Sunday, February 5, 2012

Garden Planning

The blog has been put aside for the past few days while I happily plan this year's garden.  


I've been using Johnny's Seeds Interactive Tools to help me figure out how many seeds and transplants I'll need for each garden and seed starting dates for transplants.  

The three gardens I'm planning include:  the "Inside the High Tunnel" garden (roughly 26 by 96 feet), the "Outside the High Tunnel" garden (30 by 70 feet), and the "Triangle Garden" (which is 16 feet wide at the narrow end, 70 feet wide at the wide end, and 150 feet long).  My husband is putting strawberries and raspberries in the other high tunnel - with an experimental corner where I would like to try to overwinter rosemary, lavender, and a couple of dwarf fig trees.  

Whew!

Just writing it down makes me realize the size of the operation!  The majority of the work is done by hand!

When I plan my gardens, have to plan for my own use and for the Farmer's Markets.  This means I'm growing a few things I don't like, but I think they'll sell, such as cauliflower and cilantro.  There are a few things I considered growing - like fennel and rutabagas - but I just don't think they'll sell at the Farmer's Market.    

Here's what's going into this year's gardens (it's a looong list!):

Carrots: Danvers 126, Kaleidoscope Mix
Kale: Red Winter, Blue Curled Scotch
Parsnip: Harris
Beets: Early Wonder Tall Top, Bulls Blood
Onions: Bunching, Cipollini, Cortland, Flat of Italy
Tomato: Burpee Big Boy, Roma, Yellow Pear, Super Sweet 100, Green Zebra, Beefsteak, Black Prince
Peppers: California Wonder, Jalapeno, Pepperoncini, Happy Yummy Hot and Sweet
Cucumber: Picklebush, Orient Express, Sweet Burpless Hybrid, Marketmore
Eggplant: Traviata, Rosa Bianca, Japanese White Egg
Watermelon: Sugar Baby, Orangeglo
Cantaloupe: Honeyrock
Beans: Rocdor, Royal Burgandy, Tender Green, Dragon's Tongue, Italian Flat Pod Jumbo
Flowers: Marigold, Court Jester; Zinnia, Bright Jewels Cactus; Sunflower, Zohar, Mammoth
Summer Squash: Crookneck Early Summer, Zapallo del Tronco, Zucchini Black Beauty, Goldy, Lemon Squash, Zucchini Lungo Bianco, Zucchini Rampicante
Corn: Luscious, Red Beauty
Winter Squash: Acorn Ebony, Delicata, Kabocha Black Forest, Buttercup, Butternut Waltham
Pumpkin: Kakai, Charisma, New England Pie
Peas: Lincoln, Sugar Snap
Drying Beans: Vermont Cranberry
Radish: French Breakfast, Watermelon, Cherry Belle
Okra: Clemson Spineless
Broccoli: Di Ciccio
Cauliflower: Snowball
Cabbage: Farao, Red Express
Brussel Sprouts: Long Island
Celery: Tango
Celeriac: Brilliant
Leeks: American Flag
Turnips: Purple Top White Globe
Asian Greens: Pak Choi, Orient Express Cabbage  
Lettuce: Buttercrunch, Black-seeded Simpson, Lollo Rossa
Spinach: Baby's Leaf Hybrid, Bloomsdale Long-standing
Herbs: Italian Dark Green Parsley, Italian Large Leaf Sweet Basil, Long Standing Cilantro, Bouquet Dill

I would love to know if there is anything where other Market Farmers have had particular luck, or if you live in my area and don't see something you'd love to have.

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides.  
~W.E. Johns, The Passing Show


In the next few weeks we'll be busily getting ready for the maple season.  This will be our first year boiling our own sap!



4 comments:

  1. I learned recently that cilantro is one of the most used herbs in the world! They even use it in oriental cooking.
    Wow, fennel is a gourmet item but if people don't know what to do with it I guess they wont' buy it.
    I actually bought some rutabagas at the Farmer's Market recently just because I'd never had them and they were really good! My MIL told me they used to eat them all the time when she was growing up in New York.
    What a great garden you have planned! :)

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    1. I'm always surprised that cilantro is so widely loved. I think I must have weird taste bugs because I find it to be vile!

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  2. I am right there with you on the ick factor for cilantro; everyone else loves it and I detest it fresh or dried as coriander. You and I... perhaps a cup of tea some afternoon.

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