As yet another twelvemonth has pull to a secretive , many gardeners likely witness themselves reflecting on the 2016 growing season and begin a mental list of what to do otherwise in 2017 .
In my own garden , 2016 was a twelvemonth of unusual projects . I ’m figure out on a new volume with Cool Springs Press about gardening in containers , and as a result , I had an extra two dozen containers of various shapes , sizes , and materials scattered throughout my K and garden for photo shoots and varietal trials . I was so focused on keeping all those containers alert — and face good for their photograph op!—that I middling much altogether neglected the vegetable garden . The good news is that it did n’t suffer too greatly : I use no - till techniques in my veggie spot , so I have very few gage because I ’m always adding new layers of shredded leaf mulch on top of the soil . The speculative news show is that I terminate up have some yield and veggie rot on the vine because I ran out of metre to harvest them . Next year , though , things will — hopefully — go back to normal .
As I plan for 2017 , I know there are a few things I ’ll be doing otherwise , aside from make certain I harvest each and every morsel I grow . I ’m go to do a better job report my cole crop with floating quarrel covers early in the time of year . The import cabbageworms were terrible this class , and while the wrens and chickadees made their everyday rounds through the vegetable garden gleaning the caterpillars off my broccoli and cabbage , I still had a lot of damage . This class , I ’ll be continue the plant the very sidereal day they ’re plant , and I ’ll only take the row cover just long enough to glean . Hopefully that will keep the little buggers in check .
I also be after to uprise more of two crop I originate for the very first time this year – and hump ! I ’m not a fan of Eruca sativa , but I grew ‘ Wasabi ’ arugula from Renee ’s Garden Seeds for the first time this yr , and my husband and I both bang it . It really does taste savoury and powerful , just like wasabi . Jessica Walliser
The other crop I ’ll be farm more of in 2017 is edamame . I always order steam and salted edamame with sushi , so I thought I ’d give get my own a try . Well , they were a huge succeeder ! Each works raise one to two dozen pods , but I only grew one wrangle of works , so they did n’t last long in the kitchen . Next twelvemonth , I ’m go to stagger my plantings by a calendar week or two so I have a continual harvest of edamame for weeks on ending . Yum !
And lastly , one last variety I ’m shooting for in 2017 ’s garden : More flower for cut . I always grow lots of zinnias , helianthus , black - eyed Susans , and other classic trim efflorescence for making fresh posy , but I need to include a fistful of more strange choices next time of year . It ’s been a issue of twelvemonth since I grew slew bloom to deal at the farmer ’s market , so I believe it ’s time I come out farm some of my sometime favorites again . I think I ’ll start with toothpick weed ( Ammi visnaga ) , corkscrew vine ( Cochliasanthus caracalla ) , Godetia ( Clarkia amoena ) , and drumstick flower ( genus Craspedia globosa ) . One can never have too many fragrance , after all !
Jessica Walliser
