Who's Already Planning for 2008?

Now that the growing season is almost over and I have documented some of what I have learned this year , I think it is time to start doing research for next year.

Plans:

Winter:
Get the Compost going so I can use it in the spring.
Create some homemade trelluses from branches I cut when trimming trees.
Find / Buy a couple 2×6s to hold soil in the new Garden I have planned for the Spring.

Early Spring:
Start the Seeds in the mini contianers I have from last years’ flower purchase.
Buy some Garden Soil for the Garden Box.
Break up a 10 foot x 10 foot section in the hill in the backyard for garden.
Install the 2×6s to hold in the soil.
Mix in the Soil and Compost Started in the Winter.
Plant the seedlings after the first frost.

Spring and Summer:
Document the Growth of my Garden

What I want to plant in the Garden of 2008:
Big Boy Tomatoes (seeds stolen from a friend at work)
Roma Tomatoes (seeds from 2007 crop)
Cucumbers (seeds from 2007 crop)
Squash (will have to buy the seed)
Sunflowers (will have to buy the seed)
Strawberries (will have to buy the seed)
maybe some sweet peas (will have to buy the seed)
Blackberries (seed from the wild blackberries in the backyard)
Avocado Tree (Pits from fruit from store when they are cheap again)

I don’t know if I will be able to grow all of these plants in next year’s garden. Money has been tight and I don’t see it letting up any time soon. I am going to get stuff as I have the money and the time. Hopefully things will work themselves out by next spring.

What are you all planning to grow next year and how are you preparing for it now?

_________________
Robert
http://www.roberttgasperson.com

I learned a lot from this year. Over winter I plan to build some much stronger trellises for next year's tomatoes! And next year I won't try to crowd as many squash and cucumber plants into the same area. I think I will get more produce per plant by not trying to grow as many plants. I also hope to avoid another plague of downy mildew! Crying or Very sad

The soil that began this April as sterile mostly-sand was a lot richer by October, but I am not content. The organic-rich level only goes down a few inches, and I still find only about one earthworm per three square feet. I have several composting bins going for the winter, plus a windrow in the middle of the veggie bed that I've inoculated with five pounds of worms.

The two orange boxes on top there are filled with worm bedding and food, and the bottoms are drilled with many holes. Any worms that don't like it in the ground are welcome to use the bins instead. One way or another, I am going into spring with lots of compost and lots of worms!

I also have a planting calendar set up for 2008, beginning with starting onion sets indoors in January. I have lots of worm-castings ready for seed starting. I don't want to get any starts from the nursery next year. I've found that most of them are labeled "generically," and out of three different plants all labeled "zucchini" I got three different kinds of zucchini. I want more control next year.

The next problem to solve (before January) is getting an indoors grow-lite without spending the rent check. Mr. Green