We’re Planning the 2010 Plants
Posted By FarmerJ on February 28, 2010
It’s hard to believe, but it’s time to begin planning the garden plots again. Darling Husbie gave me the prod the other day when he mentioned he hadn’t seen my master plan drawn out on engineer paper. Well…um…uh…that’s because I don’t have it done yet.
To get started, we made a list of everything we wanted to plant. I dug the box of seeds from last year out of the garage, and was pleasantly surprised at the variety we already had. We also picked up a dozen or so packets while at the home improvement store yesterday. There’s nothing to give you Spring Fever like picking out seeds ~ even if it was hampered by waking to freezing fog the next morning!
We still need to order a dozen or so packets online. They will all be heirloom seeds. I’ll put that on the to-do list for tomorrow. Then, the only thing left will be for Darling Husbie to decide on and order whatever variety of sweet corn he wants to grow this year. Oh, and get the potato seeds. The sweet corn and potatoes are his plant babies.
This year, we’ll be planting artichokes; six varieties of beans; broccoli; brussels sprouts; carrots; celery; corn; three varieties of cowpeas; two varieties of cucumbers; eggplant; two varieties of lettuce; okra; two varieties of hot peppers; three varieties of sweet peppers; two or three varieties of potatoes; pumpkins; snap peas; spinach; three varieties of summer squash; two varieties of winter squash; and, three varieties of tomatoes. Of course, we will have the asparagus and strawberries that we’ve established over the past two years.
I will be utilizing the plots a little differently than last year. This year, I will be using both 40′ x 150′ plots instead of just one. The plants and I will have 12,000 square feet to spread out. There will be more space between the rows, also, so that Darling Husbie can run Tym through with the cultivator to help with weed control. Rather than mulching the entire 6,000 sf with alfalfa like I did last year, I will mulch around the plant and immediate surrounding area, and then let automation do the rest! The need for extra seat time should be pleasing to Darling Husbie, as well!
In the coming days, I’ll be working on updating the Glorious Garden pages, too. I know I’ve been less than remiss in keeping the 2009 page current, but I promise to have it up-to-date very soon. The amount of produce we harvested last summer really was quite phenomenal ~ and the blessings we received in being able to share with so many others were aplenty! ♥
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Wow! You’re so ambitious!! I’d LOVE to see your garden in August – I think that’s the best time in the garden. Unfortunately for us, we go away for two full weeks at the end of August – right at harvest time.
So I don’t plant a garden anymore. I found that when we’d leave, it would be almost ready for harvest then we’d get back and even if I told others to help themselves, there would be too much fruit and veggies rotting in the garden and the majority of plants would be almost done. Oh well. Someday!
Hi Mamame! You’re right ~ planting a garden does sort of keep you close to home. But, with Husbie’s work schedule the way it’s been the past couple of years, we couldn’t have gone anywhere anyway. Hopefully this year, the time he has to be away will be earlier (unless there’s a bad hurricane season), so he’ll be here to help with most of the harvesting. We’re excited about it again, and we’re looking forward to being able to donate a lot of produce again, too.
Thanks for stopping by to visit!
Great job….We already have the cherry and beefsteak tomato seedlings breaking through in their trays…..I Love the Spring !!!!
Happy Growing Farmer J ~~
Good for you, Grammy Goo! You’ve got a head start on us. I’ve got the tomato seeds ~ I’ve just got to get set up to get them started. I used the newspaper cups last year and they worked out fabulously. I need to buy Sunday’s paper and start making cups!
U go Girl Plant away
wooohoooo
Farmer J,
FYI, left over seeds from the year before have around a 50% germination rate. My D-in-Law Andy will be planting the Boston Marrow squash this summer and I’m anxious to see what they look like and how big we can grow them. I got the Heirloom catalog last month and Susan loves the color pictures in them. She plans to use them for her still life drawings when she retires. What’s Darling Husbie doing for AT this year? 1SG