Saturday, January 02, 2010

Garden porn





I've spent hours (no, seriously) pouring over the seed catalogues: Burpee, Jung, Territorial, Johnny's. After dreaming about all the possibilities, then paring it down to something more realistic, then paring it down to something that actually might be realistic, I've landed on the following line up for this summer's garden:
  • Asparagus: Jersey Knight [in truth, this is still a maybe - not sure I have the space to dedicate. YET.]
  • Pole beans: Malibu [probably no bush beans, but if so: Soleil]
  • Carrots: Purple Haze and Baltimore
  • Popcorn (yes, popcorn!): Calico
  • Cucumbers: Diamant and McPick
  • Lettuce: Petite Rouge, Jericho (romaines), Victoria (butterhead), & Microgreen mix
  • Watermelon: Petite Treat
  • Onions: Copra
  • Spinach: Olympia
  • Tomatoes: San Marzano Gigante, Golden San Marzano (paste), Chocolate Cherry, Yellow Pear (cherry), Brandywine, Pineapple, Kellogg's Breakfast (heirloom)

With some obvious exceptions (lettuce, melon) these were selected with both fresh eating and storing/preserving for winter in mind. Depending on how things pan out I'd also love to try some potatoes. We've never done them before but it would be fun to grow some fingerlings to have around next winter. I'm also hopeful that we can do some swapping with a certain fabulous gardener friend that I happen to know.

If we have a successful year or two (or three or four), then I'm hoping we can branch out and try some other favorites: beets, broccoli, cauliflower, winter squash, cantaloupe, sugar snap peas... obviously, I could go on & on. But I won't.

Oh! And then there's the herb garden...
  • Basil: Aroma 1
  • Chives: from my mom's original stand
  • Dill: Dukat
  • Lemon Verbena
  • Sweet Marjoram
  • Oregano: Greek
  • Sage: Grower's Friend
  • Thyme: French

Hmm. That's still quite a list. But I have no idea what I'd be willing to part with.

We've also got some strawberries that we need to get a better handle on, and I'm dreaming of red & black raspberry bushes and blueberries as well, and who wouldn't love blackberries and grapes and an apple tree or two?

Some day...

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I can't WAIT to do some swapping this year! I've thought about asparagus every year and still haven't had the gumption to do it. We are just starting to think about the garden this year. Hayes has announced that he will indeed have cantaloupe again.

Stay tuned for Wacky Wednesday this week. I'm sure you're gonna love it :)