact that they do not get enough attention but still manage to grow a little every year and set fruit. My honey berries I have to give a 10/10 because I finally got fruit this year!!! This is year three for them and they are healthier than ever and have grown a ton. My little micro orchard is split. My Sweet 16 apple is an 8/10 and has lots of apples on it this year. My tried and true dark plum is a 10/10 and has so many plums I have no idea what I am going to do with them. All the other fruit trees.....oh boy they look awful. I need to get a tree expert out here to tell me what the heck is going on.

 

[majorcatfish]

sounds like we all have grins and gripes about our gardens this year....

to add to my list saw japanese beetles in my pole beans and eggplants this afternoon.

and you wonder why they call it gardening....

 

[baymule]

@Collector I am right there with you. We moved in mid February, 160 miles north, still in east Texas. Went from house on small lot to 8 acres. New place is sand. New garden needs a lot of help, figure it will take 2-3 years to get it the way I want it. Preparing for planting fruit trees and berries in the fall.

Give yourself a 10. Anything you pick and eat, after moving, is a triumph.

 

[seedcorn]

@Smart Red IF you are in perfect world that teacher teaches and students try to learn, all should pass. Not the way it works today-if ever. For me, physics was Greek to me in HS-yes went in for extra help. Took it in college (must have been on drugs to take it when it was an optional class) walked out of final exam (2 hr that you weren't suppose to finish) in 60 minutes with 100%.

I'm curious how you view your garden progress to this point. Everyone has their best and worst gardens. For me, what is done, is doing great but I'm behind due to job and weather. Can't be helped unless one of you wants to support me so I don't have to work for a living.....

 

[Smart Red]

I am way behind. Can't blame the weather for all of it. DH has been sick and hospitalized so even the weed free beds that I had ready to plant before the rain have become jungles of weeds and surprises. I found volunteer tomatoes, potatoes, lettuces, radishes, and sunflowers. I have learned to be a careful weeder.

My rhubarb and strawberries are as good as I've ever seen them. The asparagus is doing well, but will get a bigger dose of chicken litter this fall as I am not really impressed with the way it hasn't been filling out its bed.

Sorry, it won't be me supporting you. You might try "FUND ME" to see how many will send $$$ towards your support. We are not rich. Comfortable, yes, as long as things go smoothly medically and financially. Otherwise, the government will have it all and we'll be on the dole with the other 50% of Americans.