Are seed catalogs starting to appear in your mailbox? I received two catalogs a few days ago and all I can say is perfect timing! Even though it’s a frozen tundra outside right now, there’s no reason I can’t start planning this year’s garden.
And by garden I mean vegetable garden. 😉
I don’t know why, but planning a flower garden is super easy to me. It’s probably because I’ve stuck to the same plants over the years, but when it comes to vegetable gardens… All bets are off.
There are just so many different varieties to choose from! I feel like if I’m not trying something new, I’m not learning anything.
So my big project for today is to go through my bin of seed packets {that I didn’t really get to use last year} and make a plan.
One thing I know for sure, it will be a small but mighty garden and there will be tomatoes.
I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to achieve my goal of growing 365 pounds of vegetables, but I figure I might as well start planning for success now.
I LOVE growing plants from seeds! Don’t you? There’s just something so rewarding about it.
Have you begun to plan this year’s garden yet?
Will you be trying anything new? I’m hoping to try a new tomato variety or two… But there’s just so many to choose from. So if you’ve got a favorite, I’d love to hear about it.
Have a great day,
~Mavis
Kimberly says
I trying a new “hot” pepper called the habanera. It has all the flavor of the spicy habanero but none of the heat. I tried it at a farmers market late summer and loved it so I ended up canning my jalapeño jelly with those. We have loved the jelly on ritz crackers with cream cheese and this jelly.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks Kimberly, I’m going to look into that!!
Carrie O says
Similarly – nadapenos are fantastic! Minimal heat, great flavor, and perfect for pickling.
Vicki in Birmingham says
I got some with no heat From Baker Creek and they were called Habanada. They weren’t hot either! I plan to plant more this year!
Margo says
I don’t have a large space to garden and I use elevated beds, so I’m learning I can grow a variety of something like green beans or tomatoes by buying seeds for compact plants. My favorite bush type tomato is the dwarf chocolate and I usually grow a healthy amount of bush type beans. Growing vertically on trellises is also helpful. I’ve ordered a space saving small cucumber plant, and have grown space saving vertical growing yellow squash. Just think in terms of up instead out. A greenstalk planter may also be very helpful. Can’t wait to see what you do this year!
suzanne says
The garlic is in. The perennial Welsh onions have been divided. This year I’m really going to try to only grow what we routinely eat. I had a bad gardening year last year but the salad greens/basil/zucchini and greenhouse toms did well. I’m not sure if it was just the year or the soil mix I used for seeds. My daughter is getting really good at duplicating certain salad kits so I need to add bitter greens to the seed list.
Diana says
I have all of my seeds organized in two clear case photo boxes. The individual clear boxes are all labeled by general category name such as tomato or lettuce. I have them organized by expiration date so I use the oldest ones first. Here in San Diego we grow year round so I always have seeds starting on heat mats under the grow lights. I currently am harvesting a lot of greens such as mizuna, mustard, and lettuce including merlot and pariss island romaine lettuce. I also have planted red acre cabbage, ruby red Swiss chard, purple tree collard, and lacinato kale. The king tut purple peas are almost ready for harvest. I have garlic, potatoes, strawberries, and spinach growing. The garden is always producing and rotating through crops. It is my grocery store of choice!
Connie Bodeau says
I used a pole to tie up my zuchini and squash last year to grow it vertically! Bought the wrong type of seed but it worked out fine with regular variety. It was great and really helped with keeping the bugs away. I also think the production was higher than previous years.
Patty says
We had great success winter sowing our seeds last summer. Mainly flowers and herbs, but I’ve read you can winter sow cold hardy vegetables as well. So much easier than grow lights etc. We have all of our milk jugs prepped and will be planting our seeds tomorrow. Looking forward to getting our hands in the dirt 🙂
Pauline in Upstate NY says
Just 365 pounds? You can do this. Plant potatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, butternut squash, and zucchini… if you planted nothing else, I predict you could get to 365! . If you want insurance for the outcome, find a neighbor (former neighbor) who would give you the bedding from the chicken coop to till in, then stand back.
Christa H. says
I plan to have the largest garden ever now that I have retired from teaching. I’m growing extra for my community and I’ll be getting chickens for the first time, so they will be super spoiled! I went hog wild with my order from Baker Creek seeds. I need a ton of compost to add to my beds, so that is on the agenda for February.
Susan says
We grow all our vegetables from seed. The plants are so ridiculously priced at the garden centers!
We have garlic planted.
I dehydrated rosemary yesterday. Filled a gallon jar.
Our youngest daughter bought me seeds for Christmas. One of the packets has Glass Gem Corn. So we will plant that,
Cant wait for garden season!
Last `year our root crops did terrible! Even radishes….Hoping for better results this year.
GK says
I have seeds ready for wintersowing also. I use gallon zip bags skewered in a plastic laundry basket with bottom holes for drainage – for my wintersowing. I have huge success wintersowing instead of using lights.
Last year I grew pole cranberry beans. The pods turn pink when ready to pick. You can pick and cook as shelling beans or wait until they dry in the pods for dried beans. My other favorite new-to-me plant was tomatillos. I grew two plants shoved together in the same space because they need two to pollinate. I canned delicious roasted salsa verde with fresh garlic and fresh oregano, also from my garden. It’s my new favorite thing to dip with a chip!
This year I’m growing lots of peppers in pots. Peppers for paprika, peppers for pepper jelly (sugar rush peach), peppers for hot sauce and salsa. This will likely be the year of the pepper!
I have ordered from Baker Creek (free shipping), Team Grow, Botanical Interests. I’m focusing on early harvest varieties so I can succession plant to get more bang for my buck.
Happy Gardening. Let the seed starting begin!
Pat Marino says
I’m in the Buffalo, NY area and our most favorite tomato {seed or plant) is the Early Girl. Can’t wait to get into the dirt. I’ll be gardening in raised beds this year for the first time, since aging knees are keeping me limited. Have fun with your gardens and GO BILLS!
PSUCHIC06 says
My favorite time of the year! It’s snowing and dreams of planting seeds takes the cold edge off!
I LOVE the rareseeds.com.site and their vast catalog! (They offer a free version, but the big catalog is like the seats catalog was for.me as a little kid)
I’ve also been really impressed with RH Shumway, and the catalog is nostalgic, and for herbs…Richters…has some hard to find things (like Madder)
kari says
Yes! Also, check out Seed Treasures.com. The are a small business and are growing heirloom seeds, some of which were near extinction. They have wonderful descriptions, grow organically and no GMO. It’s completely old school where you write a note to them, enclose a check and they mail you the hand saved and hand packed seeds. I’ve ordered from them and they are great!
Sue S. says
I love watching gardening and cooking shows on HGTV or PBS but I’m not a fan of either activity. My garden consists of a few cherry tomato plants in planters on my deck plus a handful of herbs in pots. Funny, my dad was a huge gardener and as a kid, we spent summer nights on the back stoop shucking corn and shelling peas, and snapping beans for the commercial freezer we had. My mom “put up” tomatoes but this gift did not transfer to me. I do a little flower gardening but mowing the lawn, trimming the shrubs and taking out the weeds in the driveway are about my speed. I do envy others who have fresh tomatoes all summer.
Mona says
A tomato I want to try this year is piennolo del vesuvio. These are tomatoes that are stored by hanging them in groups. Here is a video that shows how. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=13buMC5eE5A
Deb K says
I can not grow zucchini to save my life! Bugs…ick. Plants grow, look fabulous then overnight they are wilted an dead. So this year I grew Trombocino or zucchetta squash and was blown away by these 3-4 foot funky squash! Bugs aren’t a problem for them, and the squash can be eaten when small…similar to a summer squash, or cured like a winter squash and stored. The squash is delicious…lighter than a butternut, sweeter too. Definitely will be growing them again!
Emily says
I loved growing the jack be little pumpkins in your photo last year. I grew them as part of a tiny Three Sisters Garden. This year I want to train them up a teepee at one end of my bean patch.
Donna Wade says
I plan on growing a lot of tomatoes – mostly Amish Paste. It’s a goal to someday grow and can as many tomatoes as we eat in a year. I’ll also grow plenty to eat through the season….the guy from the Baker Creek ads doesn’t make it any easier to chose, though. I keep thinking I’ve made my decision, and then up pops a new ad and I want to try that one, too. I’ll also give green beans a go this year.