After the snowiest winter in Boston history, this spring, so far, has been a typical one. I’ve started nothing as far as seeds go. Some life changes coming up this year will make gardening, alas, a limited endeavor. But I’ll do what I can, taking pleasure where I find it. One cool thing…the garlic that I planted last fall, and which spend the winter under a deep mantle of snow, appears healthy and happy.
Planted the fall garlic yesterday.
A very cool followed by a cool, dry fall. Tomato and pepper production was off (peppers WAY off). On the other hand everything (tomatoes, herbs, cabbage) is still alive and coming in. Never did get beans in this year.
2014 is looking a lot like 2013…a late start, seedling purchased mostly from a garden center. I actually tried to start seeds at work and while some did OK most did not. I got brassicas into the ground not too late (early-mid May) but as of now (July 6) they’ve done very little. I got a first batch of tomatoes in last week in June and a second batch just the other day. The soil in the gardens does not look particularly good…I think my failure to add compost the past few years is showing. In addition tomatoes I put in some peppers, also bought at the garden center, but I suspect these will do poorly. I do have some nice heads of lettuce in the back garden although the seeds I planted in the whiskey barrel out front have not produced much.
Writing this from memory in 2014…
I didn’t get time to devote time to the garden in 2013 like I usually do. Most things went in late and what did go in was mostly purchased late (mid-June) at a garden center. Between the late start, the aged seedlings, and the lack of regular attention, it was not an especially productive year. Herbs did well, tomatoes so-so, most other things poorly.
What WAS remarkable about the season was how long certain crops lasted. Tomatoes went well into late October with no sign of wilt and black spot that usually makes an appearance in late summer. The weather stayed temperate with no major storms…perhaps that was part of it. Discussions with friends up and down the Northeast revealed a similar experience.