2026 Backyard Garden Update

It has been quite awhile since Alison and I shared updates on our garden projects. Alison has stepped away from her balcony garden for now, but my backyard garden has continued to evolve and grow – pun intended! This year brought a mix of weather challenges, practical lessons, and a few successes that I’m excited to share as this growing season comes to a close.

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2026 garden weather challenges

The season started off in an interesting way as spring stayed stubbornly cold, delaying seed starting far longer than usual. Then, almost overnight, temperatures jumped, making it difficult for cool‑season crops like peas to get established. It was also quite a dry summer, so watering became a more regular part of the routine.

These conditions forced me to be flexible. Some plants didn’t get a great start, and others required more attention than I typically plan for – but who can call themselves a gardener without complaining about the weather!

Adjusted focus in 2026

In the last couple of years I’ve shifted my focus from only vegetables to incorporating quite a few flowers – mostly dahlias! I have quite a few varieties and planted some too close together because I was running out of space, but they’re still producing plenty of blooms to share. I dedicated a whole new garden bed to them and still didn’t have enough space…time for more garden and less grass! Bees seem to love them and it’s not unusual to come upon napping bees in the ballhead dahlia flowers.

I’ve also accepted that I’m not aiming to grow everything. Some crops just aren’t suited to my space or climate:

• Cantaloupe requires too much heat and care
• Grapes don’t grow well in my area
• Carrots require more maintenance than I can give them
• Squash needs more room than I have

Letting go of these and focusing on the plants that work well and we actually eat has made my 2026 garden more manageable and more enjoyable.

What I planted this year

After starting way too many seedlings and varieties last year, I intentionally scaled back. This year’s garden included:

• Herbs
• Several tomato varieties
• Zucchini
• Peas and beans
• Peppers
• Kale
• Brussels sprouts
• A couple rows of carrots (but I’ve ignored them)
• Perennials: fruit trees, asparagus, and rhubarb

This more curated list helped keep my garden productive without feeling overwhelming. West Coast Seeds is one of my absolute favourite places to visit, and I generally stick with their seeds in my garden as the quality and germination rates are good and they have so many great varieties to try.

Success story 2026

The biggest win of the season was lettuce. After reviewing our grocery spending, I realized how often we buy lettuce and spinach — and how quickly those costs add up. A raised metal bin became a dedicated lettuce bed, and it turned out to be one of the most efficient uses of space in the entire garden.

At peak production, we were harvesting fresh greens daily and sharing extras with friends and neighbours. The savings — about $6 per week, or $24 per month — were a nice bonus, but the convenience of having fresh greens right outside the door was just also great!

Harvesting individual leaves instead of full heads worked well until the summer heat arrived. Once the plants bolted, production dropped quickly. I also didn’t succession plant effectively, which meant the supply wasn’t as steady as it could have been. That was a lesson for next year.

Right now, I have new starts growing and some directly sown spinach that should pop up soon. With cooler weather ahead, I’m hopeful for a very productive fall lettuce patch.

Preparing for fall and winter

I started some seedlings in August that will hopefully provide fresh garden produce in the upcoming cooler months:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• The renewed lettuce and spinach bed

These starts along with spring kale will hopefully help extend the growing season and keep my garden productive long after summer ends.

I’m also planning a small greenhouse experiment. The idea is to start cucumbers now and see whether a winter harvest is possible if I close up the greenhouse. I’m also curious to see how long I can keep the tomatoes going – wish me luck!

Final thoughts

This year’s garden has been a mix of challenges, adjustments, and successes. It continues to reduce grocery costs, support pollinators, and offer a steady connection to seasonal growing. I haven’t been perfect – I don’t really weed, I forget to water, I should definitely be more on top of pruning my tomatoes that are now growing out of the top of my greenhouse – but it’s always fun and entertaining and puts some delicious food on the table!

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