Thursday, January 22, 2009

My own plans for summer produce



In recent years, we've belonged to one or another CSA. Before that, we had a community garden plot at Crabtree, which turned out to be logistically challenging, as it's on the other side of town and lacked facilities to clean up after digging and weeding. I had tried to secure one at the local community center, only to discover that I am seventh on the waiting list. So, this year (mainly for financial reasons) we are going to try to fill the above pots (plus some others) with the seeds below.



I have from Renee's Garden (formerly Shepherd's Seeds):
  • a lettuce mix, Paris Market Basket
  • carrots, Bolero Nantes
  • radishes, Petit Dejeuner
  • beets, Baby Ball
  • a container (!) cucumber, Bush Slicer
  • bush French beans, Rolande
from Seeds of Change:
  • lettuce, Bronze Arrow
  • radish, Cherry Belle
from last year's CSA, squash, Delicata

flowers from Helen, Ladybird Poppy, which didn't fare well in 2008, so it's getting another chance

and some lavender seeds from Suffolk Herbs, in England.

We'll also get, as seedlings, tomatoes, peppers, basil, dill, maybe potatoes (which I've read you can grow in a barrel). The garden behind the pots contains a lot of thyme, sage, chives, marjoram, oregano, etc., and the tomatoes and herbs usually go in there. I'm hoping to put in a horseradish root in a corner. There's nothing like the sinus-clearing jolt you get grating a fresh root of it.

I'm eager to see how we do in the hot weather, keeping everything watered. I'm trying to get a rain barrel set up, so am reading up on mosquito control.

I'm also reading up on planting by the phases of the moon . ..

A short view of the sky the other evening . . .

22 comments:

mouse (aka kimy) said...

except for flowers in beds I've resorted to planting all my veggies and herbs in containers...not that I do much of that anymore with easy access in the summer to farmer's markets and cleveland's wonderful west side market....

great sky.... when it's cold and clear the sky is always so wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Don't the pots look so forlorn? I am going ot out in a few veggies in a small plot, but will almost certianly buy them already sprouted after the last frost. And I always do herbs in pots on my balcony. But I'm thinking about the potatoes-in-a-barrel thing.

Anonymous said...

Good idea! For the money of the CSA last year, I feel we got a bit shorted...

Avid Reader said...

Seeds--now is the time when I start looking at the catalogs and dreaming of future glories.

I would love a glasshouse and some cold frames but the expense is too much for me right now.

When I had a large fenced garden I still had to use deer netting on everything, (and once my house sitter called me shrieking because a baby groundhog had gotten tangled in the netting and a crow had killed it.) But if I didn't use netting, the groundhogs--who tunneled under garden walls, and through wire barriers underground-- took a small bite out of every single tomato, every pepper, every cucumber. a total loss.

we now just harvest a lot of herbs, (mint, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, tarragon , lavender are faves) and I limit the pots, because watering is always an issue here.

alice said...

We have lots of herbs in pots, plus last summer we grew tomatoes (several varieties), jalepenos, habeneros and berries in the yard. Everything did just fine for the first half of the summer, but once the heat and dry moved in, we had a hell of a time keeping everything alive. Plus, the tomatoes pretty much stopped producing fruit once the temps got higher than the low 90s.

This year, I'm going to try to find a tomato that is very heat tolerant.

Kurt said...

Please send produce.

Pecos Blue said...

Can't wait to plant! Have to wait here at the Grand Canyon.

Coffee Messiah said...

Nice video.

We had cherry tomatoes growing on the side of our house, and basil and mint and tyme. It's hard to get the tomatoes in without eating a few first.

Good Luck!

e said...

Good Luck with your container gardening. I tried to grow tomatoes and it was far too hot over the summer and spring. They just did not do well, and it was a first attempt, so I need to learn more before trying again...

JGH said...

Oooh, horseradish! That's something I may have to try. Where do you get the root??

I'm also hoping to get a rainbarrell and was wondering about mosquitos -- mabye theres something organic that can be added to the water to discourage larvae?

Megan said...

I'm negotiating right now with the landlord to switch to the vacant downstairs apartment that has a small patio.

If all works out, There Will Be Pots.

Good luck to you with yours!

red dirt girl said...

i used to love looking through seed catalogs, flowers, herbs, shrubs, trees - all of it; dreaming of a beautiful garden.

my reality? with 3 children, a dog and no time - my dream will have to wait.

i did attempt it once. and i had 3 gorgeous 'springs' (the month of May only) when all my wildflower seeds would erupt in this frenzy of color. by mid-June? gone in the sweltering heat. by the fourth year, the small trees i had planted had become giant'er' trees, and they shaded all my sunny flower beds ... c'est la vie!

i've emailed you a potted garden that i saw in the UK for your inspiration. keep us posted on the pots!

xxx
rdm

Linda said...

I try to plant a garden every summer. It's discouraging when it doesn't do well which mine didn't last summer. Hard to beat home grown tomatoes.

angela said...

It'll be interesting to see how it works out. I also like the idea of the rain barrel. I always find that plants seem to prefer rainwater.

Good luck.

red dirt girl said...

ps. i love the idea that you are watching the moon as well .... keeping in tune with nature's own rhythms and cycles.

xxx
rdm

Shammickite said...

Last summer I had great success with both red and yellow tomatoes...mmmm... so yummy warmed by the sun straight out of the garden. I'll do the same this year, but other veggies are plentifully available in season at our local farmers market and at roadside veggie stands so it really isn't worth my effort to grow my own.

Avid Reader said...

good question about rain barrels and mosquitos!
also horseradish spreads like wildfire and I think I read someplace that it can kill other plants (all they have to do is sniff the air around it apparently!) so keeping it contained is an idea.

there is a huge herb farm in Ontario _Richters I think. I've ordered 'hard to find locally' herbs from them. (nettle plants for example.)

Barbara said...

Who knows? Maybe you will like your gardening project so well that you will end up contributing to a CSA. I think the CSA concept is the way to go!

Anonymous said...

Oh, good luck with the seed planting.

I am hoping to plant some this spring.

At the moment I grow cat grass - but it's a start.

Avid Reader said...

thanks for the tip: re Abigail Thomas, am reading it now. really good.

lettuce said...

what a lovely glimpse ahead to spring!

i grew potatoes quite successfully in an old dustbin once.
and re rain barrels (water butts over here) - i don't think mosquitos are a problem so long as you keep them covered. or, you can put a v.v. thin layer of paraffin (?) on the top of the water...

bulletholes said...

Hi Tut!
Thamks for the visit...
I've never had any luck with Basil or Rosemary in pots...they seem to prefer the ground. Thyme, yes, pots have worked, but I favor the Basil and rosemary for cooking.