Garden crops in
order of their success and benefit:
- Raspberries. A perennial favorite, that generally do well with minimal maintenance. Last year I implemented a management technique I learned from a commercial grower- to mow down half the patch each year to prevent overgrowth. So now I have two patches with alternate production years.
- Potatoes. We love the Yukon Golds, and we're able to grow enough last year to last until Christmas. They are fun to dig up, (ok, it's still work) but it is like digging for treasure, and with the new mulch system I am planting them shallower and mounding with mulch. You will notice two varieties of potatoes in the photo. These are Russets that accidentally sneaked into the garden, but we discovered they store so much better, that we plan to grow more this year.
4. Asparagus. Not a big yielder yet, but the pleasure to yield ratio is very high. I am anticipating a large increase in yield, so the patch is starting to fill in the patch, as I recognized many small plants for either seed or stolons. That was either new or I had been tearing them out with the weeds in previous years.
5. Sweet corn. Another crop we don't get much in yield - only a few meals a year, but we really enjoy those. Plus, what would a garden be without sweet corn? It is such an iconic crop.
6. Pumpkins and squash. Space consuming, but easy to grow enough for a year's worth of pies and squash recipes. Until we went with the mulch system it was hard to keep weeds down, but last year the plot was clean.
7. Salad fixins. The first plantings of the year are Snow peas, lettuce and radishes, and these are also the first harvest of the early summer. Impossible to grow enough for the year, but like fresh sweet corn and asparagus, is an existential pleasure while it is in season.
8. Dipping veg. Snap peas, cukes, and Kohlrabi lead the list here. Great while they last. The peas and cukes do great when allowed to vine up on chicken wire. Pictured are Asian Cucumbers.
9. Green beans. Best fresh, so we don't grow too much of these. Also grew wax beans last summer, but the rabbits (or deer) liked them preferentially to the greens. Bush style works best for us. Would like to find a more slender variety than seems to be available at our local seed store.
10. Cabbage. I failed at sauerkraut a couple of years ago, so we are back to fresh eating in coleslaw and I like cooked cabbage too. It is easy to make more slaw than we can eat. Need to space the plantings out more so we can get a fall crop. Last year grew three varieties, and one of them (golden -Acres, I believe, split, and was ruined.
11. Herbs - mint, oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, chives, and sage are the regulars. Low maintenance.
12. Apples. These are our newest addition, and prought great pleasure this fall as we harvest 15-20 big beautiful Honeycrisps or Zestars (I am not sure which because only one flowered, and I have forgotten which was planted where). It was a perfect year for apples, no disease or bugs despite not spraying. I don't expect every year to be so productive for apples. Pruning is a chore best done in the late winter, so it often gets forgotten, and I lack confidence that I know what I am doing.
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13. Peppers, both sweet and chili. Easy to grow and so colorful!
14. Zucchini. One plant easily feeds the family for fresh and frozen needs, with plenty of large club like fruits left over at season end.
15. Fall greens. Swiss chard and kale are more interesting to grow than to eat. Finally outsmarted the deer and got Swiss chard to maturity by caging the plant.
16. Blueberries. After 3-4 years, we finally got a dozen or so berries - maybe a trend in the right direction, or maybe just "less total failure". The jury is still out.
