2006 Vegetable and Herb plans

Why start planning a garden in January? Mostly because I'm bored, and itching to see something other than gray sky.

The planned garden -

• Yukon Gold Potatoes - yeah, I know, they're cheap in the store, but I've never grown potatoes, so I'm going to this year. We'll see how well they store - after all, the farmer's market potatoes have lasted 4 months and counting. The store bought ones lasted two weeks before sprouting.
• Onions - white, red, and yellow. Fleet Farm (or is it Farm & Fleet?) will have bags of onion sets, about 100 for $1. I grew the yellow variety last year and still have a couple in my pantry. They are the strongest onions I've tasted in a long time.
• Tomatoes - Always a favorite here. I need to grow at least 2 cherry plants, 4 slicers, and probably 14 or 16 paste tomatoes (depending on germination). The stocked tomato paste from last year has been invaluable. An added bonus over the store-bought variety - these have taste.
  
• Corn - blasted raccoons. I hope to at least harvest some corn this year. The choice of the year is an ornamental variety used for corn flour. The raccoons should prefer the sweet corn down the road, but who knows? They took out a whole plot of popcorn last year.
• Beans - green beans, pole beans, dry beans. Another staple. I remember mushy bean casseroles as a child - none of that here.
• Peas - Stir fry just begs for fresh snow peas. An added bonus is their prolific habits, so I always have spares to share with family and neighbors.
• Lettuce - if I can manage to keep the bunnies and slugs off of it. I had good luck with a floating row cover last year, but it's sort of a pain to keep in place.
• Cucumber - my nemesis. I have yet to grow any melon, gourd, or squash family successfully.
• Pumpkin - see above
• Garlic - only planted in fall, this requires some key appointment-calendar entries so I don't forget it again.
• Bell Peppers - much better than store bought.
• Hot Peppers - Did you know these can grow as perennials? I didn't until I saw some pepper 'trees' somebody had potted up.
• Turnips - amazingly good for a 'yucky' vegetable. Maybe I'll try beets next!

What else am I planting? Probably an herb garden, or parts of one at least. Maybe some landscape plants (I have some heirloom seeds harvested from rose hips that might sprout if I treat them well).

Other work I need to do? Build this year's attempt at trellises, bean teepees, and other garden sundries. I'm too cheap to buy a lot of garden things.

Later this month or next I'll have to set up my potting area for starting the seeds. I've found it immensely cheaper than buying two leggy, yellow, tomato plants for $3.00 only to have one die of transplant shock. Plus I get to choose from a bigger variety.

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