One of the biggest challenges in gardening is figuring out what grows well in your area. I think we can safely say that snow peas, carrots and chinese broccoli (kailan) are all winners here…
This is the North box back on Dec 1:
And the same box 29 days later (ie. today):
The snow peas are more robust than they might appear, some of them are winding in and around the carrots, and lying down in the kailan section. Here’s the first harvest this morning:
Of course, you’ll have to imagine about one-fifth more pods there to account for the ones I ate on the way back into the house. *whistles innocently*
If you’re like me, you’ve received in the mail in the past two weeks enough seed catalogs to completely remulch some portion of your landscape. They really go all out in the design, and the use of full-color glossy pages, don’t they? The more effectively to tempt us, you know…I’ve already received my Seed Savers Exchange order, placed the Johnny’s Seeds order this morning, and still have Baker Creek Heirlooms and Territorial Seed Co. catalogs to get through!
Here’s what’s on deck for winter/spring planting…
From Seed Savers Exchange:
- Sunberry
- Cucumber – Bushy
- Carrot – Dragon Purple
- Melon – Sakata’s Sweet
- Melon – Delice de Table
- Bean – Jacob’s Gold
- Cucumber – Crystal Apple
- Spinach – Monnopa
- Carrot – Scarlet Nantes
- Carrot – St. Valery
- Lettuce – Red Rapids
- Onion – Yellow Borettana (Cipollini)
- Tomato – Federle
- Leek – Blue Solaize
- Carrot – Oxheart
- Corn – Tom Thumb
- Cucumber – Boothby’s Blonde
- Watermelon – Blacktail Mountain
From Johnny’s Seeds:
- Pepper – Padron (per Matt’s glowing recommendation)
- Carrot – Atomic Red
- Carrot – Yellowstone
- Carrot – Kinko
- Carrot – Hercules
- Carrot – Purple Rain
- Carrot – White Satin
- Carrot – Yaya
- Greens – Green Lance
- Greens – Yukina Savoy
- Greens – Red Choi
- Lettuce – Galisse
- Onion – Red Marble (Cipollini)
- Peas – Premium
- Peppers – Krimzon Lee
Argh, just look at that list. I am just a sucker for Heirloom varieties, the unusual stuff you can’t get in grocery stores or farmer’s markets. And if you even suggest that Thomas Jefferson once grew it at Monticello, well, hand it over, dammit. Oops.
UPDATE: The final selections have been made from Territorial Seed Co. and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds:
From Territorial:
- Bean – Black Pearl Edamame
- Pepper – Italian Sweet
- Bean – Misono Green Edamame
- Tomato – Orange Paruche
- Pepper – Whitney
From Baker Creek:
- Onion – Tokyo Long White Bunching
- Onion - Bianca di Maggio (yes, another Cipollini)
- Pea – Sugar Ann
- Tomato – Striped Roman
- Tomato – Carbon
- Watermelon – Chilean Black Seeded
- Watermelon – Gold Baby
And that’s IT, dammit!
Yeah, right…because I forgot about Heirloomseeds.com, Victory Heirlooms, Amishland Heirlooms and Seeds of Change! I’m DOOOMED!
on 
on Dec 30th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
So true about the biggest challenge. I’m just learning how to do a veggie garden much less what grows well. I know me and I tend to stick with what grows well not taking too much of a risk on the new and unusual. I did place a big order online last night at rareseeds.com for some varieties that will be a risk. Oh my.
Your garden is looking really good. If you order all the seeds you listed you won’t have a back yard only a veggie garden.
This weather has been so perfect for the garden don’t you think? And season has been so much easier to take care of than in the summer.
Great job you are doing. I haven’t tried snow peas but from your inspiration I should.
Meems
on Dec 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
@Meems:
Yay, another rareseeds convert! LOVE everything we bought from them last year.
And yes, this weather has been spectacular. If I’d actually protected the cucumbers during that one 32 night we had a few weeks ago they’d still be going too.
Do try snow peas, they are absolutely delicious…and they laughed at that 32 night, sat there with frost on their leaves and LAUGHED, I tell you.
on Dec 30th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
One of the things I love about garden blogs is seeing what grows in different climates. Your photos for instance…they look like springtime to me. Just lovely. You’ve got an impressive list of seeds! I’m going to try heirloom varieties from a Canadian organic seller this year and I’m very excited.
on Dec 30th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
that’s an impressive list you have there. I’m so envious of your veggies. We are working on our 4th area to grow veggies, either too wet or not enough sun. I was trying to see where you are located, I’m guessing close to Monticello…I’m in Tally.
on Dec 30th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Baker Creek Heirlooms (rareseed.com) has the most beautiful catalog! It’s only about a 3 hour drive from here, someday I’ll actually go there instead of ordering more seeds than I will have th energy to plant! LOL>
I do love, love, love, the heirloom plants. They are so much yummier, juicier, prettier than the perfect veggies in the grocery store
on Dec 31st, 2008 at 4:40 am
Hi – gosh your veg grow quickly. I am beginning to think about what veg to grow next year but am struggling to focus as it is trying to snow here at the moment.
on Jan 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 am
I can’t wait to start snowpeas in a month and a half. My Territorial Seed Catalog arrived last week and I’ve already read it cover to cover TWICE.
on Jan 2nd, 2009 at 9:23 am
@coriander:
That’s some good reading there.
I think you might like Baker Creek too. Their catalog is SHINY.
on Jan 9th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
You’re going to love the Black Pearl Edamame. We grew those last season, and they were quite tasty. But, trust me, when you think you’ve planted enough, plant about twice as much again. I had 8 edamame plants and discovered after 2 harvests that I should have planted about 20 for the amount of edamame that we eat.
on Feb 7th, 2009 at 7:37 am
HI I see you ordered alot of Chipollini’s all the info Ive found says these are ‘Long Day’ onions ie. they will only bulb during the long days of summer north of Tennessee are you growing these as bunching onions or pearls? Please let me know as I ordered some Red Marbles too but dont want to waste the space if they arent going to produce. Best regards Dave
on Feb 7th, 2009 at 10:16 am
@Dave: Cipollinis BULB during the long days of summer. Before that they GROW. So I’m really not sure what you’re asking. We live in Florida, we’re growing them as bulb onions.