2014 Garden Summary
It has been an eventful summer, so much so, it has kept me from posting the blogs I have been so excited to write about! To make up for this short coming I will work backwards and summarize my growing season first. My ultimate goal during the winter downtime is to provide you with some great blog topics to kick start your spring 2015 planting season! Along the way, I’ll show you how to use and store what you grow.
In 2014 I started my planting fairly early but between the high-wind storms, heavy rain and hail a few things had to be planted twice. Some results were better than others and this was reflected in the overall harvest. I have about 378 square feet of above ground planting space which calculates roughly to a 20 ft x 20 ft plot of ground. This space resulted in plenty of fresh edibles along with excess processed into food storage for the winter.
I’m pleased with the outcome of this year’s harvest but enriching my soil has been an ongoing process – at times, a struggle. Stay tuned to read about my struggles, solutions and ideas on putting more home grown produce on your plate!
Some of my summer harvest.
Green Bush Beans
3 beds -36 sq. ft
14 total quarts picked
7 quarts frozen
Cucumbers
1 bed -12 sq. ft
53 total picked
10 pints pickled
Carrots
2 beds -24 sq. ft
201 total picked
Green & Red Peppers
1 bed -12 sq. ft
24 total picked
2 quarts frozen
Jalapeno & Banana Peppers
1 bed -12 sq. ft
29 total picked
3 pints frozen
Chili Peppers
3 plants – 6 sq. ft
12 total picked
12 dried for pepper flakes
Zucchini
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
3 total picked
4 cups shredded frozen
Spaghetti Squash
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
8 total picked
8 curing for fall/winter eats
Melons
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
10 total picked
Okra
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
2 total picked
Lettuce
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
10+ heads picked
Onions
3 beds – 36 sq. ft
126 total picked
100 hung up for winter use
Potatoes
5 beds – 60 sq. ft
30 pounds total harvested
For use over the next 3 or so months
Ground Cherries
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
4+ quarts
3 pints of jam
Ground Cherry Green Tea Jam with Candied Lemon Peel
Beets
1 bed – 12 sq. ft
18 total picked
15 pickled as 1/2 pints
Tomatoes
5 plants – approx 30 sq. ft
206 total picked
11 quarts, 3 pints Stewed
8 quarts, 16 pints Marinara Sauce
4 quarts, 2 pints Juice
1 shaker of Powder
7 pints of Chili Sauce/Sriracha
Tomatoes ready to can.
All canned!
Dill, parsley, cilantro, oregano, basil, mint, green onion dried for spice rack
Cherry Tomatoes
2 plants
Everyday summer eating, I didn’t log what was picked
Radishes
2 plantings
Rotated with lettuce, did not log
Raspberries & Asparagus
1 patch each
Started 2 years ago, producing very little but should increase next year
Enough Raspberries for fresh eating
Plums
3 trees
Started this year – one fatality and it was my pollinator, so sad
Apples
2 trees
Started 2 years ago
6 apples picked for fresh eats
Crab Apples
1 tree
2, 5 gallon pails frozen whole for future juice extraction (jelly)
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