Planning My 2015 Garden

It's that time of year again! The mailbox is full of seed catalogs and the promises of summer harvests. Now is the time to plan and dream and to review last years successes and failures. Last year I grew with a theme toward colors, textures and unusual variety. This year I plan to get the most out of my 13 raised beds and focus on quality and quantity. Two years ago I grew just shy of half a ton of food and I'd like to beat that this year. Of course, that doesn't mean that I won't be experimenting with a couple of new varieties. After all, part of the fun of gardening it's to push the boundaries of your established gardening zone to see if you can successfully grow a variety or cultivar.

Here are the plants I plan to grow this year.

BEANS

Fortex

Kentucky Blue

Kentucky Wonder Wax

Striped Pink Greasy

Tiger's Eye

BEETS

My Own Beet Blend (contains six varieties in red, white, gold and striped)

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Roodnerf

CABBAGE

Derby Day

Ruby Perfection

CARROTS

A#1

Ingot

Mokum

Sugarsnax

Tendersweet

CELERY

Redventure

CUCUMBERS

Barese

Homemade Pickles

Lemon

Pepinex

CORN

Earth Tones

EGGPLANT

Long Purple

HERBS

Basil (Italian Genovese and Purple Petra)

Dill (Bouquet)

Lavender (English)

Marjoram

Oregano (Greek)

Thyme (English)

KALE

Lacinato

Red Russian

KHOLRABI

Grand Duke

LEEKS

Giant Musselburg

ONIONS

Ailsa Craig

Copra

Green

Red wing

PEAS

Cascadia

PEPPERS

Bhut Jolokia

Gypsy

Lemon Drop

Pepperoncini

Quadrato Asti Giallo  

POTATOES

French Fingerlings

SPINACH

Space

Strawberry

SQUASH (Summer)

Black

Butta

SQUASH (Winter) 

Delicata

Dill's Atlantic Giant

Galeux D'Eysines

Pink Banana

Speckled Hound

SWEET POTATOES

Beauregard

TOMATOES

Ananas Noire

Carbon

Caspian Pink

Dr Wyche's Yellow

Giant Belgium

Honey Bunch

Japanese Black Trifele

Large Barred Boar

Pink Berkley Tye-Dye

Rose

Sun Sugar

Sweet Aperitif

Tomato Project 

WATERMELON

Mickylee

FLOWERS

PETUNIA

Purple

POPPY

Hungarian Blue

SUNFLOWERS

Autumn Beauty

Pike's Peak

Sweet Peas

Bouquet Blend

Cupani

High Scent