Well, here we are at the end of another year. We have successfully completed another trip around the sun. As usual, the garden had its ups and downs with the ups probably outnumbering the downs.

It was the Year Of The Bean, Eggplant and Watermelon with all three categories outshining the rest of the garden.

I found some new favorites which were added to the A Team. Those would be SunSugar cherry tomatoes, Wilson Sweet watermelon, Jeminez pole bean and the two eggplants Matrosik and Rosita.

Bummer Awards went to the early Spring Treat corn, the okra (both of which did poorly) and the cow peas which got torn up and flooded by H. Helene. Poor peas, it wasn't their fault. 13" of rain was too much.

2025 will see changes. With the huge pecan tree blown over, the parts of the garden that got a little shade during the hot part of the day will be full sun all day. That includes where the garden bench was. Pickles has already suggested moving it to a corner of the garden that does get some late afternoon shade from a big crape myrtle. Too bad it's not all day shade like it used to be. I'll really miss that.

Yesterday I got out the new almanac and figured out start dates for everything. As usual the brassica sets will lead the seeding parade the last week of January. Now I am working on revising the garden map due to some changes.

This afternoon I got seeds ordered so I guess we're officially on our way to the 2025 garden. Every year I want to cut back a little but it never happens as we use everything we grow. Maybe one of these years... but not this next one!

It's nice to see that some of my favorites work as well for you down there as they do for me up here. SunGold, Matrosik and Rosita are all on my favorites list too.

Maybe it's time to plant a new tree. A little shade in the garden is good for ones soul. Perhaps you would like an arbor instead. You can train plants to grow up it and have a place to sit in the shade.

Nice to reflect on the garden year and what worked and what didn’t.

Too bad about the mature pecan tree. I can relate with what Hurricane Beryl did to our lot and some centuries old live oaks. We tend to almost expect such destruction living so close to the gulf, but you’d think you would be safe from hurricanes as far inland as Augusta is. The pain is real, though, with what these storms do.

But, here’s to 2025 and happy gardening, hopefully free from hurricanes.

karstopography wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 7:09 am Too bad about the mature pecan tree. I can relate with what Hurricane Beryl did to our lot and some centuries old live oaks. We tend to almost expect such destruction living so close to the gulf, but you’d think you would be safe from hurricanes as far inland as Augusta is. The pain is real, though, with what these storms do.

So far Augusta has picked up 2 million cubic yards of tree debris and isn't done yet. Lots of stuff still piled at the edges of roads waiting their turn. I've heard the Augusta National had a lot of damage but those folks are pretty closed-mouthed about the doings there. I guess we'll hear all about it and see when the Masters Tournament comes around in April.

When I was driving home yesterday and saw a hand drawn sign on a stump by the side of the road. It read,"Free Stump". I got a good laugh at that one. Gotta get a pic of that!