finally! my 2012 seed order (+ an afterthought)
I’M LATE ON THE ANNUAL TRADITION of posting my seed orders, but finally, here they are. Looking the list over now, weeks after the actual purchases and with a little distance, my reaction: That’s a lot of winter squash vines for your not-very-big vegetable garden, Margaret (five kinds in all). Why?
It has been a few years since I grew winter squash; after many years of doing so, the usual run-in with pests (squash-vine borers and cucumber beetles in particular) had reached an overload. I was overdue to give squash and related crops a rest.
The vining crops also take a lot of room—which this year I have a bit more of, because I need to rest certain beds from any potato or tomato plants. Growing so many of each of those close relatives lately means my rotation schedule isn’t what it used to be (ideally three years between replanting an area with one or the other). I’m in search of some inexpensive, castoff whiskey barrels or other big vessels for my tomatoes—and suddenly have space for squash (presumably in soil that hasn’t seen many squash-savvy pests in awhile.) I’ll be growing them under a lightweight fabric cover, except during pollination time, to keep the insects at bay.
Other things I’m focusing on this year: Some new-to-me varieties of peas; the most beautiful beet mix of all; more pole beans (now that I have mastered how to “put up” my beans for winter usage, which I do by quickly tossing them in bubbling homemade tomato sauce, then freezing—almost like blanching, but in marinara). I’ve highlighted a few items below with comments.
Final note: Of course the list below is just what I bought this year. Partial packets of many salads, crucifers and bush beans, among other things, are waiting here for the starting gun as well. And I notice I seem to have forgotten the herbs! A little more shopping lies ahead, apparently.
My 2012 Seed Order
From Turtle Tree
(my recent story on Turtle Tree)
‘Mayfair’ shell peas (recommended by C.R. Lawn of Fedco, too; how could I resist?)
‘Sugar Lode’ snap peas
‘Schweizer Riesen’ snow peas
‘Butternut’ squash
‘Hidatsa’ Native American winter squash
Biodynamic Prep Plants collection
‘Rolanka’ carrot
‘Aunt Ada’s Italian’ pole bean (supposed to be delicious when the seeds have started to plump–so you enjoy green pod and bean together)
‘Butterflay’ spinach
From Fedco Seeds
(my recent story on Fedco)
‘Rattlesnake’ pole bean (How could I not grow this one, since I garden where there are rattlesnakes (specifically the Eastern timber rattler)?
H-19 little-leaf cucumber
‘Tromboncino’ winter squash
‘Sibley’ winter squash
‘Marina di Chiogga’ winter squash
3 Root Grex beet
Freedom Lettuce Mix
From Johnny’s Selected Seed
‘Beira’ kale (a specialty kale that’s traditional in Portuguese kale soup and new to me)
‘Copra’ onion plants
‘Ailsa Craig’ onion plants
‘Bridger’ pelleted onion seed (I was glad to see pelleted onion seeds that qualify as organic, despite the coating applied)
‘Red Zeppelin’ onion plants
‘Sierra Blanca’ onion plants
‘Garden of Eden’ pole bean
‘Napoli’ pelleted carrot seed
‘Bolero’ pelleted carrot seed
Wooden labels, 2 sizes
Seed Potatoes From Moose Tubers
(note: to share with neighbor; same with the onion plants above)
‘Banana’
‘Rose Finn Apple’
‘Yukon Gold’
‘Adirondack Red’
‘Kennebec’
‘Keuka Gold’ (a newer variety than similar Yukon, from Cornell, and supposedly suited to my region and higher-yielding…we shall see)
‘German Butterball’
Needs LOTS more chiles. ;-)
I love, love, love pelleted seeds. They save so much time and effort that they’re well worth the added expense.
Agree, Robin — and so happy to see they now have “better” pelleting materials. a good advance!
It’s a good thing you have a lot of space!
I grew my vining winter squash in square tomato cages last year to give them some lift and it worked really well. Don’t know how easy it would be to do the cover that way though.
Since you are going to have all of those squash, here is a recipe you really should try….”pumpkin stuffed with everything good” from Dorie Greenspan posted on the Epicurious website….I was even hiding the leftovers…
Margaret, I belong to a biodynamic study group. We recently started a yahoo group. We’re far away from you but, if you’re interested, I’m sure you can join us. Biodynamic gardeners are some of the warmest, most loving people I have ever met.
I find that large black nursery pots–the types trees come in–work well for growing potatoes/tomatoes/peppers/basically anything that needs to stay out of the garden for a year or two.
I’ve grown Trombocino before and they are delicious. Not only that but you can cut pieces of the necks (which have no seeds) off, use them and save the rest for later.
Roasted squash with onions, garlic and root veggies is delectable.
Anybody buying lots of perennial seeds? I’d love to see that seed order. (and who you are ordering flower seeds from!)
Hi, Juliane. As you can see, I don’t grow perennials from seed at the moment. Some interesting catalogs include Chiltern and Select Seeds/Antique Flowers among the many possibilities.
Better late than never! I am in the Never category! However, there is a great farm store, Adams, that I visit bimonthly that has aisles and aisles of seeds!
Not really a seed question but an edible one….every year more and more native and invasive weeds show up – or return to the cultivated areas of my garden. Instead of fighting them anymore, I’ve decided to harvest the edibles and put the others to use as groundcovers. This year I’m working on the hoards of Japanese knotweed that have infiltrated the Mayapple colonies that have overrun the woodland areas of my garden. I have read that the stalks of knotweed is edible when young and can be used like rhubarb. But mine grows more like a head of romaine lettuce, leaves close to the ground with very little stalk. Eventually it will grow taller – but maybe too tough by the time it produces a useful stalk. Have you any experience with this plant? Any other edible “weeds?” If I can’t beat’em, I’ve decided to eat’em. Thanks for an informative and entertaining website! My new go-to!
Hi, Lynne. The knotweed will win, that much I can tell you. The story in the archive here that may help you (lots of links including to Wildman Steve Brill’s site about edible weeds) is this one.
Thanks for sharing! It’s always so interesting to me to not only see the very different options some choose that I hadn’t heard of before, but also to find entirely new seed sources.
Happy sowing!
Nice to see you, Alli, and glad to showcase some new “faces”. Hope you get some real goodies from them!
I love reading other people’s seed lists! A little like looking in the medicine cabinet (if anyone has a medicine cabinet anymore). Although I said I couldn’t garden this year — shoulder surgery — I already have beets, lettuce, italian parsley, french tarragon in the ground and my onions and garlic (planted last October) are uncovered, up and flourishing. Cannot resist dirt!