Food It Yourself Garden 2024- The Plan

Oh my, has May been a busy month here at Food It Yourself HQ. We spent May the Fourth filling a 15 yard dumpster with stuff from our garage and cellar. We had some friends and family to help. It was an enjoyable day, if you can believe it. Then it rained for a long time. Just as the weather was looking good for gardening, someone proposed some overly-restrictive chicken keeping bylaws in our town. Thankfully, our town Agricultural Commission (of which I am a member) was able to gain enough support to defeat the measure at the town’s semiannual meeting earlier this week.

However, this is Memorial Day weekend in the USofA and that means two things in New England. First, we remember those who lost their lives in service to our country. Second, we start summer. This is the traditional weekend to open swimming pools, fire up grills, and (most of all) plant gardens. In between all the other stuff I have been working towards this weekend. Here is a “sitch rep”* as the kids say, on the Food It Yourself growing season.

*situation report

You may remember that I attempted to grow tomatoes from seed this year. For the first time in my life I succeeded in starting tomatoes on purpose. The leeks seem to be doing well, also. Behold this picture from about three weeks ago.

These plants are now all successfully hardened off to the outside. I promised ten of the tomatoes to the community garden I help organize. That leaves quite a few, possibly more than I have room for in my raised beds. I may have extras to share with friends and coworkers, which is very exciting. I feel like I have leveled up my plant skills.

Despite the rain (and on one afternoon, hail), our fruit salad tree was pollinated extensively. Indeed, I need to strip some of the unripe apricots and plums, as there are just too many. Sources I have found note that fruits should be spaced about six inches apart. This encourages the fruit to reach maximum size and prevents the branches from snapping under the weight of the ripening fruit. The peaches and nectarines seem to be dispersed adequately and will not need thinning. The pear and cherry trees are also full of baby fruits. I will have to inventory my jelly jars in the near future. I will also have to stock up on sugar and pectin. I am cautiously optimistic about the jam situation this year.

I have already planted some green beans and wax beans, as seen in the lower right corner of this illustration. My plan is to plant another crop in a few weeks, and then a third a few weeks after that, in the same raised bed. This will provide a consistent but not overwhelming supply of beans through the growing season.

I also bought herb plants (planted in the upper right corner of the above illustration). Parsley simply does not survive the central Massachusetts winter so I buy new plants each year. My best “life hack” as the kids say, for buying plants is to look for pots at the nursery that have multiple plants in them. I bought two $3.99 pots, but got five plants. The oregano I bought last year did not survive the winter, which is unusual, so I had to buy another. These will share a raised bed with the leeks.

Last year, my strawberries made a major migration. From beneath the fruit trees they moved to alternate front-yard beds and some new back-yard beds. Few berries were produced while the plants settled in to the new earth. This year, there are many flowers and much developing fruit. I had to get creative to help the fruit become my harvest, not some bird or chipmunk’s snack.

I purchased some “hoop loops” on the internet. I made a tunnel from the loops. I used some bird netting and tent stakes (found when we cleaned out the garage and cellar) to cover the strawberry plants. I truly intend to make some strawberry jam in 2024. We will see if that happens.

The other crops in the Food It Yourself garden will be planted from seed. I am a bit anxious to see how all these plans will play out. Naturally, I want a successful garden. It is not fully in my hands, however. I always remind myself that the outcome is beyond me. Powers greater than us all are in control. I want a productive year for our garden, and I will work hard to achieve one. In the end, the chaos that is New England Summer will determine our success.

What are you planning to grow this year? If it is the end of the season where you are, how did things go for you? Share in the comments!