Every garden season has its hits and misses, and this year was no exception. One of the bigger disappointments was the cauliflower. It bolted in August during the heat, which meant it only formed tiny heads and never really matured. That’s actually the same reason I quit planting broccoli. The tail end of summer here just gets too hot for it to thrive.
I also learned a lesson with tomatoes this year. I got free seeds for a tomato variety called “Spoon,” and I really should have looked at the picture first. The tomatoes were literally the size of a pea seed. There were hundreds of them, but they were so tiny they never even got picked. Lesson learned, free seeds aren’t always a win.
The other tomato plants struggled with blight. I stayed on top of it by picking off the diseased leaves, and that made a big difference. The key is consistency, if you do this, you really need to check plants every couple of days to keep them under control.
On the positive side, the vining crops were a big success. Following a spray schedule kept cucumber beetles and squash vine borers away. The melons produced well, although they weren’t quite as sweet as in other years. I chalk that up to the intense heat during their ripening stage.
The onions were another win. I started them indoors and transplanted them outside in May, and they ended up bigger than the onion sets I planted, which isn’t unusual but always satisfying. The carrots were great. I left them in the garden until late December and stuck with shorter, thicker varieties because they handle our clay soil much better.
Flowers did well across the board, especially the ones in pots. That said, by August, I was pretty tired of watering every other day when I got home. It reminded me why the old-school method worked so well, geraniums in the pots, Bacopa trailing over the edges, and a spike in the center. I think I’m heading back to that tried-and-true, heat-resistant combo.
All of this makes February a great time to start planning the next garden. Pull out last year’s notes—or start fresh—and think about what you really want to grow. Decide where vegetables and flowers will go, rotate crops if you can, and be honest about how much space you actually have. Planning now helps avoid overcrowding, wasted money, and last-minute scrambling in May.
February is also the perfect time to order seeds. Many popular varieties sell out early, especially short-season types that work best in South Dakota. As you flip through catalogs or browse online, pay attention to days to maturity and look for varieties labeled early, cold-tolerant, or northern-grown. Our growing season is around 120 days. Ordering now gives you better choices and time to prepare.
While you’re thinking about seeds, it’s a good idea to check your seed-starting supplies. Clean trays and pots, pick up fresh seed-starting mix, and make sure grow lights are working. If you plan to start peppers, onions, or flowers early, having everything ready makes the process feel simple instead of overwhelming.
Or you can wait until garden centers open in May, just bring a list. Know your must-haves, be open to trying a few new things, and maybe say, “I can probably squeeze this in somewhere.” After all, that’s half the fun of gardening.