Overall, the effort was a success- especially at proving how AMAZING compost is as an organic plant food/fertilizer. My left/right yield/size observations showed that all the worm work was worth it. Vermicompost really DOES make a huge difference in organic gardening!
Time to take stock of what I did right and what needs switched up for next season!
What I did right and would suggest to other first-timers:
- Starting 3 months prior to planting- working vermicompost into the soil, continuing to turn it over with the harder clay soil, and weeding every few weeks
- Installing a rain barrel close by to make watering easy
- Using compost tea bags to infuse the water and provide an extra organic boost to the plants
- Staking tomato plants early on and having larger standby stakes ready to go
- Putting cucumbers on the outside edge so they could grow out and about freely
- Continually weeding and gently tilling
- Plan for fewer tomato plants! I planted eight, and really could have gotten by with three.
- Grow less spinach! No matter how many smoothies, salads, dips, or toppings I make, two full rows of spinach is too much. One should be plenty.
- Find better onions- I ended up with these small, white, uber-strong type. I'd prefer the larger, less intense white type.
- Dedicate more space to strawberries. I eat them every day in my cereal, so they are a priority moving forward. The berry fence is in storage, but will be out in full force for next year!
- Propagate blackberries correctly. Cutting a stray stem and replanting doesn't work. Blackberry stems can take root when they lean into the ground. I'll be trying this to create two other bushes.
- Add red raspberry bushes.
Related Posts & Links:
My Rain Barrel is Full...Now What?
Red Pepper Update and Pesticides in Produce
Vermicompost Experiment and the Tomato Six-Pack
Fruits and Vegetables of My Labor
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