Overwhelmed

I was told, "If you plant that many (insert veggie plant), you're going to get overwhelmed with them."

I ignored them; and they were right.

If were trying to eat the young zucchini fresh, we'd be sick. When I was a kid, Mom planted 15 zucchini plants and I still tease her about making zucchini pizza (it was in the crust, it was a topping, I am pretty sure it was in the sauce). Now, I have exactly 15 zucchini plants-darn them for all germinating-but no zucchini pizza. Instead, our's is getting dehydrated and will get added to soups and such in the winter. In the interest of being uber-conservative, the juice I squeezed out before setting the shreds in the dehydrator was poured into ice cube molds and saved for the dog. Sure gave him a boost in the 100 degree temps we had last weekend. He was reluctant to drink but would eat those frozen juice pops right away! Was nice to know that I could get both water and vitamins in him any time I felt he needed it, without excessive calories.

Pickling cucumbers. I never dreamed that four little plants would get so huge. I had to make an impromptu support so they didn't smother the green beans. I also  had no idea the cucumbers would grow so darn fast... Like 1" long yesterday, and barely recognizeable as produce and probably 4" long tomorrow. And so, so many!! I had to go buy quart jars because I could only fit three cucumbers in a pint, and that's just wasteful. As it is, I am going to probably have to quarter or chip some of the larger ones so I can get more than three in a quart jar! Kinda glad Mom got confused and gave me the recipe for processed pickles rather than fridge pickles. They would never all fit in the fridge!

Green beans also got a dose of the dills. I would loved to have eaten more of them fresh. Even though we eat a pound at a time each, there were a LOT of beans all ready at once. They're also not the best for, "I think I'll go pick green beans for dinner tonight." After picking, washing, trimming, snapping, and drying, I don't want to look at them anymore, nevermind eat them. Most of that is my fault. I didn't do the proper research.

In square foot gardening, which I attempted to emulate, you are supposed to plant nine bean plants per square foot. You are also supposed to reseed every couple of weeks to spread out the harvest. I took that to mean, plant four seeds now, and go back and plant five seeds later. Nope. If I had done the research, I would have learned that you plant all nine seeds at once, and leave the remainder of your bed empty, to be seeded later.

Even more important, is to put in supports as you put in the seeds, no matter what you're planting. Nothing is more difficult than trying to lift three foot tall bean, pea, cucumber, tomato, etc plants onto supports after they have fallen over. They will never recover. Also, the traditional support methods-strings for peas, and pole beans, cages for tomatoes and bush beans-really are the best. Strings do not work well for tomatoes, nor for bush beans. I suppose cages would have worked well enough for the peas, but been even more difficult to pick in the center.

I am regretting not supporting the squashes at all. The zucchini is fine. No need for support. The winter squash, however, is taking over the planet. Without separating the leaves, I don't actually know where the delineation is between the two beds of butternut; it's just one 10+ foot wide mass. Every other day or so, I have to go move a warty pumpkin vine to keep from smothering the jalapenos. Thank goodness the canteloupe vines/leaves are so petite or I wouln't have anywhere to step in the whole front half of the garden. The jack-o-lanterns are just getting started, but if they take after the warty's they're likely going to need extra room. Hopefully the melons or the zukes will be finished and I can take them out to let the jacks spread.

If I remember, I'll share the plan for a massively improved bed system. Minimal water waste, weeds, and work with maximum production, and rotation. Plus, I will be able to make it "pretty" for mid-winter when there will be little else to look at.