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This morning's This Old House visited a neighborhood garden in East Boston, where someone was growing a fig tree (!) and the Johnny's catalog came recently, so it was a good day for planning seed purchases.
Definite:
-1/2 lb of Premium shell peas ($4.75). I decided that I liked these so much it wasn't worth trying a 2nd variety.
Probable:
-bush bean Jade ($2.95) - described as the most heat resistant. I don't really have enough space for bush beans, but the pole beans have proven disappointing. I'll crowd 'em in.
-carrot Nelson ($2.65) - these are the ones I did last year, and we ate a lot of carrots. Short little carrots, but they were good. I hope we have the lucky cool spring weather that made for good carrots again, though.
-lettuce Tropicana ($1.95) - the slowest-bolting, most heat-resistant greenleaf lettuce I could find. I have done mesclun mixes in the past, but I do like regular old lettuce. My goal is to start very early.
-kale Winterbor ($3.60) - My plan is to plant some as soon as they come. They say they overwinter in Maine (where Johnny's is) so they may well germinate and grow in January here (if the 70 degree weather keeps up, almost anything might.) Certainly kale is one of the earliest things at the farmer's market, and I think it's a winter-spring crop, not a fall crop. Like pansies.
-marigold Lemon Gem ($2.05) in a probably in vain anti-rabbit strategy. Also I like marigolds, and they are easy.
-corn poppy ($2.35) I've never grown poppies before but these can be direct-seeded and seem easy. And if they work I'll be happy. Spring (April, I think) in Greece is fields of red poppies like these.
-sweet pea Old Spice ($2.50) in full expectation of these not working. As with many things, the key is to start early enough - I planted shell peas last March 1 and could have gone 2 weeks earlier I bet. The other open question with these will be support. I guess I'll use tomato cages, and maybe plant a few around the base of the rose/clematic that's supported by the carport. If they work, they should be pretty and good-smelly.
To buy as seedlings at the farmer's market:
-Tomatoes (4, probably 2 cherokee purple, 1 german johnson, 1 non-heirloom for volume)
-basil
-zucchini (1 or 2)
-cucumber (to do on tomato cages - this has worked really well for me in the past)
-Tithonia (mexican sunflower) if I can find it - I had one 4 years ago and it was great, and I have a spot for it.
-Maybe parsley, although as of this writing last summer's is alive and thriving.
As you can see, I am not placing the bet that we won't be here all summer. Much as I would *like* to not be here all summer, i.e. be moved someplace more permanent.
Definite:
-1/2 lb of Premium shell peas ($4.75). I decided that I liked these so much it wasn't worth trying a 2nd variety.
Probable:
-bush bean Jade ($2.95) - described as the most heat resistant. I don't really have enough space for bush beans, but the pole beans have proven disappointing. I'll crowd 'em in.
-carrot Nelson ($2.65) - these are the ones I did last year, and we ate a lot of carrots. Short little carrots, but they were good. I hope we have the lucky cool spring weather that made for good carrots again, though.
-lettuce Tropicana ($1.95) - the slowest-bolting, most heat-resistant greenleaf lettuce I could find. I have done mesclun mixes in the past, but I do like regular old lettuce. My goal is to start very early.
-kale Winterbor ($3.60) - My plan is to plant some as soon as they come. They say they overwinter in Maine (where Johnny's is) so they may well germinate and grow in January here (if the 70 degree weather keeps up, almost anything might.) Certainly kale is one of the earliest things at the farmer's market, and I think it's a winter-spring crop, not a fall crop. Like pansies.
-marigold Lemon Gem ($2.05) in a probably in vain anti-rabbit strategy. Also I like marigolds, and they are easy.
-corn poppy ($2.35) I've never grown poppies before but these can be direct-seeded and seem easy. And if they work I'll be happy. Spring (April, I think) in Greece is fields of red poppies like these.
-sweet pea Old Spice ($2.50) in full expectation of these not working. As with many things, the key is to start early enough - I planted shell peas last March 1 and could have gone 2 weeks earlier I bet. The other open question with these will be support. I guess I'll use tomato cages, and maybe plant a few around the base of the rose/clematic that's supported by the carport. If they work, they should be pretty and good-smelly.
To buy as seedlings at the farmer's market:
-Tomatoes (4, probably 2 cherokee purple, 1 german johnson, 1 non-heirloom for volume)
-basil
-zucchini (1 or 2)
-cucumber (to do on tomato cages - this has worked really well for me in the past)
-Tithonia (mexican sunflower) if I can find it - I had one 4 years ago and it was great, and I have a spot for it.
-Maybe parsley, although as of this writing last summer's is alive and thriving.
As you can see, I am not placing the bet that we won't be here all summer. Much as I would *like* to not be here all summer, i.e. be moved someplace more permanent.