Saturday, February 27, 2010

So Many Seeds, So Little Space


This spring/summer planting and growing season will mark our second year at trying to grow some of our own food. And, instead of purchasing transplants from a local nursery, we are going to try and grow at least 90% from seed. This way we have access to a lot more variety, and plants that will hopefully work best for our growing situation and climate.

Right after the New Year, I ordered a number of seed catalogs (Tomato Growers, Seeds of Change, Seed Savers Exchange, Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Burpee). When they finally arrived in late January and early February, I thought I had died and gone to gardening heaven. I started referring to them as “gardening porn.” I read them like novels but marked them up like textbooks. After several weeks and a lot of second-guessing myself, I finally decided what to order. So, now the deed is done and I am anxiously awaiting the deliveries (hoping for the first or second week of March).

Here’s the list of seeds:

TOMATOES

  • San Marzano
  • Yellow Canary
  • Isis Candy
  • Super Sweet 100 VF Hybrid
  • Sioux
  • New Big Dwarf
  • Better Bush VFN Hybrid

PEPPERS

  • Early Sunsation Hybrid
  • Peto Wonder Hybrid
  • Chilly Chili Hybrid
  • Jalapeno M

EGGPLANT

  • Vittoria PS Hybrid
  • Fairy Tale Hybrid

CUCUMBER

  • Diamant

PEAS

  • Sugar Sprint

WINTER SQUASH, PUMPKINS & GOURDS

  • Ornamental Gourds (mix)
  • Honey Bear
  • Waltham Butternut OG
  • Rouge Vif D’Etampes

SUMMER SQUASH

  • Cocozelle

BUSH BEANS

  • Blue Lake
  • Roc D’Or

DRY BEANS

  • Jacob’s Cattle Gold

CHARD

  • Orange Fantasia

LETTUCE

  • Santa Fe

This doesn’t include the selection of seeds that I already have and have been growing from since the fall. Now, I have to find new places to grow everything since there is no way that I can fit everything into four 4’x4’ raised beds. I will need to get creative with containers. I am eyeing parts of the front yard for the peppers and, may be, the eggplants. And, I may dig up some of the backyard to make room for the squashes and pumpkins since they have a tendency to take up a lot of space.

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