Welcome back to our “Year in the Organic Garden Series!” In November, we protected our crops from frosts, finished up planting for the year, and made great use of the leaves that fell. If you missed the post, or want to refresh your memory, please take a look at November in the Organic Garden.
In December, we’ll take advantage of one of the slowest months in the Organic Garden and begin planning for next year. As always, we welcome your own comments, questions and contributions to help make this an even more useful resource for our readers.
In the Garden this Month
With a little luck, your fall crops may continue to produce until sustained freezing temperatures occur. Enjoy the last bit of fresh veg for the year!
If you planted cover crops in the Fall, they should be well established. Some will do better in the cold than others…but at least you’ve got something green to look at and go check on!
Outside of the Garden this Month
December is a great time to reflect on your last year in the garden.
Take stock of:
- What went well this year?
- What didn’t go to plan?
- What new crops do you want to try next year?
- What new Organic Gardening techniques do you want to try next year?
Once you’ve answered these questions…time to make a plan! This can be as detailed or causal as you like!
Some of our Learnings from the Year and Ideas for the future
Maybe they’re helpful to you too!
- Be more patient with root veggies…some of these were pulled before they reached peak proportions
- Plant a wave of cherry tomatoes around July 1. They will come into peak performance around the time that bigger tomatoes are winding down. Since they’re smaller, they won’t require as much light to ripen (days will be shorter by then) and our season will be much extended
- Keep a closer eye on our plants (veggies, perennials and annuals) for pests and disease. Early intervention is key…we were a little too slow to act a few times and the aphids won a couple of our battles
- Plant more flowers…they’re great!
- Plant zucchini from seed in late June. Squash vine borers got the bulk of our first planting
- Plant more herbs…they’re just so productive and delicious
- Use more worm castings as fertilizer…they just work, aren’t too expensive and really contribute to soil health
- Protect figs and strawberries earlier so that the squirrels and birds don’t get them all
- Keep having fun, this Organic Gardening thing is great on so many levels!
Looking Forward to Next Year!
Thank you for taking the time to read through this guide and we hope that you’ve found the series useful and helpful. What a great year it has been and we look forward to doing it all again!
Mary Sue Parker says
We’re excited to learn more about gardening as we start an urban gardening project for our pantry!
brian says
Sounds like a fun project!
Melina Diane Piluras says
Any advice for herbs on a not so sunny garden?
brian says
Thanks for your question. In many cases, herbs will do well in a more shaded garden. While some will thrive in full sun (eg. basil), most will tolerate shade too. This could reduce growth vs. optimal conditions. But, since herbs don’t need to fruit and flower to be productive…they are a good way to make the most of what you have! Best of luck!