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+--- Thread: 2026 - Plans for next year (/showthread.php?tid=2389)
2026 - Plans for next year - Veggie - 19-11-2025
On a cold and wintery day, let's think about better times in 2026.
What are your plans and hopes for 2026.
Any changes you want to make- structural, organisational.
Seeds and plants that you haven't grown before? You know the score.
Last year's thread https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2210 may give you some ideas. about what went well, what could have done better, and what you won't do again!!
RE: Plans for next year 2026 - Small chilli - 19-11-2025
Lot of plans . If they happen next year or not is anyone’s guess.
My recent plan to split a couple of the new raised veg beds into 4 for my mint plants to have a little more freedom. Has morphed into using big plastic barrels. The plan is the barrel will cover the same area of space as a raised bed would have.
Grow lists, not a clue yet. Hopefully maybe a second tunnel put up. But I honestly don’t know what will happen.
I’m sure I’ll be back with more ideas, plans, details in the coming weeks, months. At present I’m very happy to say I’m too busy working on the house to think about the garden much.
RE: 2026 - Plans for next year - Garrett - 19-11-2025
I wrote my plans down in my garden journal over the weekend:
No green beans, grow yellow/purple/mottled pods only
Grow less varieties of dry beans - I grow more than I can eat so should reduce them
Only grow sweet peppers - I never eat all the chili peppers I grow but quickly run out of sweet peppers
Only grow two varieties of squash, probably Uchiki Kiri, maybe a butternut
Sow spinach early - I always forget!
Only grow one cucumber
There are also flowers to move - one bed is covered in verbena so they'll be dug out and transferred elsewhere. In their place I'll transplant the overgrown dark leaf dahlias I leave in the ground each winter. That'll leave more space in a prime sunny bed for more summer edibles
Only grow dwarf french marigolds - the ones I grew this year swamped everything as they were too tall.
Only grow apricotta cosmos - I usually grow different varieties but it's so difficult to save seed as they all intermingle. The apricotta is my favourite so I'm buying fresh seed and sticking with that
RE: Plans for next year 2026 - Small chilli - 22-12-2025
(19-11-2025, 05:08 PM)Small chilli Wrote: Lot of plans . If they happen next year or not is anyone’s guess.Nothing above as far as plans go have changed. What has changed is time scale. House first. I’m happy to do nothing in the garden this year. Other than keep on top of what’s already there. I’m not even thinking of sowing any seeds at all ! (this will very probably change, as I have the breaking strain of a melting kitkat).
My recent plan to split a couple of the new raised veg beds into 4 for my mint plants to have a little more freedom. Has morphed into using big plastic barrels. The plan is the barrel will cover the same area of space as a raised bed would have.
Grow lists, not a clue yet. Hopefully maybe a second tunnel put up. But I honestly don’t know what will happen.
I’m sure I’ll be back with more ideas, plans, details in the coming weeks, months. At present I’m very happy to say I’m too busy working on the house to think about the garden much.
one quite interesting (mildly terrifying) thing we’ve worked out this week. The amount of gravel that’s going to be needed in the garden. Bob worked out just the area the 2 big tunnels & the path between them. Will take 8 x 18 ton lorry loads! That’s digging down just 1ft. This depth is needed to get all root out and so there’s enough gravel for the water to flow through easily without coming to the surface. Deeper would be better. Just can’t afford to do that. They’ve grown rest of the paths and inside little tunnel will probably be very close to the same amount again.
RE: Plans for next year 2026 - JJB - 22-12-2025
(22-12-2025, 10:42 AM)Small chilli Wrote:(19-11-2025, 05:08 PM)Small chilli Wrote: Lot of plans . If they happen next year or not is anyone’s guess.Nothing above as far as plans go have changed. What has changed is time scale. House first. I’m happy to do nothing in the garden this year. Other than keep on top of what’s already there. I’m not even thinking of sowing any seeds at all ! (this will very probably change, as I have the breaking strain of a melting kitkat).
My recent plan to split a couple of the new raised veg beds into 4 for my mint plants to have a little more freedom. Has morphed into using big plastic barrels. The plan is the barrel will cover the same area of space as a raised bed would have.
Grow lists, not a clue yet. Hopefully maybe a second tunnel put up. But I honestly don’t know what will happen.
I’m sure I’ll be back with more ideas, plans, details in the coming weeks, months. At present I’m very happy to say I’m too busy working on the house to think about the garden much.
one quite interesting (mildly terrifying) thing we’ve worked out this week. The amount of gravel that’s going to be needed in the garden. Bob worked out just the area the 2 big tunnels & the path between them. Will take 8 x 18 ton lorry loads! That’s digging down just 1ft. This depth is needed to get all root out and so there’s enough gravel for the water to flow through easily without coming to the surface. Deeper would be better. Just can’t afford to do that. They’ve grown rest of the paths and inside little tunnel will probably be very close to the same amount again.
Wow! That's a lot of gravel. You'd better get down to collecting small stones in your spare time
I'm sure the house will benefit from your time even if the garden doesn't. I'm looking forward to your updates along the way.
RE: 2026 - Plans for next year - Veggie - 22-12-2025
What roots are you digging out? I'm curious to know what goes down so deep. Is it the sedge?
RE: 2026 - Plans for next year - Small chilli - 22-12-2025
(22-12-2025, 04:53 PM)Veggie Wrote: What roots are you digging out? I'm curious to know what goes down so deep. Is it the sedge?Yeah it’s sedge and bracken (in the not too damp areas). It’s mostly that deep for drainage. We’ve discovered quickly that we still get sodden ground / standing water within a foot of the open drainage ditch. Especially at the top of the garden. The ground just doesn’t drain.
RE: 2026 - Plans for next year - Veggie - 22-12-2025
Would a holding pond there help to hold the water? Or some willows? I have a very soggy area too - so you have my sympathy.