January 7, 2021

asparagus – how far apart to space

I’m excited to be expanding my asparagus bed this year. It’s such a delicious crop and one of those vegetables that’s way better picked and eaten fresh from a home vegetable garden than from a grocery store. I’m planning to dedicate one of my oversized raised beds to asparagus. The bed is 6 x 16-feet. I’ve read that between five and 20 plants are the right amount to grow per person, depending on how much you want to eat. We’re just a family of two now (my dogs LOVE asparagus…

January 6, 2021

2021 plan for my mom’s vegetable garden

My mom’s vegetable garden is in her side yard along the tree line at the east side of an big open area. Several times in the past 40 or so years we have moved the garden further out into the yard and away from the trees. Of course, the trees just keep growing. Most of the vegetables do OK now, except the tomatoes. They really need more light. Plus the garden has a phosphate problem – there is way too much in the soil. Someone went overboard at some point…

January 5, 2021

2021 plan for my community garden plot

I’ve had this little community garden plot in Belmont MA for 12 or so years now. Forever, it seems. I got it back when I lived in an urban area with a small yard that had very little sunlight. I was so happy the day I was assigned to the plot – a new found joy. I ended up being the garden manager for six years. I tended the paths. And I knew everyone. Memories… Now the years have passed. I still have this beautiful plot. I have two espaliered…

January 4, 2021

my home garden plan for 2021

I have extra space in my vegetable garden this year! My tomatoes will be mostly in the front yard, bush beans behind the chicken coop, and sweet potatoes in a plot on our hillside. Plus, I’m going to do container gardening on my driveway and patios. And I’m planning to tuck vegetables in here and there in my front yard flower borders. It was fun to develop my 2021 plan with the extra space. What’s going in the extra space: Asparagus! I’m going to expand my asparagus to fill a…

January 4, 2021

Happy New Year! it’s time for garden planning

The new year has started and I’m getting going on planning my garden for next year. The first thing I want to do is to make a diagram of what I’ll plant where. To do that I’ll reminisce about what did well last year and what I want to do differently this year. Then I’ll get out last year’s garden diagrams and start moving things around. That’s my project for today. Hopefully I’ll get my plans and some reminiscing posted soon. My previous garden plans are here.

April 27, 2020

here is a template garden plan

I use PowerPoint to draw up my garden plans. If you have PowerPoint and want to start from a template that I have made, you can download it here: Skippy’s garden plan template. There must be some good, simple garden design apps to recommend and link to here. Please let me know any recommendations you have.

April 23, 2020

my garden plans for 2020

I usually draw up plans for my gardens in the middle of the winter but this task got away from me this year. Finally, just in time for planting, I have made my plans.

February 20, 2020

Skippy’s planting calendar apps

I was asked about my planting calendar apps the other day. They are being completely re-coded and updated. I’m updating all dates, adding vegetables, and other new features. I’m moving some planting dates a week or so earlier or later, based on my recent experience and some training classes. While the apps are being updated, I have removed the old apps from sale. I am expecting to release the updated Vegetable Planting Calendar App in May. Skippy’s Calendar Apps tell you when to plant seeds and are customized to your…

January 2, 2020

a new plan for a new year

I am very excited about my new garden plan for my Community Garden plot. I have a plan to grow a great mix of plants that are all Companions. I’ll grow them intermixed rather than in patches so they have the benefit of being near their companions. I was a bit concerned as I started to plan this year because my crop choices are quite limited this year. Community Gardens often have particular plants pests that make growing some crops very difficult, or impossible. At my Community Garden, bean beetles…

December 30, 2019

tasty compact vegetables to grow

See my post at the National Garden Bureau! It’s all about Tasty Compact Vegetable Seeds to Grow. These are old and new varieties that I discovered while on my California tour of vegetable breeders with the AAS and NGB last summer.

weeks and counting until my last spring frost

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