The Modern Victory Garden

Awww yeah!

Oh, what shall I purchase this year?  Hmmm.

All of my seeds from '09 were either from 1.) Walmart or 2.)  McClendons hardware store - so I've learned there can be some incredibly poor samples made available to Joe Six Pack - like myself.  While I cant vouch for the quality -good or poor - of the seeds - I can certainly have a suspicion that some of these packs were plain lousy.

I'm more interested in getting the most vege. for my buck this season - hence I'm ordering only through Territorial Seed Co. and their online website.  I'm much more savvy about where these seeds are coming from, and Territorial seems to know what they are doing.  They run trials and are in the close to identical temperate zone as my backyard of Bothell WA. 

Last years seeds could have been from a turnpike ditch in New Jersey for all I know.

Your Mileage May Vary.

Bush beans - last years pnating was fine but nothing ecstatic. I'm trying the Venture variety (Bush) beans this spring. From what I remember the bush beans give one great harvest and thats almost it. I might plan two seperate direct in the bed plantings just to keep it fresh.

Corn: Last years corn - was a total stinker... so, I'm going to try their corn 'Seneca Horizon'.  It's a sweet corn variety that typically matures in 70-80 days. This will be a direct seed plant in the bed.  No seed starts here.

Carrots - Bolero variety.  Again, a direct in bed planting and subsequent thinning.

Lettuce- Valmaine varity that is parked in the Romaine lettuce family.  My kids will eat Romaine more than any other kind of lettuce.   Case closed.  Ill start these indoors in Jan. under a heat mat and some lights.

Spinich - Olympia variety.  The kids have all watched Popeye cartoons on YouTube and yes they already eat spinach when we make it.  Parmesean cheese makes even spinach a yummy treat.

Tomatoes - Siletz variety.  While I loved cutting my teeth on an indeterminate variety last year, I realize I dont have the garden space for a variety that just keeps on growing all over the place.  I need something a bit more easy to manage. Hence I'm trying the Siletz indeterminate variety this Spring.  These types are parthinocarpic...whatever THAT means, seedless I think; and should do just fine in my containers.

Pumpkins - Neon variety. For the chit'lins.  My Halloween will be great!   I dont plan on turning these into pies - just simply some wicked looking Jack O Lanterns for my three kids.

In the next few weeks I'm adding steer manure or chicken manure to the beds.  I *might* try some fava beans as a cover crop in Feb instead.  Or maybe both?

Anyways - I'm also keeping busy with some reading on Home Brewing beer, and might start a blog about that progress. I currently have a home brewing beer kit in the mail. Gosh I love the Internet.

Whats new with you? 

Whats happening, and what are you planning in your garden this 2010 ?

Oh I love when the catalogs come pouring in!   I just finished my big annual seed and supply purchases - most of the seeds from Territorial (as usual!).    I think you have made some great choices Jim G!   Siletz is a very good tomato choice and does very well in our region.   I am thinking of growing a few of that variety in some big pots that my sister just gave me the other day.  I also purchased Bolero carrots - I grew them this year and they were a heavy producer and very tasty/good looking too.   I have grown Venture bush beans before and they were a good producer.   I grew Jade last year and was so happy with it that I saved some seed for future use.   This year, I am growing a purple bush bean called Royal Burgundy that I purchased from a different seed company.   I have also grown Valmaine quite often and it is a really nice Cos lettuce.    

So this year, I am growing several of my stand by's - Bloomsdale Savoy spinach, Bodacious and Precocious sweet corn, Bolero arrots, Bright Lights swiss chard, Cobham Improved parsnips, Tronchuda cabbage,  Yukon Gold/Caribe potatoes, Walla Wall onions, Yellow and Red onion sets, Dakota peas, Cascadia sugar snap peas, Fantastic/Early Girl/Celebrity/Siletz tomatoes, Improved Dwarf Siberian kale, Gold Rush zucchini, Mokum carrots, Small Sugar pumpkin, Super Gourmet Blend lettuce, Utah 52-70 R Improved celery, Blue Lake pole beans, Large Italian basil, Vulgare Dill, and Sunset Runner beans,   

I am also growing a couple of items I got in some seed trades - Merlot lettuce, Double Yield Cucumbers, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, Red celery, and some Market Miracle Tomatoes.   

I have a couple of items I have grown before but not recently that I am going to give garden space to this year - those being Red Kidney beans and some Pinto Beans.    I have saved seed for these two crops from when I last grew them in 2007.

New purchased items for me this year are the following; Alibi pickling cucumbers, Ching-Chiang Pac Choi, Italian Sweet Pepper, Oroma paste tomato, Partenon zucchini, Early Butternut winter squash, Premium Crop broccoli, Savoy Ace cabbage, and Royal Burgundy bush beans,

Lots of stuff lined up for the garden this year!  

kitsapfreedomgardener at 10:14PM on Dec 30, 2009

Oh I love when the catalogs come pouring in!   I just finished my big annual seed and supply purchases - most of the seeds from Territorial (as usual!).    I think you have made some great choices Jim G!   Siletz is a very good tomato choice and does very well in our region.   I am thinking of growing a few of that variety in some big pots that my sister just gave me the other day.  I also purchased Bolero carrots - I grew them this year and they were a heavy producer and very tasty/good looking too.   I have grown Venture bush beans before and they were a good producer.   I grew Jade last year and was so happy with it that I saved some seed for future use.   This year, I am growing a purple bush bean called Royal Burgundy that I purchased from a different seed company.   I have also grown Valmaine quite often and it is a really nice Cos lettuce.    

 

So this year, I am growing several of my stand by's - Bloomsdale Savoy spinach, Bodacious and Precocious sweet corn, Bolero arrots, Bright Lights swiss chard, Cobham Improved parsnips, Tronchuda cabbage,  Yukon Gold/Caribe potatoes, Walla Wall onions, Yellow and Red onion sets, Dakota peas, Cascadia sugar snap peas, Fantastic/Early Girl/Celebrity/Siletz tomatoes, Improved Dwarf Siberian kale, Gold Rush zucchini, Mokum carrots, Small Sugar pumpkin, Super Gourmet Blend lettuce, Utah 52-70 R Improved celery, Blue Lake pole beans, Large Italian basil, Vulgare Dill, and Sunset Runner beans,   

 

I am also growing a couple of items I got in some seed trades - Merlot lettuce, Double Yield Cucumbers, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, Red celery, and some Market Miracle Tomatoes.   

 

I have a couple of items I have grown before but not recently that I am going to give garden space to this year - those being Red Kidney beans and some Pinto Beans.    I have saved seed for these two crops from when I last grew them in 2007.

 

New purchased items for me this year are the following; Alibi pickling cucumbers, Ching-Chiang Pac Choi, Italian Sweet Pepper, Oroma paste tomato, Partenon zucchini, Early Butternut winter squash, Premium Crop broccoli, Savoy Ace cabbage, and Royal Burgundy bush beans,

 

Lots of stuff lined up for the garden this year!  

thanks KFG - circling my catalog now based on your suggestions...so you ditched the stupice this year eh?

I still really like Stupice - but I wanted to make room for the "Market Miracle" and the "Cherokee Purple" tomatoes I received in trade and I wanted to add some "Early Girls" this year too - so something had to be taken off the table. 

I raised Cherokee Purples last year... They were delish and are on my growing list this year.

I got most of my seeds from Botanical Interest but I need to place an order with Southern Exposure Seed exchange as well. Right now I've got broccoli (Waltham 26), Red acre Cabbage and Premium Late Flat dutch Cabbage coming up in the mini greenhouses. I've also got Napa Cabbage planted long with the following cherry tomatos - BiColor (pink and white), Brown Cherry, Gold Nugget (A yellow Cherry), Green Grape (Green Cherry) Sundrop (an orange cherry), Super Snow White, Sweetie and Sugar Sweet (both red cherries). Botanical interest has a rainbow blend package on the cherries so I planted 1 square for each with two seeds. Also up in the Tomato dept - Beef Steak, Black Krim, Brandywine, and Green Zebra. I've also got Eggplant and jalepeno seeds about ready to go into the seed starting kits.

spacecitypaula@gmail.com at 01:24AM on Jan 02, 2010

I raised Cherokee Purples last year... They were delish and are on my growing list this year.

 

I got most of my seeds from Botanical Interest but I need to place an order with Southern Exposure Seed exchange as well. Right now I've got broccoli (Waltham 26), Red acre Cabbage and Premium Late Flat dutch Cabbage coming up in the mini greenhouses. I've also got Napa Cabbage planted long with the following cherry tomatos - BiColor (pink and white), Brown Cherry, Gold Nugget (A yellow Cherry), Green Grape (Green Cherry) Sundrop (an orange cherry), Super Snow White, Sweetie and Sugar Sweet (both red cherries). Botanical interest has a rainbow blend package on the cherries so I planted 1 square for each with two seeds. Also up in the Tomato dept - Beef Steak, Black Krim, Brandywine, and Green Zebra. I've also got Eggplant and jalepeno seeds about ready to go into the seed starting kits.

The Cherokee Purples were a trade item from Dan at the Urban Veggie Garden Blog.   I am glad to hear you too have had good success with them.   Makes me all the more excited to grow some out this year.

kitsapfreedomgardener at 11:23AM on Jan 02, 2010

spacecitypaula@gmail.com at 01:24AM on Jan 02, 2010

I raised Cherokee Purples last year... They were delish and are on my growing list this year.

 

I got most of my seeds from Botanical Interest but I need to place an order with Southern Exposure Seed exchange as well. Right now I've got broccoli (Waltham 26), Red acre Cabbage and Premium Late Flat dutch Cabbage coming up in the mini greenhouses. I've also got Napa Cabbage planted long with the following cherry tomatos - BiColor (pink and white), Brown Cherry, Gold Nugget (A yellow Cherry), Green Grape (Green Cherry) Sundrop (an orange cherry), Super Snow White, Sweetie and Sugar Sweet (both red cherries). Botanical interest has a rainbow blend package on the cherries so I planted 1 square for each with two seeds. Also up in the Tomato dept - Beef Steak, Black Krim, Brandywine, and Green Zebra. I've also got Eggplant and jalepeno seeds about ready to go into the seed starting kits.

The Cherokee Purples were a trade item from Dan at the Urban Veggie Garden Blog.   I am glad to hear you too have had good success with them.   Makes me all the more excited to grow some out this year.

When are you going to start the eggplant by seed? I've got both cold frames and hot beds, but my seed packet gives no indication how many weeks before last frost to plant them. Any advice appreciated!

Opt Out En Masse - Space City Paula is the one starting eggplant from seed.   I rarely grow them so I am not very experienced with them and have never started them from seed.   I imagine though that they are much the same in requirement as peppers since they are both of the same family and both are quite intolerant of cool growing conditions.