So here it is...The start of my 2012 garden.
I've heard rave reviews of the Amish Paste and Cherokee Purple from ya'lls blogs. I'm very interested in the Paul Robeson and anything with the word Brandywine is a keeper for sure. I still have the German Red Strawberry seeds that was such a big winner in my garden from this past year.
2012 is all about the beans. I love me some string beans and hope to plant enough this year to put some up for next winter. We ate everything fresh this year. You can NEVER have enough beans! The purple beans are a first for me though. I love the yellows but heard enough on your blogs about the purples that I just had to have some in next years garden.
We're also trying some other sweet bell peppers. I'm planning on planting them in an area that gets them some morning shade and even building a shade cover for the hot afternoons we get around here. (Thank you Dani for the inspiration! Check out her "shadecloth garden".)
The Japanese Long Cuc is a new one and I thought I'd try some red onions from seed. I haven't had ANY onions in the garden so far and really need to stop being such a slacker in the onion department. This variety (Red Creole) is supposed to do well in the South. Any tips for growing onions from seed? ("Yeah..Don't do it...@;)
I thought I'd try Broccoli Rapini this year. I think it's too hot to get much of a traditional Broccoli harvest here so the Rapini is also a first for me. Lots of Summer Squash seeds left over from last year, but I remember eating the "bumpy" kind as a kid. Loved em, so I just had to have them!
I've got tons of Shelling Peas in the freezer still so I'm avoiding them this year and I'm only growing Snows. I still have seeds from the various winter squashes and pumpkins that were SVB'd to death. The only one I ran out of was the Waltham Butternut so I needed to replace those.
Check out this interesting seed.
What the heck is a Melocoton Cassabanana? I have no idea but it sounds interesting and if they're growing it in Missouri (Zone 6) I think I might have a shot at growing it here in NC. Sounds like I need to start this sucker indoors around Feb/March. I'd like to make an effort every year to grow something I've never eaten before just for fun. You never know what might take off.
So what strange and interesting things are you hoping to grow next year?
Tami - looks like you have a busy planting season ahead of you next year. This is my first year of purple beans too - the stems and flowers are completely addictive to look at!
ReplyDeleteRMan slipped away to the farm this weekend to do some "manwork" with a helper. Says the shadecloth veggie patch is bursting at the seams - and the plants have only been in situ for 4 and 2 weeks respectively. Can't wait to see it (and, no doubt, weed it LOL)...
Oh, seeds are so addicting! I have more then 170 different varieties of seeds!
ReplyDeleteMy only advise on growing onions from seed is "don't"! I did it once and am not planning on doing it again for some time. It was the worst onion crop that I have ever grown. Maybe you will do just fine though...who knows!
I have never heard of Melocoton Cassabanana before. It sounds like those vines get mighty long! It will be interesting to see how they work out for you and what they taste like!
Seeds are addictive. I actually have more than I could plant in 10 years, but ......
ReplyDeleteI have a mile long list for this year too. You're really on the ball with ordering early. I'm usually done by end of December but think I'll be a bit late this year. Gotta pare down the list a tad..........
Is it really that time already? Or are the seed companies getting like the stores (like putting xmas stuff up before Halloween is even over)? Guess I really don't care about that though. More time to file, plan, re-plan, move and shuffle through all those georgeous sees packets!!
ReplyDeleteFunny I must be getting old. I don't remember bumpy squash.
ReplyDeleteTami I wish I had known you wanted some Waltham...we grow 100's of acres for seed...in fact Baker Creek contracts with the company we grow for. As a commercial seed grower, I have to chuckle at all the folks that think the seeds they buy are grown by a nice little family in Where-ever (I'm not talking about just Baker Creek..most of the larger outfits have contracts with other operations). But, I love Baker Creek and plan a weekend Road Trip to Petaluma every year to buy seed at their store...can't help myself...the packets are eye-candy! Onions are a tough crop, and yes we grow the seed for onions, too...very finicky crop and they take forever. You are a brave woman. For the garden I usually buy the little bulbs and save myself time and sorrow.
ReplyDeleteThere is but one thing that makes me wish I was back in my sticks-n-bricks home with my wonderful garden: SEEDS! They open the door to such wild flights of imagination and hope. :) I drooled over your post.
ReplyDeleteYou are making me very excited for spring! Also, what an interesting veggie... you will have to update us on those cassabananas!
ReplyDeleteYou've got your Baker Creek seed order already?!?!?!?!! I just got my catalog the other day!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try Amish Paste this year too, but I got my seed from Pinetree Garden. I'm looking at pumpkin varieties from Baker Creek, they have a couple that they say will do well in the South, and I certainly need help with my pumpkins. Other than that, I'm just getting started. :)