Summer Garden Goals for 2013

I have big plans for my gardens this year. I have toyed with the idea of breaking up my largest vegetable garden into individual beds separated by landscaping timbers. It will be a huge effort and it won't be inexpensive, but I have found my inspiration at A Way to Garden.

Margaret Roach is wonderful and has designed the most beautiful gardens. I don't have the setting or live in the same planting zone, but I do have the space and the time to give it a try.

Last year when I started seeds they sat on folding tables in our breakfast nook at the big triple window facing south. I had planned to put shelves in front of the windows this year to make it easier and more convenient to store the trays of pots in our little nook.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get it in gear to set up the shelves this year but there is always hope for next year, right?

Goal One: Rebuild Garden Beds with Landscape Timbers

I have wanted to do this for a while and now I think I have the time, energy and money to do it right. While I don't want raised beds, I do want to separate sections of my garden with landscape timbers to make the different areas more workable and to set defined paths. I think this will help with weed control and overall maintenance.

Goal Two: Expand Main Garden

I have long wanted to plant more beans for drying. I simply don't have room to plant enough plants to provide a crop that will feed us for a year. I plan to add more black beans, kidney beans and limas to the garden this year. If I have room I will also add English peas.

Goal Three: Build New Beds for Potatoes

We love potatoes and I want to try my hand at growing potatoes and sweet potatoes. I plan to build separate plots for them. I also want to line these with landscape timbers, but I don't want traditional raised beds. I guess they will be somewhat of a hybrid.

Goal Four: Expand the Herb Gardens

That should probably read, finish the herb garden. I have a lot of work to do in this particular garden. I not only have herbs, but asparagus as well. I put some flower bulbs in a couple of the rows just to keep them from drying up or rotting, so to complete the herb garden, I need to build some more bulb beds so the flowers can be moved.

Goal Five: Move Ornamental Gourds to Their Own Bed

For the past five years I've grown birdhouse gourds and luffa gourds. Last year I tried snake gourds, but they were so overtaken by the luffas that I didn't harvest any. I will grow luffa and birdhouse gourds again and will probably try another variety just for fun. I also plan to grow a couple varieties of sunflowers.

What do you think? It will be a lot of work and I'm going to head out and take pictures of the different beds in their current mucky, muddy, weed-filled state. What are your gardening goals for this year?