Post-Ophelia:
After a nervous day of gusting winds and rain, the heaviest rain being from about sunset to 11 p.m. as Ophelia’s remains passed directly over, we ended up with 4.75 inches of rain in the gauge.
I haven’t checked the place yet, but I am sure there will be plenty of “pick-up-sticks” to do, since I can see small stuff down around the maple trees along the driveway. It will be soggy for a couple of days in the fields. This was about the same level event as when some hurricane remnants have passed through our area.
I’m going to add my ‘Lessons Learned’ for 2023 here, as I forgot to add them last week! Zone 5a, SW Wisconsin.
Best tomatoes 2023 for Slicers/Salsa/V-8 Juice: ‘Celebrity Plus’, ‘Bella Rosa’, ‘Grandma’s Pick’ & ‘Chef’s Choice Orange’.
Best Paste-Type Tomato 2023: ‘Roma VF’ and ‘Bush Roma, Italian Roma’
Best Cherry-Type Tomato 2023: ‘Valentine’
Best Red Pepper: ‘Big Red’ (can be used at green stage, too.
Best Jalapeno: Bonnie Brand ‘Jalapeno’ (plant from Walmart)
Best Broccoli: ‘Lieutenan’t, Bonnie Brand, 6-pack from Walmart
Kale: ‘Prism’, by far. Scarlet got very tall and very leggy but kept it’s color and flavor nicely
Brussels Sprouts: Again, Bonnie Brand, 6-pack from Walmart. They are HUGE, easily 5’ tall and just LOADED with sprouts. Keeping them in the ground untill we have a few frosts for better flavor devlopment.
Best Marigold: ‘Fireball’
Zucchini: EZ Pick green and yellow
Sunflowers: Most were volunteers from previous years, but ‘Soroya’ will always be a reliable favorite.
Zinnia: ‘Queeny Mix.’ Those were fun to grow and the green/pink ones were my favorite (’Queeny Lime’ I think?) but I’m going back to clear, true colors next season.
Lettuces & Spinach: All performed well, as usual. Easiest thing in the world to grow. ‘Double Choice’ spinach from Burpee was nice as a baby spinach and mature sized. Lettuces: ‘Red Velvet’ ‘Bronze Attowhead’ ‘Simpson Elite’ ‘Grandpa Admire’s’ and Burpee ‘Looseleaf Lettuce Blend.’
Basil: ‘Lemonchello’ great flavor and aroma. Worked well in the Pestos I made & froze.
Beans: ‘Saychelles’ green pole bean and ‘Good Mother Stollard’ pole drying bean. Pole green beans didn’t produce as well as other season; I think the massive Brussels Sprouts were blocking some of their sun. The drying beans are still drying on the vine. I planted ‘Scarlet Runner Beans’ in two spots on hog-panel V-shaped trellises Beau made for me, and they were gorgeous all summer and the Hummingbirds loved them. I will harvest the seeds from them and use them again next season. :)
Next season: Seriously? FEWER tomatoes. I do NOT need to feed the NATION anymore! And don’t bother with potatoes - they were OK, but a full 4x8’ bed can be put to better use. I also want to do more ‘Square Foot’ garden beds according to the REAL rules of the game, versus just planting things wherever, to see if it REALLY makes a difference in production. Also, more flowers. Always, more flowers! :)