The Proposed Plants for the 2012 Garden

More February flowers - Snowdrop surprise.

The entire seed order has not arrived but only one order is outstanding and that one should be in soon. The others arrived on two separate days last week in the mailbox on top of each other. Here is the list of seeds we plan to plant in the 2012 garden . . .

2012 Seed Order

Totally Tomatoes -TT

Pinetree Garden Seeds – PGS

Territorial Seed Co. – TSC

Johnny’s Selected Seeds – JSS

Sand Hill Preservation Center– SHP

Healthy Pepper – TT

Ice Age Hybrid – TT

Golden Treasure – TT (free)

Sweet Gourmet – TT

Ethnic Sweet Antohi Romanian – JJS

Italian Pepperoncini pepper- PGS

Azoychkas Russian tomato – TT

Country Taste Hybrid –TT

Moonglow – TT

Old Brooks – TT

Persimmon Orange – TT

Sugary Hybrid – TT

Sweet Treats Hybrid –TT

Five Star Grape – JSS

Tomatoberry Garden Hybrid – PGS

Cheesemans tomato - SHP

Alpine Daikion radish – JSS

Dragon Hybrid – TSC

German Giant radish – PGS

Tender Gold Chinese cabbage - TSC

Panisse lettuce – JSS (all Johnny’s seed is pelletized seed)

Concept – JSS

Adriana – JSS

Winter Density – JSS

Costal Star – JSS

Radichetta – PGS

Tom Thumb lettuce - SHP

Pepinex Hybrid cucumber – TSC

Summer Dance – PGS

Socrates – JSS

Glorie de Paris cucumber - SHP

Bordeaux Hybrid spinach – TSC

Tortoiseshell Hybrid – TSC

Regatta Hybrid– TSC

Space - PGS

Space - JSS

Viroflay - PGS

Spinach Mix – PGS

Tyee spinach – JSS

Emu spinach – JSS

Burpees Golden beet – PGS

Golden Ball turnip – PGS

Javelin Hybrid parsnip – TSC

Romano pole bean – PGS

Goldmarie– TSC

Northeaster– JSS

Marengo Romano pole bean - PGS

Gunnison onion (pelletized seed)- JSS

Perfection fennel – TGS

French thyme – PGS

Petra parsley – PGS

Prezzemolo Gigante D Italia parsley – PGS

Nufar basil (pelletized) JSS

Caraway – SHP

Dukat dill – SHP

Astro arugula/roquette – JSS

Sylevetta wild arugula – JSS

Roquette arugula – JSS

Rucola Selvatica arugula – PGS

Arugula - SHP

Dandelion Red Rib – JSS

Italiko Rossa dandelion – TSC

Spicy Green mustard – TSC

Tokyo Bekana Asian greens – JSS

Watercress – PGS

Spring Greens mix – SHP

Fall Greens mix - SHP

Tasty Bites melon – TSC

Jelly melon - SHP

Piccolo Hybrid summer squash – TSC

Rainbow winter squash – SHP

Scarchuks Supreme winter squash -SHP

Giant Sunglold sunflower – TSC

Double quick Orange sunflower – JSS

Profusion Cherry zinnia – JSS

Profusion Yellow zinnia – JSS

Butternut Brown cotton - SHP

Happy Gardening

Seed Orders Arrive

I watered the crops in the hoop house and now that the seeds have started to arrive soon it will be time to plant more crops in here...

Thursday Feb 23rd - Pinetree Garden Seeds from Maine and Totally Tomatoes from WI both were in the mailbox together so that means another tie. I expect the rest of them to be here before too long.
Happy Gardening

The Last Fruit and the First Flowers

February species crocus - Wow! early for sure.

There are more varieties planted in this part of the lawn - more to come.
Most of these are Fireside - a real good winter keeper.
Great applesauce - no white sugar - just some honey and a touch of maple syrup and of course a good dose of cinnamon.

The pictures tell the story. The last of the 2011 apples were made into applesauce Friday. The crop was stored in the basement refrigerator and in two coolers in the garage. As winter continues to be mild the cooler storage was perfect for our apples. Too bad we didn't keep Figgy in the garage too - maybe the tree would have not broken dormancy so easily in the crawlspace.

The first species crocus of the season bloomed today!!! Very early even for species crocus but they are a most welcome sight. the flowers will get a dose of cayenne pepper now that I have pictures just to keep any rogue rabbits off them. Unfortunately, some smaller bunnies can squeeze through the fence looking for a free meal.
Happy Gardening

2012 Seed Order Complete

At last the 2012 seed order is done and sent. The race is on to see who get this years seeds here first. Only five orders this year instead of buying from seven companies last year - no real reason other than I really have to not get seed packet happy and work better at growing what I buy. So as soon as we have a winner in the mailbox I will let you know and then I will work at getting the variety list out too.
Happy Gardening

The new home for FIGGY - we will miss her....
A little quarantine before she goes in with the other plants and then outside for summer....

I have been busy and haven't even got the seed order done yet! I have worked on it and this years choices, but I just haven't gotten to the final list or calling it in. The weather is so nice that the seed order just begs for action.

Taught class at Fox Valley Technical College yesterday with the beginning horticulture class. We talked vegetables, made rag dolls, and even watched a video showing a tomato grafting robot at work - really cool. (Google -" Tomato grafting machines" and then images and look at the second image.) This will take you to the University of Arizona site and they have robot videos at the bottom of the page. Fantastic stuff these engineers when they get an idea to work on....

Sadly, we donated our Chicago Brown Turkey fig tree to FVTC because it had outgrown us! I had a hard time just getting the potted tree into the car to take it with me. The tree was a great producer and I asked my friends at Fox Valley to experiment with it in the cloning lab. I would like a clone of the tree if they can make one. Plus I got to see their micro greens production area - great space and the micro greens are procured for the culinary arts kitchen at the college. Maybe, with luck, sometime next summer figs too will be on their menu.
Happy Gardening