It’s only the 4th of January and I’m already enjoying fresh salads thanks to the Aerogrow. (see my other blog posts on the subject). We had spaghetti for dinner with some nice fresh crusty loaf of peasant bread. (We ate half the loaf!) About halfway through dinner I glanced over and realized we needed to have a salad too. That thing is really performing. I expect it’s already paid for itself with all the herbs we got last winter, and the fresh lettuce, picked mere seconds before eating is fantastic. I made a simple vinaigrette with an Orange Muscat vinegar I picked up at Trader Joes. Yummy!
What my salads are missing, is just about any other summer produce. I had a few carrots, so that would have to do. I’d read, shortly after taking down all my tomatoes last fall, that you could prune off a sucker, plant it, and continue to enjoy tomatoes indoors all winter. I set out looking for seeds, but as one can imagine, the garden centers and big box stores stock for the coming season, not my whim. But I figured I’d eventually put in an early order for some seeds and get some cherry tomatoes going this winter, which I attempted today.
I looked up Seeds of Change, and seedsavers.org today, If I’m going to put in an order, i might as well make the cost of shipping worth my while. (and yes, everything has to be organic, heirloom a plus.)
I’m paralyzed by all the options, How does one choose? I gave last summers catalog to my six-year old, and had her circle anything in there that looked good. Anything she thought would be interesting to grow, and more importantly, she’d want to eat. She ate very well as a toddler, then got picky for a while, lately she’s really come around again. After chocolate (of course) she lists avocado as her favorite foods.
She helped me pull up the carrots and leeks last fall, as well as watered the tomatoes, peas, scallions, squashes and herbs. When I put nasturtiums atop our salads (just to see what she’d do) she got a kick out of em, and would ask for more.
Anyhow, I figured she’d do a good job with searching through the catalog, and help me narrow down from the plethora of choices. Yellow and red carrots, blue and yellow corn, peas, broccoli, strawberries and habanero peppers. Habaneros, really? (I had to laugh, and explain they were the hottest pepper there was) “No, I don’t want to eat that.”
Ok, so now that I’m back to square one… I figured I’d ask what everyone else was thinking of planting this year. as far as edibles, herbs, and beneficials. Favorite varieties?
Meanwhile I’ll keep looking, trying to narrow down which tomatoes, potatoes, kale, leeks, etc… I really want to grow, and more importantly, I think my family will eat. And I’ll continue reading up on 4 season gardening, and methods of food preservation so I’ll be ready for 2010!
Are we all this obsessed, thinking ahead to warmer days, or am I just living and worrying about what’s next, rather than what’s now?
-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.
7 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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6771 posts in 971 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 429 days ago
isn’t it wonderful??? So many options to choose from ha :)
my first suggestion is look at what was successful last year. What grew well and what you loved to eat.
peas: my climber peas (I think it was Mrs. Van) are definitely on my list for this year and I heard that a variety.. something about Indians… was a great producer for the bush variety.
potatoes: for winter storage, my favourite are the Yukon Golds. Come spring they are just about the same condition as when picked, as opposed to “regular” potatoes that get all shrivelly.
Kale… we didn’t eat a lot of it. It’s a good healthy plant but if people aren’t going to eat it.. then….
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
Greenthumb
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1532 posts in 791 days
posted 429 days ago
I checked out the on line seed catalogues and, like you, reached critical mass fast….....sooooo many choices, kinda like going to one of those goofy resteraunts with menus the size of a grade school black board and an infinite choice of foodies (nobody can cook 1,000 different meals well)
My beets did really well so I bought several different kinds
Climbing peas and beans
tomatoes (different colours, some with stripes)
eggplant
just about everything
-- Central northish Ontario
scottb
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212 posts in 849 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 428 days ago
Monday January 5th, I bought some cherry tomato seeds! Gonna get them started indoors this week. will either grow them under lights, or in the dining room window. Now if I can find a bacon plant, I’ll be all set for BLTs! ;)
My zucchini and peas just didnt amount to anything last year, so I’m eager to give them another go. I think the peas failed (they weren’t really tasty anyhow) because I had to pull them off the strings they weren’t really climing, and tried to thread them through some 2×4 wire fence. This year they’ll get off and climing on their own!
I’m gonna take a few weeks to peruse everything out there, happy I can at least get some tomatoes going straight away!
-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.
Bon
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3988 posts in 751 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 427 days ago
I’m still dreaming.But I will get started soon I hope.
-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more
Greenthumb
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1532 posts in 791 days
posted 427 days ago
I’m still dreaming too and then I look out the window and see nothing but trillions of billions of baseball sized snowflakes moving horizontally across the fields…............OMG its snowing and snowing and snowing.
In laws have left for Florida (there is a God) and he left his finches with us. Some kinda Goligan that doesnt sing and another set of finshes that just reared a chick. They were laying more eggs before the first chicks got the boot from the nest. The little chicks are nothing more then teeny bullies as they push there siblings out and watch then crash and burn down to the bottom of the cage. They dont really sing but rather squack relentlessly…............I’m thinking “finchkabobs” for dinner.
the front door my FIL painted purple has now faded and is pink….........perfect.
The Christmas tree is now listing heavy to one side, most of the needles are in my socks and everytime I unplug the lights I fear “spontaneous combustion”..................wheres the fire extinguisher?. I cant help but wonder and wish that I had the same ability to see the Christmas tree like everyone else here being beautiful rather then the way I see it…........Bald.
The snow melted the other day and left a few hundred yards of glare, super slick and slippery ice where walking to the shop has turned into Circus de solae. Its slowly turning me into Frankenstien but I guess I’m fortunate because at 49 years young I CAN still put my big foot around my neck, I just cant get up after doing that. Snow has made me realize that its an important factor in keeping the health care system going as I am now on my forth trip to the emergency room to have them remove, said foot from around my neck. Its so darn cold out that if Doc wanted to check out out my prostate, he’ld need a hammer to get his finger in there.
I’m off to the indoor rock climbing arena to buy cramp-ons, seems Everest has nothing on this ranch.
I long for summer.
-- Central northish Ontario
GrandmaT
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5299 posts in 849 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 426 days ago
Oh Roman, how I love your perspective and stories … LOL!!!!!
-- "A beautiful garden is a work of heart" -- Royal Oak, MI - Zone 5
MsDebbieP
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6771 posts in 971 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 420 days ago
what a story teller :)
I’m looking out my window and all I see is blowing snow.
But… yesterday I received my tomato seeds in the mail….. :)
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan