The end of gardening season 2025 💮❤️

It always makes me sad at the end of gardening season. All that’s left to harvest now is onions and Brussel sprouts (sweeter after a few frosts, I’m told – I’ll let you know!)

But with every ending, something else begins.

This year’s harvest was not what I had hoped, so with what I learned, I already have a new plan hatching for next year’s garden.

I’ll be adding an additional 120ft² along the back and using garden netting (is that what it’s called?) for climbing plants: cucumbers, wax beans & squash.

Since I’m only 5’6” and the top of the back fence the netting will be attached to is a lofty 8’, the plan is to ground the netting about 3’ away from the fence so I can walk underneath it to harvest.

The squirrels that nested in our woodpile last spring enjoyed all my strawberries before we got a chance, so a couple of changes in the works to prevent that next year.

First, the woodpile. My partner created 3 rows of firewood with what was trimmed from the many huge maple trees on our property, with about 6-8” between the rows. Just enough room for Mama squirrel to nest and nurse her babies before they were big enough to feed themselves in my garden. 😲

I’ve been systematically using the firewood to bring it down to 1 solid row with smaller piles in front so the squirrels have no place to hide from my little Chinese Crested dogs (They love hunting, but I’m pretty sure they’d just treat their prey like a doggy toy. As seen firsthand a couple of years ago when a poor little bunny got caught in our yard.)

Next, to protect those sweet berries!

Their current plot is about 4’ x 4’. Next year, I’ll extend their plot to 5’ x 6’ and cut a 10-12” path down the centre, creating 2 rows 2’ x 6’.  When we start tilling the soil in the spring, I’ll set up hoops over the rows and secure netting over them to keep those pesky critters out. Fingers crossed we get to enjoy some berries next year!

So much to look forward to in my 2026 garden. Asparagus will be on year 3, so finally we get to try some of those out!

We’re hoping to build a watering system so I don’t have to haul that hose out every morning.

I’ve created a garden plot template on Canva that gets revised every couple of weeks. By spring it should be perfect!

No hibernation for this bear! The new beginning (for me) starts on November 1, with my birthday and Samhain, the Wiccan new year. Come back to find out what we’re doing and planning! ⭐❤️