Next year's garden

I just started picking tomatoes. The first zucchini are still potential on the vine, and the rhubarb has weathered its transplant beautifully. So why am I talking about next year?

Gardeners are always looking ahead. We are constantly learning as we go.

I like the new tomato supports, but I don't really have the right varieties of tomatoes on the right types of supports. Next year, I'll prune the determinate kinds, guide them up the spirals, and put the non-determinate kinds in the square supports. I'll also leave more space between the tomatoes and the peppers; my poor banana peppers are in the shade of the yellow pear tomatoes.

The perennials are moving. Perennial vegetables, that is. The chives are going closer to the house. I think they're tough enough to live on the south side in the sun. If not, well, a few will probably still come up in the old spot.

Asparagus is still in its infancy. I wonder if the crowns (the root systems) are still small enough to be moved? If I don't, the raspberries will take over. It's worth a try.

I can see spots in the new tomato plot that have been eroded from all the rain. It makes me glad the rain came late in the year; the plants had set their roots deeply enough that they didn't fall over or get washed away. I'll add a layer of compost on top of the soil when I'm prepping for winter, and then I'll remember to plant my tomatoes deeply in the spring.

My herbs are doing quite well in their pots on the deck. Last year I brought them inside, only to have them die of neglect. Or die of the cold. Or... lack of sun. I don't know. Is a sun lamp worth the cost, including the electricity to run it? I'm not sure. Learning to dry or freeze the herbs now might be more useful.

But as I look ahead, I must remember that there is still a lot to do in August and September. If the tomatoes keep on giving and giving and giving, I have recipes for stewed tomatoes and a salsa to try. And then there's that pesky item called earning a living; school starts soon, too! I have a classroom to prepare and lessons to write.

I think I'll grab a few tomatoes and a cup of coffee. That'll keep me energized, whether I'm reading curriculum or weeding around the peppers.