Varities 2009

Since I posted the varieties I planted last year it seems right to do it again this year. So here goes....

I sure did not have a complete list last year. I should do better this year as I am trying keep my garden notes here.

Here is what I have planted so far-

Swiss Chard
Bright Orange

Peas
Sugarsnap Star (did not do well but the spring was quite warm, the ones we did get tasted great)

Broccoli
Early Dividend (from Walmart), have already harvested the main heads and will have side shoots to harvest for a while

Lettuce
Jericho(dead seed), Plato II(dead seed), Little River Blend(yummy, will eat some today), Sucrine(nice and sweet even with a warm spring)

Spinach
Erste Erste(first to bolt), Avon(second to bolt), Olympia( still good)
Leeks
American Flag

Tomatoes
Early Girl, Pompeii, Big Beef, Better Boy, Raad Red, Sungold, Dixie Yellow Giant, Black Prince, Mortgage Lifter (I only have one plant of each except Raad red, and was given the last three unexpectedly)

Pepper
Roumanian Rainbow(grew last year and had wonderful taste but where can I get seeds? I was only able to get one seed to germinate this year.), Italian Sweet, College 64L(Anaheim type), Gourmet(Orange bell), YumYum ( mini bell), Lemon Drop(hot with citrus notes, at least that is what the catalog said)

Eggplant
Listada de Gandia

Ground Cherry
Pineapple(has anyone ever tried these, I'll let you know how we like them)

Pole Bean
Scarlet Emperor( to grow on trellis on side of house, hope it attracts hummingbirds, will probably only harvest beans when dry but we will see)

Herbs
Oregano(pink flowering), Cilantro(bolted already), Basil-cinnamon and Italian pesto, Parsley-favorit and gigante

Flowers
Sweet pea- fragrantissma, Coreopsis-presto(flowering right now), Nicotiana-Eau de Cologne, Alyssiam-rosie 0'day(blooming beautifully), Orange Cosmos, Zinnias, Calendula, Red and Pink Poppies(wonderful in their variety, surprises every day as new buds open)

Cucumber
Dive, Summer Dance

Corn
Honey and Cream

Pumpkin
Baby Bear

Gourd
Corsican

Melon(just 2 or 3 old seeds of each)
Trocadero, Gallery Galia, Earlidew Honeydew, Solid Gold Cantaloupe, Tiger

Starting Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant

5-31-09

As I was going through my gardening notes this morning I decided to start trying to keep them here instead of in assorted notebooks where they are hard to find and a search can take days.

Starting tomatoes, peppers and eggplant-

This year I started my early tomatoes(Early Girl) on 1-26-09. That worked well and I will repeat it. I don’t mind handling a couple of huge tomato plants to have good tomatoes early.

I started my main crop of tomatoes on 3-3-09 and this was a little too early as the tomatoes grew too big for my light available before I could plant them out and I had to do an emergency give away before my peppers were ready to plant up. I also need to give one application of liquid kelp when I pot them up and then wait until 2 weeks before they go out to give more. I should start my main crop of tomatoes about two weeks later (~March 15th).

I started my peppers and eggplant on 3-24-09. This seemed a little too late and next year I should start them with the tomatoes on ~March 15th.