tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post3984941986969132805..comments2024-03-24T11:10:13.186-04:00Comments on The Gardening Me: 2014 Harvest TallyMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-9925271522439289932015-02-03T13:37:48.086-05:002015-02-03T13:37:48.086-05:00Thanks so much! I'm definitely a numbers pers...Thanks so much! I'm definitely a numbers person & I really enjoy comparing the performance of different years and/or varieties. And every once in a while I am totally surprised by the results when my "impression" of how well or badly a particular crop did is completely off the mark.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-44763086932355581052015-02-03T13:27:05.585-05:002015-02-03T13:27:05.585-05:00I've got a little routine happening when it co...I've got a little routine happening when it comes to weighing stuff, which I think makes it much easier to remember. A scale in the shed is not a bad idea!<br /><br />I was pretty sure that the slug-fest this past year was out of the ordinary, and when I hear long time gardeners echoing the same thing, it makes me feel optimistic that next year will be a lot better.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-88578633331105592622015-02-03T13:23:37.636-05:002015-02-03T13:23:37.636-05:00Slugs, snow in April, AND minus 40 degree weather?...Slugs, snow in April, AND minus 40 degree weather? What a challenge. But you have done extremely well. I love your table comparing harvests over the years. I have been weighing my produce since 2011, so I think I will try a similar comparison. When I get a Round Tuit!Lou Murray's Green Worldhttp://greenlifeinsocal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-15410885287982875312015-02-02T19:23:08.470-05:002015-02-02T19:23:08.470-05:00I gave up trying to keep track of my harvest as I ...I gave up trying to keep track of my harvest as I frequently forget to weigh or when friends drop by they and I just harvest, bag and away they go. May be I should keep a scale in the shed.<br />Oh yes, last year was a year for slugs and they were HUGE.norma changhttp://gardentowok.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-91109880301932225332015-02-02T16:46:43.781-05:002015-02-02T16:46:43.781-05:00Oh boy...dreaming about slugs...and while on vacat...Oh boy...dreaming about slugs...and while on vacation no less - that hilarious!<br /><br />Normally we have a few days into the -20's with maybe a couple near -30C every year (-4 to -20F); I can't recall every having temps as low as -40 before. Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-7201067662199743492015-02-02T15:02:56.507-05:002015-02-02T15:02:56.507-05:00Eww slugs. I dreamed about killing them on my vaca...Eww slugs. I dreamed about killing them on my vacation. Surely I had something better to dream about. Weirdly I think our weather was pretty normal last year. Well as normal as it ever gets anyway. No wildly hot or cold extremes. -40 is really cold. We usually get to -4F here, but not colder. At least not yet. Daphne Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305049560953735881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-89371413160139617802015-02-01T12:48:12.855-05:002015-02-01T12:48:12.855-05:00Unfortunately I think the Spanish slugs are here t...Unfortunately I think the Spanish slugs are here to stay Margaret! They were first identified in the UK in Norwich 2012 and have been spreading. They are too mucusy for predators to eat and they self- fertilise eggs, eep! Lou@RainbowChardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01435858511588433002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-56001510728703743122015-02-01T11:58:50.714-05:002015-02-01T11:58:50.714-05:00Thanks Lou! Boy - our slugs are bad enough...coul...Thanks Lou! Boy - our slugs are bad enough...couldn't imagine dealing with larger ones. Good luck this year - hopefully those slugs were only there for a visit and won't be making regular appearances in your plot.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-82696205959522279532015-02-01T07:01:24.190-05:002015-02-01T07:01:24.190-05:00What a harvest this year. Amazing, well done Marga...What a harvest this year. Amazing, well done Margaret. Those little grey slugs are the worst, urgh. We now also have Spanish slugs to contend with, they're absolutely massive and as they're originally from Spain, aren't as dependent on wet conditions to thrive. I started spotting them last summer in the plot and think i will need to be diligent in seeking them out this year. Lou@RainbowChardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01435858511588433002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-38137276077301735092015-01-27T20:52:20.567-05:002015-01-27T20:52:20.567-05:00Thanks David! I WISH we had Sluggo here - I searc...Thanks David! I WISH we had Sluggo here - I searched high and low for it in 2013 when I also had slug issues (although nowhere near as bad), but I couldn't find it. I think it is only available in the US. So I tried diatomaceous earth and it worked well until all that rain came - it basically loses it's effectiveness when it gets wet.<br /><br />Hope you are weathering the storm ok!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-63759139303346639662015-01-27T13:17:42.886-05:002015-01-27T13:17:42.886-05:00Congratulations on the harvest. Your diligence and...Congratulations on the harvest. Your diligence and effort is really paying off. Weather is a challenge everywhere with all the climate change, and yet your overcame it. And remember, Sluggo works really well on slugs.David Veltenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07710293718143454000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-72386490911508106722015-01-26T20:13:17.538-05:002015-01-26T20:13:17.538-05:00Thanks Thomas! Since I'm still in the WAY ear...Thanks Thomas! Since I'm still in the WAY early stages of learning when it comes to vegetable gardening, I find that weighing really helps me gauge how effective a particular technique is or when comparing different varieties. But you know, had I harvested 400+ lbs. of tomatoes, I probably would have thrown my hands up too. <br /><br />Good luck with the storm tonight - fingers crossed your power stays on!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-2411910138599926922015-01-26T19:22:56.150-05:002015-01-26T19:22:56.150-05:00That's a quite a yield for a home garden. Con...That's a quite a yield for a home garden. Congrats! During my first year of gardening, I weighed everything. Nowadays, I just don't have the discipline. That first year, I went a little crazy with the tomato plants and stopped weighing once we reached 400lbs. Now i know better. <br /><br />We are gearing up for a huge snow storm tonight. Hopefully we won't lose power!Thomas Generaziohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03536611327617373090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-31316427863915926522015-01-26T19:05:25.848-05:002015-01-26T19:05:25.848-05:00It definitely was cold today - but I'm thankfu...It definitely was cold today - but I'm thankful that this winter has been relatively normal so far with no big extremes (knock on wood!).<br /><br />I really do find that keeping track of your harvests is worthwhile; many times my memory has been completely wrong about my harvests. This year I could have sworn that my Batavian lettuce produced far more than any of the other lettuces, when in fact, the Royal Red leaf lettuce was the leader. And I could probably give you a dozen more examples, especially when it comes to comparing year to year harvests.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-61807730257940266462015-01-26T17:48:57.689-05:002015-01-26T17:48:57.689-05:00Well, I can certainly commiserate on the weather f...Well, I can certainly commiserate on the weather front - ooh, it's pretty chilly today too, isn't it?! Really impressive production, Margaret. Your excellent record keeping is inspiring - I'll do my best to start tracking harvest weights this year.Susiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10354350096358468967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-8673537848533667062015-01-26T13:50:23.107-05:002015-01-26T13:50:23.107-05:00Thanks Mark! I think that unpredictable weather i...Thanks Mark! I think that unpredictable weather is pretty much the norm these days. I suppose the challenge is being able to deal with whatever Mother Nature throws your way - and accepting that sometimes you will be successful and other times you won't.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-72174947178312806432015-01-26T13:45:38.640-05:002015-01-26T13:45:38.640-05:00Thank you Sue - and I would much rather have borin...Thank you Sue - and I would much rather have boring, predictable weather any old day!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-90407910983452619372015-01-26T13:44:54.911-05:002015-01-26T13:44:54.911-05:00Thanks Michelle! I would have gladly sent you our...Thanks Michelle! I would have gladly sent you our rain if I could...<br /><br />I did add quite a few new veg to the garden this year and the learning curve was pretty big for most of them. I'm planning to add several more next year as well. I have to use this winter down time wisely and do all of my reading up on how to grow them so I'm ready to go in the spring.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-35307884962448992392015-01-26T13:38:42.687-05:002015-01-26T13:38:42.687-05:00Yeah - I was just as surprised when they started r...Yeah - I was just as surprised when they started rolling in by the boxful. Good luck with your plans this year!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-87423191131935277042015-01-26T13:37:58.241-05:002015-01-26T13:37:58.241-05:00It's amazing how the slugs grew - in the begin...It's amazing how the slugs grew - in the beginning of the summer, they were so tiny (only about 1/8") that I sometimes thought they were specs of dirt. After a summer of feasting on my lettuce and cabbage, they were monsters - shows what eating your greens will do!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-15283390093598896002015-01-26T13:34:19.036-05:002015-01-26T13:34:19.036-05:00Weighing harvests does take a bit of getting used ...Weighing harvests does take a bit of getting used to, but after a while it just becomes a habit. Good luck with your efforts this year!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-2191891446088727252015-01-26T12:54:46.250-05:002015-01-26T12:54:46.250-05:00A brilliant result, considering the weather condit...A brilliant result, considering the weather conditions you had to endure. I wonder what the results would have shown if the weather had been "perfect"! I used to think that the weather here in the UK was fairly predictable, but it certainly isn't any more. We haven't had the extremely cold temps like you had (for us -5 is pretty bad), but we did have some very fierce and prolonged storms and abnormal amounts of rain last winter. Mark Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04558305122821209520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-68471078919738607952015-01-26T12:47:17.477-05:002015-01-26T12:47:17.477-05:00Your weather has given you a lot to cope with and ...Your weather has given you a lot to cope with and makes our weather seem rather boring, Well done on harvesting as much as you did in difficult conditionsSue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-26662703488252774492015-01-26T12:44:38.214-05:002015-01-26T12:44:38.214-05:00Ah ha! Now I know where all of our rain went! The ...Ah ha! Now I know where all of our rain went! The weather was wacko here too, but it was drier and warmer than normal, which is how this year seems to be going as well, it was over 80°F yesterday and not a drop of rain yet this month.<br /><br />You really had a fantastic year. I see you grew a lot of new things too. It's not easy adding new veggies to the lineup. Congratulations!Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07812702328134261533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-1245848910690976432015-01-26T12:22:37.429-05:002015-01-26T12:22:37.429-05:00191 labs. of tomatoes? Wow. Looking forward to a g...191 labs. of tomatoes? Wow. Looking forward to a good year!Tossing Dirthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09554728174220993439noreply@blogger.com