How Does My Garden Grow

Well, since this blog is also my online gardening journal for 2011 it only makes sense that I should list out what I plan to plant in my garden this year.  Here goes...

Veggies to plant in the 2011 Garden  (All started, or to be started, from seed)

• Alliums: Evergreen Long White bunching onions and American Flag Leeks (direct seed) and Red Onions (sets)
• Artichoke: Imperial Star variety (ordered and will start seedlings on 2/5/2011)Broccoli: Di Ciccio variety (seedlings started 1/8/2011)
• *Brussells Sprouts:  Bailey variety (ordered and will start seedlings on 2/5/2011)
• Carrots: Danvers Half Long and Kaleidoscope Mix (ie: red, purple, orange, yellow and white) varieties (direct seed)
• Cauliflower: Early Snowball A (need to start seedlings on 2/5/2011)
• Cucumber: Straight 8 (because I found the seeds in some of my mother’s old stuff), Poinsett 76 and Sumter varieties (direct seed)
• Egg Plant: Black Beauty variety (seedlings started 1/8/2011 - seeds are old and taking a while to germinate - but they’re getting there!) and Twlight (a hybrid I just ordered and will start seedlings on 2/5/11)
• Fennel: Zefo Fino variety (seedlings started 1/8/2011)
• Green Beans (Bush): Heavyweight & Royalty Purple varieties (direct seed)
• Greens: A Mix of: Red Salad Bowl Lettuce, Green Salad Bowl Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Tendergreen Mustard, Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach, Bull's Blood Beet, Grand Rapids Lettuce, Oakleaf Lettuce, Prizeleaf Lettuce, and most importantly - Arugula because the bunnies hate it & it keeps them out of the lettuce & spinach! (direct seed)
• Melon: Heirloom Cantaloupe (variety unknown) (direct seed)
• Okra: saved seeds - variety unknown (direct seed)
• Parsnips:  Hollow Crown variety (direct seed)
• Peppers: California Wonder Bell, Jalapaneo and Sweet Banana (seedlings started 1/8/2011 - seeds are old and taking a while to germinate - but they’re getting there!)
• Radish: Sparkler, Champion, d’Avignon, Pink Beauty, Purple Plum, and Snowball varieties (direct seed)
• Shallots: standard yellow variety (sets)
• Summer Squash: Zucchini (Black Beauty) & Yellow (Early Prolific Straightneck) (direct seed)
• Swiss Chard: Bright Lights (direct seed)
• Tomatoes: Sweetie Cherry, Red Brandywine, Pink Brandywine, Black Krim, and Red Plum varieties (seedlings started 1/8/2011)
• Turnip: Purple Top White Globe (direct seed)
• Winter Squash: Acorn, Butternut, Carnival, Turks Turban, Rumbo (Cinderella type pumpkin), and Mini pumpkins (if I have room!) (direct seed)

I still need to buy:

• Herbs: Basil, Sage, Parsley, Cilantro, Chamomile (will probably buy the plants)

Other Perennial Plants already in the ground:

• Cabernet Franc and Petite Syrah grapes 
• Asparagus
• Strawberry
• Blueberry 
• Raspberry 
• Chives
• Dill (it might re-seed itself - if not I have seeds saved from last year)
• Garlic  
• Greek Oregano
• Peppermint (however, I think I might have killed it last year if that’s possible - they don’t like being behind Hot Tubs!)
• Thyme
• Beebalm and Echinacea (I plant them for their flowers but technically they are medicinal herbs)

Next on my list to post is a diagram outlining how I plan to actually make this all work since I’m going to use 4 to 6 4x4 raised beds.  My mother-in-law and her significant other have promised to make a drive up to our place to see my garden - assuming I can actually make it work in such a small space.  So there's my challenge!

Thank God I have a great husband who humors my idiosyncrasies!  His only two requests are to make it ‘look good’ and make it easy to mow around!

More to come...

My First Post

Every year at this time my green thumb starts itching and my spare time is spent sifting through Seed Catalogs, Gardening magazines & websites and I start planning my plantings for the year. Ironic that this occurs during the harshest and most bitterly cold time of year.

One of my New Years Resolutions is to grow a better garden this year. I've always judged my gardening success based upon how well my tomatoes perform and the past two years have been less than stellar. Several years ago I bought a Farmers Almanac, followed it faithfully, started my veggies from seed entirely too early (in January) and had the biggest and best crop ever. And unfortunately I've not been able to repeat that success. My hope is that this year will be different.

Earlier this month I bought a Farmers Almanac, organic seed starting mix and fumed at the difficulty of trying to find peat pots in January. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention and realizing that the lower half of waterbottles is almost the same size as peat pots, plus they retain moisture better and are recyclable, I decided to give them a try. From the before and after seedling photos, I believe necessity succeeded!

Per the almanac, the 8th and 9th were good days for starting seeds, and they must have been right because on the 12th the seedlings appeared. Ah, the promise of spring!

For now I'm watching the tomato, pepper, broccoli and fennel seedlings grow and sketching ideas for new planter boxes. I'm intrigued by the concept of the square foot garden and need to find a new method for keeping the dog out of the garden. (I've already learned how to deal with the rabbits...arugala and hardware cloth...but that's another post.)