I am pretty sure we have a blue/purple/red theme going on in this years garden here in KY. Blue Hopi corn, Blue peas, Purple Sun carrots, Royalty purple pod beans, Velour beans, Purple Peacock Broccoli, Blue and purple potatoes, purple snap peas, red Chinese noodle beans, and who knows what else will end up in the garden! Whatever adds interest and nutrients is good for me, and my family loves it too.
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| Just a few of the new seeds ordered this year! |
I am preparing seed starting containers as we put boxes in the recycling container. These are cereal and cracker boxes cut, folded, and glued with washable non toxic glue. And then of course toilet paper or paper towel rolls too.
Other stuff I have been saving from the recycling box is clear plastic containers for homemade cloches! And clear togo trays to start a few greens in. Whatever I can do to get my stuff going earlier! Milk cartons work great and my warm season veggies seem to grow like crazy in those things when they are getting going! Helps to protect them from critters too!
I have also been preparing seed mats for carrots. I might do onions too. I picked up this cool tip from my garden blogging friend at Annie's Kitchen Garden a couple of years ago. Works nicely.
Working on planning out the garden. And where, oh where, will I put everything? Think I need new beds! ;) I spent hours on this the other day! And it still is not ready.
Yes, that is the plan. More new beds. I told my poor husband I just want to turn the whole back yard into a garden. Oh, he enjoys eating my wonderful harvests, but he still thinks I am a little nuts and in over my head!
As for starting seeds this month, there really isn't a lot to get started in Kentucky's Zone 6a according to the University of Kentucky's Home Vegetable Gardening guide. Onions, that's it. But next month the list will be growing! Brassicas, green leafy vegetables, peas, oh my! February is only a few short weeks away. Last years garden season just flew by, so I will try not to let anything pass me by this year as I did last year!
New seeds and plants for this year
Soleil and Velour beans
Purple Peacock Broccoli
Purple Sun carrot
Hopi Blue corn
Hookers Sweet indian corn
Red Baron Scallion
Ruby Ring onion
Blauschokker Blue pod peas
Golden Star Pepper
White Currant Tomato
Japanese Trifele Black Tomato
Dukat Dill
Marktmore 76 Cucumber
Chinese Red noodle bean
White Bush Scallop Squash
Musquee de Provence Squash
Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash (upon suggestion from Dave at Our Happy Acres)
Purple podded pole beans
American Melon Ananas D'Amerique Chair Verte (free sample)
Lungo Bianco Zucchini
Sweet Chocolate Pepper
Blue and purple potatoes
Purple Haze Asparagus (arriving in spring)
Didn't I tell ya there was a lot of purple, blue and red in this years selection!?
Talk about color! I love the Velour beans. They are the most prolific bush bean I've ever grown, but be sure to pick them young or they can get kind of fibrous. I've opted to grow them for the second year in a row. I didn't have very good luck with the colored carrots (only tried them once). I guess I should give them another try.
ReplyDeleteVery good to know about the beans! Last year was not great! It's a new year! Ya, I have had bad luck with colored carrots too. Guess I'll try again! ;)
DeleteYou will soon have a wonderful garden! My husband likes to eat the fresh veggies too but making new beds, not so much! The garden season goes by much too swiftly! Nancy
ReplyDeleteYes, my husband does the heavy lifting when making raised beds, but I don't mind tilling and preparing in-ground beds! ;)
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