What is going into your garden 2014

If you could only pick three things to plant, that you eat or can to eat later, what would it be?

Potato's, Beets and Collard Greens if I had to take it down to three only..

Oh the dreams of spring.

We have not begun thinking about our gardens yet as we are preparing for the move out to our acreage. We will be leaving a fully developed backyard garden for acres of pasture and trees. A great move, but one that will require a huge amount of work and planning to be successful. We attempted to establish 1 raised bed in the fall, and planted it with garlic and spring onions. But despite a fence around it, we were unable to keep the cows out of this new structure in their pasture.

The thought of leaving 12 years of carefully nurtured soil, rich with compost, established berry patches and fruit trees is difficult, but we are hoping for wonderful new things.

I can't imagine putting it down to 3...
Tomatoes - 24 - 30 plants
zuchinni - 9 - 12 plants
Green beans - 24 feet
Yellow beans - 24 feet
Carrots - 24 feet
Shelling peas - 24 feet
Butternut Squash - 3 - 4 plants
Drying Beans (not sure what kind yet) - as many as will fit, depending on type.
Sweet peppers - 24 - 30 plants
Pickling cukes - 3 or 4 hills
the usual assortment of herbs.

I have a whole host of rare old heritage beans that I am going to be growing this year, Once I get this year's harvest, I would be more then willing to share some with interested folks.. I am looking forward to growing so many different kinds this year.

Maybe a better question would be what are the top three foods to start with if you have never gardened before.

now that's totally different..

green beans- bush or climbers
tomatoes
spinach- or any other kind of greens you like..

Wow! What a garden farmgal! I am currently working out what to plant and I am starting in a new place, so want to begin my herb garden as well. So far lots of potatoes, beans, tomatoes, squashes, and cucumbers. Will also do some peppers, carrots, onions, broccoli, and beats. Not sure what else.

Thanks Living Power, its been a long slow process over the past years to get the gardens to where they are at now, we don't have tractors or plows, we have our hands, and pigs and permaculture ways of growing food.. your own garden sounds great! It will be interesting to see what your new soil will be like, if you are starting over in a totally new spot, you will find it could be a very good thing indeed, if you are taking over a old garden spot, well, soil testing here we come 🙂

I went to a Seedy Saturday event and bought some stuff. I'm determined to grow most of the food...or bloody well die trying!! 🙂

I'm going back to basics. My main focus is going to be 3 Sisters.

* Golden Bantam 12-row heirloom corn - I'm told I'll be able to save seed from these and grow them again if I want to.

* Scarlet Runner Pole Bean o/p heirloom - to climb up the corn stalks. Hoping to harvest and save seed from these too.

* 2 types of squash (Acorn and Butternut) - to plant with the other two and complete the trio.

I'm also going to experiment with planting some pumpkins in place off some of the squash. I'm told it'll work.

* Jacob's Cattle and Provider bush beans - I like Jacob's Cattle for dried beans (the plan for them) and I think I'll pick the Provider's as like string beans. I hear that the Providers are white or navy beans if they get left on. I might try out a few for that.

I have to admit, I'm almost a total bean noob. The price you pay for years of grocery store learning I guess.

* Radishes - because I like them.

* Kale - I like Kale. The kids like Kale. The wife (who is scottish) isn't a fan of Kale. But I'm going to try and grow some from seed this year. I got Blue Curled seeds.

* Nante-type Carrots - because I like them. I grew some last year, but they didn't like where I had them so they were a bit stubby. I've got plans for them this year.

* Detroit Red Beets - again I like them. I'm going to attempt to can some this year.

* POTATOES!! - I tried to grow some last year, but they didn't work out so good. I believe that the spot I put them was too well drained (almost like sand). I had good top growth, but not too many tubers. This year, I'm going to work up proper rows of them.

Soft Fruits

* Raspberry - I planted a bush last year. I'm hoping it takes off this year. I like raspberries, and I want to propagate a few more.

* Gooseberry - I also planted this last year. I got a single small gooseberry last year, but I was instructed to pinch it out. This year I'm hoping to see what they are like (I've never actually ate one before, but it isn't the only reason I bought it. Like them or not, I plan on propagating more and using them for hedge plants, because they are thorny. Perhaps if I don't like them they'll keep the birds off off my raspberries and blueberries).

* Blackberry - bought and planted last year. I like these, and also something I want to propagate and replant into a hedge (a fedge! lol).

New to me

* Peanuts! - I took the kids (11 and 6) to the seed event with me (I'm trying to get them interested in gardening) and they really wanted to grow peanuts. So we are going to have a go at it.

* Blue Corn - again, whatever gets the kids interested in the garden. I'm putting these way downwind from the good corn though hehe.

* Dandelions! - because I've been challenged. I don't really see myself eating dandelion (I have in the past, and I'm not a fan at all) but I'll grow it. I think I'd rather pass the Dandelions through the rabbits, because I really do think it's food that food eats LOL. I am willing to give it the ol' honest try again though.

On my experiment list

* Herbal garden - I'm thinking of selecting 10 herbs and seeing what comes of it. I really want to believe in their properties and uses (aside from cooking, because I'm convinced they do as advertised) because I've had limited to no success in figuring them out in the few past instances I've used them. Hints and suggestions are appreciated. If you grow them out, and you were to do it all over again, what would be 10 that you'd choose to start with?

* I really want to experiment with some permacultural type things. For instance, I have a border on the farm (both sides really) that I'd like to develop as a food hedge. I'd also thought about developing the edges of the woodlot into more of a productive use as a food forest.
I'm also really examining working Osage and/or Hawthorn into pasture hedges, old english style. First I have to find some and get seed. I don't want to spend any money on experiments.
I'm also leaning strongly towards trying to figure out coppicing my woodlot. My hesitation is in having to drop some pretty well established large trees (maple I think, if I remember right) in order to open up some canopy to let some smaller ones grow. I never like dropping good trees if I don't have to, so this has been a real tough decision. Not like I can glue it back on if I change my mind 🙁

Also on my want to try list is starting some trees. I want to try and find some comfrey I can nick too 🙂

I've been thinking of growing some Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes?) and letting them get out of hand in an area I'm looking at running some more hogs in. I figured hey, it can't hurt the feed bill.

Great selection and I will come back with more but quick note before I am off an running again. That area that the spuds didn't do well in the full sun, pretty much sand area, you might want to target it for those peanuts.

My man loves to grow his peanuts, we finally figured out that we needed to put them on a ridge and we had to add a lot of sand to the soil to get a moderately good crop 🙂

plants I hope to add this year that are "firsts" for me
green lentil
golden flax
amaranth
red quinoa (nothing came up last year)
tibetan barley
emmer wheat
arabian blue barley
luffa gourd (tried before and never got a gourd)
kale

the standard:
tomatoes
cucumbers
carrots
beets
zucchini
peas
swiss chard
radish
onions
turnip
parsnip
scotch bonnet pepper
"mesclun" salad mix ( chicory, endive, radish, spinach, basil, parsley)
"winter" salad mix ( brassica - kale scarlet, blue curled, mustard red frills, mizuna, rocket salad dentellata)

My garden this year is going to contain:

-French Breakfast Radishes
-Tom Thumb Lettuce
-Yellow Pear Tomatoes
-Chioggia Beets
-Fordhook Lima Beans

I would like to grow more, but don't have a lot a space for it.