I am still harvesting heads of cabbage planted early last spring, early varieties, Katarina, Gonzales, and Early Jersy Wakefield that have held all summer without splitting. The early individual sizes varieties fit my size requirements and then just wait and wait and wait until I harvest them. There are also a couple of Katarina plants that are branching after the main head was taken just like the Early Jersey Wakefield above. I think I will try pinching a couple next summer to see if that works like it does for the sprouting broccolis.

That's a lot of cabbage, OldDutch! What are you doing with it? Do you just straight up eat it as you go, or make sauerkraut, or...? Looking for ideas, here. :)

Actually they are all little squirts both very early and they have held all summer with nary a split. I share with a friend. Catarina and gonzales are barely bigger than a baseball and smaller than a softball - perfect individual or two person serving size with no waste for eating straight up with no leftovers either. I only plant a few of each and those last us all summer and they none of them take up much room in the process. .

I happen to live by myself and so does the friend I share mostly with. Working out single serving meals both convenient and with little to no waste or leftover is a real challenge. I like the little veggies. Single serving lettuce is also a favorite of mine. Too bad Tom Thumb won't grow all summer. Sprouting cauliflower and broccoli also allow single serving harvests. Banana peppers also work for one at a time eating. One can do a leaf or two at a time for chard and celery and there are miniature napas, that are also good cut loose leaf, before heading.

Lots of the littles. I also cook primarily fingerling potatoes, once again serving size with no leftover and no waste for the single diner.

I sorta treated this years garden like a flower bed with patches of things of various colors and textures rather than the traditional garden rows That was a lot of fun. And one can plant back for second harvests as spots get empty.

OldDutch, that's a wonderful plan. I'm on my own too. My garden overwhelms me with TOO MUCH all the time. The chore of putting food by, and the guilt of "wasting" a lot of it, has discouraged me from having as many different vegetables in my garden as I'd like. I always feel like I have to put in a whole row of beans, or chard, or beets, or whatever. Rarely do I have fewer than four tomato plants and four 'Carmen' pepper plants. (Highly recommend the latter by the way, as opposed to any bell pepper, because the production is absolutely certain here in MN. No matter what happens weatherize through the summer, they always set abundant fruit, and are red-ripe by late August. But one or two plants would do me, y'know?? It's just that what I can get at the nursery always comes in four-packs and it "hurts" to think of discarding the extras.)

Sometimes even just *one* plant is more than enough! Take zucchini, for example.

Maybe I should do some research on "gardening for one." :) Or at least think about it and figure it out for myself. But if you feel like it, do tell me more about how you plan your quantities for various veg. I would be so very grateful.

Thanks,

Joan

I don't grow bell peppers either. I fell for Sweet Bananas years ago and now I save my own seed. I set up an LED light garden in a spare room and that has taken some of the gloom out of autumn as well as giving me some wonderful hippeastrums and a very nice and vigorous set of seedlings to set out last spring. I have that on a timer 16 hr on 8 hr off. What I have actually runs pretty close to daylight when I have the seedlings up close. I have always had a habit of going overboard; so careful planning about quantities is very necessary for me. I think I did go overborard on the size a bit; I can light up 6 flats which is way more than enough for me. I think I will be growing some winter lettuce this year as an experiment. I find that working in the bright light actually helps perk up winter spirits, too.

So true, OldDutch.

At one time, about 30 years ago, I set up the ability to light up at least 16 flats PLUS keep cats out and keep heat in, by hanging polyethylene curtains around the area. Oh the good old days. I had also an 8x12 greenhouse outdoors, which I would set into motion in April. It was fully automated: temp-sensitive louvers, heater, self-flooding/draining benches, with capillary matting, that I ran on a timer. It almost took care of itself, with the huge advantages of getting chilly when there was little light, and being warm and well-supplied with moisture and humidity when it was sunny. How lucky (and smart) was I. I don't have the ability to do any of that where I live now.

But maybe I can still light up at least six flats, and tuck some African violets in among them. Not sure how I'm going to be able to fit in the begonias that need a kickstart in February, add the fuchsias in March, plus annuals (veg and flowers) that also need to get going at the same time. But it can be done if I'm willing to expand. I did it before, I can do it again.

It's good, talking. You've given me some new hopes and ideas. I may have to acquire some more equipment, but I can do that.

Thank you! For the dreams, especially as daylight hours decline.

Joan