In October, there was a Facebook campaign to save Landreth Seeds, America's oldest seed house. I'd never ordered from Landreth before—I'm not even sure why—but I was happy to help the cause by ordering flower seeds and one of their catalogs. They are one of the few companies that charges for a catalog, and they should; they are beautifully produced, and include full-page reproductions from Landreth's 19th-century catalogs, which could surely be clipped and framed.
Because I put in my order so recently, I wasn't too shocked to get a Landreth catalog earlier this month. But all of the other catalogs I wait for—including Baker Creek and Southern Exposure—are showing up early, too. Usually I don't get catalogs till January. I'm wondering if it's because heirloom seed houses are doing so well, and they are trying to encourage people to get their orders in early because things will sell out, or if the economy's been tough on everyone so they're getting a jump on things. Hopefully the former.
So, since we haven't had much of a winter yet anyway, it doesn't seem so far-fetched to think about putting seeds in the ground, so I've been thinking about what I want to plant, come March. Though neighbors (that's counting birds, rabbits, squirrels, possums and racoons), were happy to take excess produce off our hands this year, I've decided to be less whimsical about what I plant, and grow things we will actually eat. That means probably no more carrots, because I am no good at growing them—they always taste like soap. One row of radishes is fine, because my husband doesn't eat them. Same with beets. We grew two rows of okra, which was WAY too much for one household. Greens are useful; I love tomatoes, and haven't given up on them yet, but it sounds like I am not alone in getting them to ripen now that the weather has gotten so unpredictable. One thing we had great success with this year was herbs; we actually harvested them and used them, too. We planted Genovese and Holy Basil in pots, along with some Lemon Verbena and Stevia. Out in our raised beds, we grew parsley (both Italian an curly) and it did gangbusters. We also did well with sage, dill, rosemary, chives, mint, lavender and anise. I grew three kinds of artemesia (wormwood, southwood and Sweet Annie) decoratively. We also have some strawberries that have been mowed down four or five times that have the constitution of Rasputin...they are still doing well, and fruit up like crazy in the late spring and early summer.
So, here's what I'm thinking of planting in 2012...this list may have changed a lot by the time I'm actually planting!
Pots on Porch (4-8)
Culinary plants, plus Aloe for mosquitoes and poison ivy, two constant pitfalls of summer
Ancho Chile Pepper
Aloe vera
Bay Laurel
Basil, Genovese
Basii, Greek
Basil, Sweet
Basil, Thai
Chives
Raised Beds (6)
Greens/Lettuce
Franchi Greens Mix
Johnny's Elegance Greens Mix
Baker Creek Rockytop Greens Mix
Herbs
Burnet, Salad
Calendula
Cardoon
Chamomile
Parsley, Forest Green
Rosemary
Sage, Common
Spilanthes (Toothache Plant)
Summer Savory
Thyme, creeping
Vegetables
Beets, Chiogga
Leek, Lancelot
Okra, Clemson Spineless
Pepper, Sweet Chocolate
Pepper, Quadrato D'asti Rosso
Tomato, Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter
Tomato, Black Cherry
Radish, Sparkler White
Additions to LRA Lot Garden (decorative)
Angelica, Shining
Astragalus
Bergamot
Balloonflower
Cat's Foot
Evening Primrose
Grayheaded Coneflower
Jewelweed
Lamb's ear
Lion's Ear
Nicotania
Real Shady Flower Mix (Botanical Interests)
Scabiosa
Sunflower Mix
Wild Fennel
Woad
What are you growing this year? Are you scaling back, or getting more ambitious? I'd like to think I'm getting more ambitous, but more focused. If all goes well with the beds this year, next year I am determined to add at least one or two fruit or nut trees into the ground, too.
