ducks4you
Garden Master
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NEW thread. Thanks, @AMKuska for the inspiration to jump ahead on the calendar.
I have probably been planning for next year during my right knee recovery. BTW, I garden in various beds around the 1 acre that is yard and not horse pasture (or the barn and shelter.)
I am planning my garden AND planning for my next rotten knee (left one) surgery. I have yet to speak to the surgeon's nurse--appointment coming up--but I am going to to ask to schedule the next surgery for late June or early July, 2025. DH, DD and I go on a Carnival Alaska cruise in late May. I should have most of my garden in the ground and all soaker hoses set up by this time. I talked to my Physical Therapist yesterday. He is aware of my problems with my left knee and left leg--not straight. I wanted him to Incorporate PT for that leg, too.
He said to check and see, BUT, I could schedule the left knee therapy of 6 weeks right after I complete This set of 6 weeks therapy for my right leg, in January.
Right leg has now achieved 0 degrees straight, bent right knee is now at 108 degrees and we are working towards 120 degrees bent.
If you don't know, flexibility to stretch the muscles has to be constantly worked on after surgery. In this case, where I end up after 8 weeks will determine all future flexibility.
What has this to do with my gardening?
It means that I need a fairly precise schedule, such as "start Amish paste the week of ________"
It also means assessing successes and failures from 2024.
So...here we go with Some of next year's crops in Duckums' garden!
1) TOMATOES
IRONICALLY, the local 2024 tomato growing for those who got theirs in on time was dismal. Many of their tomato plants didn't do well and didn't recover from bad summer weather, yet MY late planting resulted in dinner plate fruits.
...go figure?!?
I will probably start my tomato seeds in early March and plan for 6 early troops that might get frosted, OR might make it and produce early
2025 will be a big planting of Amish Paste for canning, too, seeds already in the cabinet.
2) CUCUMBERS
I will be gardening this winter, prepping areas I couldn't physically get to late this year. Cucumbers will need soil amendments from last winter's dirty stalls. Cucumbers also don't need more than one 12 ft fencing. Gotta read up on when to replace with fresh plantings...
3) ZUCCHINI SQUASH
Tentatively, with seed sprouting 7-14 days, leaf development 4-8 weeks, then a few more weeks for flowering to start, I should start their seeds Mid May, to transplant in June. I won't be able to plant anything a good month after surgery and I need to avoid the squash vine borer which is active until early July in my neck of the woods. I really won't need any more than a handful of zucchini, but why not use them as filler plants in other places?
4) PUMPKINS
These are going in lots of different places. I have already planted small and damaged 2024 beige pumpkins strategically for "volunteers" to sprout. I am tired of the beige, but I have Pie pumpkin seeds and white pumpkin seeds, maybe a couple of other varieties. You don't have to have Great Googlefoo to research. Here is a great article that tells me a timeline for pumpkins:'
https://www.seedsandspades.com/pumpkin-growing-stages/
Any seeds direct sown should develop flowers mid July if I plant in early June, AGAIN avoiding the squash vine borer. Not so worried about squash vine bugs. Since I have gotten fruit planting in the first week of July, in the past, I should be able to plant a good week before I have to harvest from my cherry tree, which is aNOTHER reason to have my surgery after that big old harvest.
More soon!
I have probably been planning for next year during my right knee recovery. BTW, I garden in various beds around the 1 acre that is yard and not horse pasture (or the barn and shelter.)
I am planning my garden AND planning for my next rotten knee (left one) surgery. I have yet to speak to the surgeon's nurse--appointment coming up--but I am going to to ask to schedule the next surgery for late June or early July, 2025. DH, DD and I go on a Carnival Alaska cruise in late May. I should have most of my garden in the ground and all soaker hoses set up by this time. I talked to my Physical Therapist yesterday. He is aware of my problems with my left knee and left leg--not straight. I wanted him to Incorporate PT for that leg, too.
He said to check and see, BUT, I could schedule the left knee therapy of 6 weeks right after I complete This set of 6 weeks therapy for my right leg, in January.
Right leg has now achieved 0 degrees straight, bent right knee is now at 108 degrees and we are working towards 120 degrees bent.
If you don't know, flexibility to stretch the muscles has to be constantly worked on after surgery. In this case, where I end up after 8 weeks will determine all future flexibility.
What has this to do with my gardening?
It means that I need a fairly precise schedule, such as "start Amish paste the week of ________"
It also means assessing successes and failures from 2024.
So...here we go with Some of next year's crops in Duckums' garden!
1) TOMATOES
IRONICALLY, the local 2024 tomato growing for those who got theirs in on time was dismal. Many of their tomato plants didn't do well and didn't recover from bad summer weather, yet MY late planting resulted in dinner plate fruits.
...go figure?!?
I will probably start my tomato seeds in early March and plan for 6 early troops that might get frosted, OR might make it and produce early
2025 will be a big planting of Amish Paste for canning, too, seeds already in the cabinet.
2) CUCUMBERS
I will be gardening this winter, prepping areas I couldn't physically get to late this year. Cucumbers will need soil amendments from last winter's dirty stalls. Cucumbers also don't need more than one 12 ft fencing. Gotta read up on when to replace with fresh plantings...
3) ZUCCHINI SQUASH
Tentatively, with seed sprouting 7-14 days, leaf development 4-8 weeks, then a few more weeks for flowering to start, I should start their seeds Mid May, to transplant in June. I won't be able to plant anything a good month after surgery and I need to avoid the squash vine borer which is active until early July in my neck of the woods. I really won't need any more than a handful of zucchini, but why not use them as filler plants in other places?
4) PUMPKINS
These are going in lots of different places. I have already planted small and damaged 2024 beige pumpkins strategically for "volunteers" to sprout. I am tired of the beige, but I have Pie pumpkin seeds and white pumpkin seeds, maybe a couple of other varieties. You don't have to have Great Googlefoo to research. Here is a great article that tells me a timeline for pumpkins:'
https://www.seedsandspades.com/pumpkin-growing-stages/
Any seeds direct sown should develop flowers mid July if I plant in early June, AGAIN avoiding the squash vine borer. Not so worried about squash vine bugs. Since I have gotten fruit planting in the first week of July, in the past, I should be able to plant a good week before I have to harvest from my cherry tree, which is aNOTHER reason to have my surgery after that big old harvest.
More soon!
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