Robbins Farm Garden

A Cooperative Learning Project

Notes to the Future

2017 Brassicas (end of season notes)

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Broccoli: both crops were good, better color than last year
Brussels Sprouts: did better than last year, early sprouts hit with some sort of slime, later sprouts were great, some aphids in crowns at end of season
Cabbages: green variety did well (even in bed after spring broccoli), savoy variety needed a few more weeks, red variety was slow & small
Cauliflower: seedlings eaten by bunnies, reseeded & those that survived did great (were not transplanted), Snow Crown slightly earlier (and more purple) than Denali
Kohlrabi: both varieties did well, but should have been planted a week or two earlier

2017 Carrot Family (end of season notes)

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Carrots: 1st crop had poor germination (pelleted seed) & small carrots. 2nd crop did well (regular seed), plant in warmer soil, consider a single crop, keep volunteer dill and fennel out of bed
Celeriac: did well, find out how to get larger bulbs
Celery: very good, do again
Parsnips: yow za!

2017 Flowers, Grains, Herbs, etc. (end of season notes)

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Basil: did great, even late into season, grow fewer plants? Intersperse with cilantro?
Cilantro: crowded between rocks and squash, 1st seeding failed, later seedings did well, was very hardy
Nasturtiums: did super well until hard frost, no aphids
Okra: seedlings did well, most survived transplanting, consider transplanting later or covering with plastic, experiment with pruning to increase yield
Popcorn: some bunny damage, but did reasonably well, good harvest
Rhubarb: did well, look into long-term maintenance requirements
Sunflowers: few plant with small flowers, try moving away from Jerusalem artichokes
Sweet Clover: transplanting worked well again

2017 Greens (end of season notes)

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Arugula: crowded between rocks and squash, all plantings successful, early plantings bolted
Bok Choi: both crops did well, transplanting into failed soybean bed worked well
Collards: single row worked well
Cress: 1st planting did well, 2nd planting mostly failed, try something else next year?
Kales: did well, but only after several plantings and caging due to bunnies eating seedlings
Malabar Spinach: good seedlings this year, not as tall as last year
Lettuce: Pirat, Little Gem, Sandy and BSS/Nevada good, replace Red Salad Bowl with New Red Fire
Mustard: 1st planting mostly bombed, 2nd planting did well (lasted into November)
Perpetual Spinach: did well in bad location (lasted into November) no screening required!
Spinach: both seedlings and seeded crops did well, grew in the same space, screen cover a success
Swiss Chard: slow start, bad germination, reseeded… use Rainbow Mix next year, start in warmer soil?, fertilize more heavily, screening worked well (removed mid-season)but remay might have been better
 

2017 Legumes (end of season notes)

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Beans (bush): green and yellow varieties hit bad by bunnies, only Dragon Tongue did well
Beans (dried): bunnies hit seedlings hard and repeatedly, few survived to produce beans
Beans (pole): bunnies attacked seedlings (most recovered after caging), Blue Lake outperformed Kentucky Wonder
Fava Beans: did great, caught aphids early
Peas: 1st crop had poor germination, but highly productive. 2nd crop timed well, both plots produced
Soybeans: destroyed by bunnies, even with disco decorations

2017 Nightshades (end of season notes)

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Eggplants: plants not robust, wormy fruit, poor yield – too much water? soil too cool?
Peppers: similar problems as eggplant, but not as bad, try growing a few in pots?
Potatoes: very good, do again
Tomatillos: did very well, some potato beetle damage, harvest later than usual
Tomatoes: not a great year, Green Zebra, Garden Treasure & Rutgers died early, Juliet & Sun Gold did well, leave more of the suckers? Try some plants in pots? Fertilize more?