I finally made time to sit down with my garden catalogs, seed collection, and a cup of coffee to finalize my growing plans for the year! Kind of a nice activity for a dreary and cold January afternoon! (And made even better with a piece or two of freshly baked banana bread!)
I started by jotting down what I wanted to grow most in the garden this year. Then, I mapped it out on paper. Next, I went through all my seeds sorting and organizing them. What I found is that I already had a fair number of the seeds I need for my garden this year!
While the initial cost of our garden was high, each year, it’s been progressively less. Today I placed my order at Territorial Seed for what I’ll need this year and it came to a whopping total of $36 (of which $7.50 is tax, and about $5 in seeds I ordered for a friend). I’ll still buy a few plants come spring – I’m specifically looking at buying about three tomato plants, a rosemary plant or two, a lavender bush, and a blueberry bush. I am hoping to spend no more than $25 for all of that.
Here’s what my sketched garden map looks like:
Want to see some of the fun varieties I’ve decided to grow this year?
Popcorn! Yes, I’m going to be trying my hand at this Early Pink variety. I have successfully grown corn before, but this will be my first ever attempt at popcorn. Has anyone tried this? I personally adore food you grow that’s easy to preserve and store. Once popcorn has been cured for a few weeks, you can remove the kernels and store in airtight containers. No fancy equipment or processing needed.
Edamame. I’ve considered growing my own edamame for awhile now, and decided to bite the bullet and give it a go for 2013. I’ve successfully grown several kinds of beans and peas before, so I’m feeling capable of tackling this variety. I decided on this Midori Organic variety because it’s extra early-maturing – something of importance when gardening in a shorter growing season! My plan, if all goes well, is to freeze the pods. (Well that is, the ones we don’t manage to eat fresh!)
Black Beans. Last year, I grew dry-shelling beans for the first time. They were so easy to grow, it’s a wonder more gardeners don’t give them a try! Once they’re mature, you just pop them into a jar and boom, you’re done. They are a smart choice for the frugal gardener. I decided this year to expand a bit by growing these beautiful looking Black Coco organic beans.
Sunflowers. Would you believe I’ve never grown sunflowers before? I’m really hoping that I’ll be able to manage these and that they won’t simply end up as bird food. I selected this Sunseed variety because they do not grow exceptionally tall (a consideration for my container garden), and because Territorial Seed insists the seeds are tasty.
Nasturium. This year I’ve decided to hone my organic gardening skills by incorporating more flowers into my edible garden scape. I purchased this beautiful jewel mix and plan on incorporating fox glove and sweet peas as well. My goal is two-fold: attract bees for pollination, and confuse pests. (OK maybe a third reason: to make it look pretty). In case you were not aware, nasturium is also edible! If you’ve never had them – they are quite spicy and peppery. The petals look beautiful in a summer salad (just use sparingly as they pack a lot of punch!).
Edited to add: thanks to Kim below, I will NOT be planting fox glove in my garden. Turns out it’s quite poisonous and not anything I’d want in my edible garden. Yikes! And – thanks Kim!
My thinking has really evolved when it comes to gardening. I used to try to grow anything and everything. Over time, I’ve learned the importance of growing what we like to eat, what I like to process/preserve, and what is best suited to my garden space. This year I’m also going to be playing with visual aesthetics of my garden and experimenting more with vertical growing to maximize the space.
If you are just starting out and interested in gardening this year, I recommend reading my post on How to Decide What to Grow. Remember: a good garden starts with a good plan!
What are your plans for 2013? Are you hoping to try something new & unusual? Or maybe you’re hoping to just get started in the first place? I’d love to hear what you’re up to!
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
The WSU Master Gardener Sale in spring is a great place to buy tomatoes… my favorites are Sun Gold and Oregon Spring. I think they are $2.50 and are planted in cups (like solo cups but clear). It’s at the Puyallup extension and I think early April. But be warned…. the sale is so awesome it is hard to keep to a budget. They also have a huge selection of gardening books and so many super nice people ready and willing to give advice. I go every year… I love it!
Along with using the petals in salads or pasta you can pickle the nasturium pods… they turn out like capers.
Another sale that turned out to be Ah-MAZING: the one that takes place in Wright’s Park in Tacoma. Check out the size of these amazing tom’s I paid $3.50 for!! The size pictured here is just a couple weeks or so after buying them. Same bit with that sale too – the good stuff was gone in less than an hour.
http://thecouponproject.com/2012/06/more-fun-in-the-garden-tiny-spawn-of-satan-discovered-slug-babies-and-a-rabbit.html
I was reading about the nasturium pods…I’m totally intrigued now! Looking into that….
I would reconsider the foxglove if I were you, Angela. It’s considered a poisonous plant, and with your little ones around, even accidentally touching it could be bad. It’s actually the plant from which the heart medicine digitalis is derived. Animals will avoid it, so in that regard you’d achieve your goal, but I suspect there are plants out there safer for you and your family to be around.
OH! Thank you for mentioning that!! I will reconsider it. I actually only considered it because I received a few seeds as a free gift. I sincerely appreciate your insight.
Glad I could help. It is pretty, though, so I can understand the appeal.
Truly, the only reason I was going to plant it is because I received free seeds for it last year. Kind of scary to think it was sent along with some bean seeds as a “thank you!” :0
Blueberries need a buddy. They aren’t pollinators, but they don’t produce unless they have a pal for some reason. I bought a late-season and an allseason. But, you could do early and late. Just not 2 from the same bearing group.
Good tip – thank you!
With the blueberry bush, I believe you will have to have two different types for cross pollination to produce berries.
I had always heard this as well but I ordered a blueberry bush for my Step-Mom for Christmas. I spoke with the owner of the local nursery I was going to buy from and asked about that, he told me that is a myth and they should be fine with only one plant. If anything he was losing out buy telling me, I would have bought her 2 plants if he had told me they needed a companion.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind an excuse to buy more than one!! Although – in chatting with my husband, I told him I’d rather spend $$ buying a few fruit trees than giant pots with berry bushes. I’ve been working oh the Orchard idea with him for a few years now. We have a perfect slope for one – would adore some apple & pear trees if I can convince him! Wish me luck!
Perhaps there is a difference between different types of blueberries, but I have a single bush in my front yard and it has provided huge crops for several years.
However, considering how easy they are to grow and how much my family loves them I plan on getting a few more bushes this year.
Yeah, to me it would not be a huge deal to add a second one. I’m not dead set on just having one. I’m actually rethinking the bushes to see if I could instead push my hubby into looking at some fruit trees – something I’d prefer over berries.
Any great plant sales in the Snohomish county area that anyone knows of? I had a go at Tomatillos last year and it was a hit! They added a great addition to the garden, I got tons and when we were at a loss of what to make with all our stuff we threw the tomatillos in with it and made a sauce or salsa.
Yes, you do need more than one blueberry plants for pollination. Also, if you plant 2 different kinds of corn they also will cross pollinate and you won’t get pretty corn. You may be able to plant one kind in the front yard and one in the back, but they pollinate by the wind and it will mess up you plans for pretty indian corn or edible corn!
There is a plant sale in May at McCollum Park in Everett. I think the Shomish County Master Gardener’s club puts it on. I went last year and got some great deals.
Thank you for sharing that!
We are adding blueberry and huckleberry bushes as well as an apple and possibly a pear tree this year. I’ve heard and read that it’s best not to let them fruit the first year just to let them really established good roots before the stress of growing the fruit hits. We are going to have our hands full with our big new garden this year anyway so maybe it’s best.