Planning: The Garden 2012

Ahhh, winter.

I don't particularly like you, but you have some benefits. Like Christmas, Faire's birthday, less-crowded trails in Lynn Valley, a break from yard work...

and the arrival of the West Coast Seeds catalogue!

As I start my dreaming and listing, I'm trying to get a sense of the stuff that actually gets used up around here, to see if it can influence my decisions on what seeds to purchase. I received a pressure canner for Christmas (canned all my turkey stock - hurray!) so I am dreaming of corn. But I don't have the kind of success I want with corn, so I will be buying it from the Farmer's Market. I'll be buying a whole heck of a lot of it I think! Canned corn! Maybe I'm a little weird in my super-excitement? I just haven't really eaten corn outside of August and September in years, so to have a year-round supply sounds quite appealing. I am thinking of trying to can green beans too, just because I adored them as a kid (Green Giant - good times, good times). I'm not sure how my adult tastes will handle canned beans, but we will see. I always plant two teepees worth of Blue Kentucky beans with so many I don't know how to use them up fast enough. 

Anyway, on the list so far to plan in 2012:

Tomatoes.

**Kyla and I canned 300+ lbs last year. We can never have too many. I think my canned sauces and tomatoes will last me until late Spring this year, but it will be a stretch. We canned tomatoes until we just couldn't handle the thought of it anymore. But I think I'll add another session this year so I have a bit more to carry me right through until July.

**I'll stick mostly to 20 or so heirloom variety plants this year for overabundant eating. I'm debating not planting Romas or other canning tomatoes because I know of some local farmers I can order from for a good price. Leave myself more garden space for something else.

Green Beans.

**Kentucky Blue. Two teepees worth (each teepee has 5 or 6 bamboo poles with 3 seeds at the base of each one) And some Kentucky Wax. Maybe some Royal Burgundy bush beans? 

Lettuces, Spinach, Cabbages, Kale.

**maybe swiss chard. It always looks so beautiful, but I just can't actually commit to liking it! Maybe it will give me some incentive to try new recipes.

Cucumbers.

**3 or 4 Tasty Green.

**maybe some Homemade Pickles too. I make way too many pickles each year. Maybe if I restrict it to only the pickling cukes I grow, it will keep the pickle jars from overwhelming me. (not that I don't have plenty of takers...)

Carrots.

**Bolero pelleted, Little Fingers, Rainbow Blend

Beets.

**Touchstone Gold, Red Ace

Celery.

**worked fairly well last year, and soooo convenient to have celery right in my garden!

Onions. And Leeks!

**WallaWalla

**the leeks have been awesome all winter for potato-leek soup.

Peas.

**Super Sugar Snap. Best snack around.

**maybe some shelling peas too. I'll ask for advice at West Coast Seeds when I go.

Peppers:

**jalepenos. No sweet peppers unless I'm sucked in a usual. They don't produce enough to be worth my time and space. Maybe if I get a little greenhouse...

Radishes, Parsnips, Turnips.

**I think I still have seeds for all of these, so why not?

Zucchini.

**3 or 4

Sugar Pumpkins.

**can't resist.

Herbs!

**basil, cilantro, basil, parsley (still going strong in my garden now), basil, dill, did I mention basil?

**hoping calendula will spread this year, add chamomile, bergamot?, more mint! and stevia.

Flowers.

**I need to add some. I've got to think on what and where.

What's in the garden already?

Berries: strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackberries, blueberries

Garlic: 50 or so cloves

Herbs: lavender, mint, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme

Asparagus: please flourish this year!