GARDEN MAINTENANCE TIME

Hello everyone and here it is August 2009. This is the time of year when one must start thinking of finishing the growing season and either canning or freezing their harvest and when I at least start thinking ahead to NEXT season. But really this year my mind is on my Tennessee Certified Master Gardener classes that are starting in one month now, Sept. 3rd. I am looking forward to this training course as I think it will not only give me some credence but will allow me the opportunity to meet some new and interesting gardening friends. I especially hope to become involved to some extent in the TN AG Research & Education Center here and look to their knowledge, experience and expertise to help guide me into the next phase of my lifelong love of gardening and digging in "the good earth".

My plan in the garden home here on Division Ave is to go back to the drawing board during the long, dark winter months while not much but rain and cold are the norm here in West Tennessee and start almost from scratch in my plans and layout. I am dedicated to making this garden home the best one possible and in that fact I must redo my entire think processes. I have wanted to get as much bang for my buck so to speak and seem to always overplant. I still want to use my theory of "square inch gardening" and using every single inch I can but this year I have really had it with running out of harvesting room and running into baby snakes everywhere due to the extra rain/wet we have had. They love the deep shade provided by the heavy coverage I now have in the garden with the huge tomato plants, the abundant cucumber vines and the now defunct pea patch. I hope to round up some sturdy bamboo from a neighbor that will allow some light harvesting to make myself some tripods to grow running greenbeans, stake up my sunflowers and to have as misc. uses around the garden home.

This plan also involves in having fewer tomato plants and going to a larger, steak variety and leave the "Jet Star" & "Rutgers" alone. I have not had luck the last two years with these two and will only have the "Beefsteak" & "BetterBoy" varieties I think this next year. Better slicing and they will make fewer maybe per plant but better turnout without having to resort to cutting them up & cooking them down for more sauce in the freezer. I also would like to have some okra next season.

So as you can see I have much to do for next year and I continue even today to do daily maintenance by keeping the tomatoes tied up and keeping the harvest going by picking and freezing as much as I can at this point in time. I also have been sharing with neighbors on the street and they are still enjoying weekly deliveries of fresh vegetables delivered to their doorstep. I send you off to the rest of your week with our garden affirmation: GARDENING: One Yard At A Time!