January 11, 2016
All of my seeds, plants, and tubers are ordered for this year and all of my seeds have come in! I am so excited! First, the seeds. I have plenty of tomato, beet, cabbage, bush bean, squash (winter and summer), and melon (watermelon and cantaloupe) seeds. The seeds I needed to replenish were:
- Peas (wando and green arrow)
- Pole Beans (purple)
- Dried Beans (adzuki and black turtle soup)
- Broccoli (de cicco)
- Carrots (rainbow blend, nantes, tendersweet, and dragon purple)
I ordered three types of corn seed, each one is to mature at different times:
- Texas Honey June
- Country Gentleman
- Yukon Supreme
I was sent a few tomato varieties for free. Thankfully, I do not have either variety.:
- Livingston Beauty
- Red Russian
And there are quite a few new plants I am excited to try growing this year:
- Lacinato Kale (dinosaur kale)
- Collard Greens (HIGH in calcium – I am planning on growing, dehydrating, grinding, and adding to all.the.things.)
- Jericho Lettuce (bred in the deserts of Jerusalem so should hold up to our NC summers quite well! I am very excited about this seed!)
- Lima Bean
- Cauliflower
- Nasturtium (not only a pretty flower and edible but known to keep the dreaded squash bug away!!!)
- Eggplant
- Apsaragus (seed)
In addition to all of these seeds, I also ordered some June-bearing raspberries, three varieties of strawberries (early, mid, and late summer harvests), some purple asparagus plants, and TEN varieties of garden potatoes (early, mid, and late season as well as fingerlings).
Where will I plant these, you ask? What a question! I have NO IDEA, of course!
I am planning on putting the strawberries around the large apple tree (North side of the garden). The asparagus will be planted on the Northern edge of the garden. And I plan on having a bit of a sunflower fence around the whole garden (instead of sunflower patches). I think I know where I am going to plant the raspberries. I have some idea where I am going to plant my spring garden but the 60+ lbs of potatoes? And the three varieties of corn? Yeah, no idea where I’m going to find room for those!
If anyone local wants to offer their help this winter, preparing the garden for the spring (this involves ripping up tarp and pitching and hauling woodchips), I will welcome your help with many thanks!
Our only harvest this week was this head of lettuce. But that’s not too bad as far as Januarys go 🙂
Gardening Without... 
If you like honeydew-type melons, I highly recommend this one called Boule d’Or Melon (Golden Perfection). I’ve been growing it for years, and it has become my all-time favorite! My neighbors tried some and begged me for seeds. It is also easy to pick because it will slip from the vine like a cantaloupe when it is ripe.
thx!
I didn’t know Nasturtiums kept away the squash bug! Huh, learn something new every day. I love Lacinato Kale. It seems to stay crisp longer in the summer heat of Tn. And I grew Jericho for the first time last year. Held up well in the heat. I am putting my seed order together…fun times in Jan!
i’ve never grown nasturtiums but that’s what i’ve heard so… 🙂 good to hear about the jericho lettuce! what zone are you?