Here We Go Again!

Today, I officially began the process of planning this year’s soil garden, with the intention that the garden will yield a larger share of our family’s seasonal produce (compared with last year). Before starting, I wondered if I would find this beginning conversation (with the Deva of my garden) overwhelming, but instead I am completely energized.

Right now, I’m only dealing with the raised beds — the other planting areas will wait for another time. Some of the patches in my square-foot-gardening beds are inhabited by perennials (mint, sedum, lamb’s ear, lemon balm), but most will be void of plantings come the Spring. And, while I’m not yet dealing with which new plants will go where, it’s exciting to know the names of the square-dwellers that will be arriving in a few months.

This morning, I placed orders for the following seeds:

• Beans
  • Purple King (pole)
  • Blue Lake (bush)
  • Maxibel (bush)
• Beets
  • Touchstone Gold
• Lettuce
  • Simpson’s Black-Seeded (leaf)
  • Red Deer Tongue (leaf)
• Melon
  • Sugar Baby Watermelon
• Mustard Greens
  • Savannah Hybrid
• Parsnip
  • Hollow Crown
• Peas
  • Super Sugar Snap (edible pod)
  • RSVPea (shelling)
• Squash
  • Small Sugar Pumpkin
• Radish
  • Space Hybrid
• Tomato
  • Rutgers Heirloom
  • Ensalada Hybrid
  • Best Boy Hybrid
• Herbs
  • Coriander
  • Sage
  • Lovage
• Sunflower
  • Velvet Queen
• Nasturtium
  • Fragrant Giants
• Cosmos
  • Sonata Mix
  • Psyche Mix
  • Bright Lights Mix
• Foxglove
  • Foxy Mixed

In addition to these from-seed plants, I will seek out seedlings of the following (some of which will be transplanted from other areas of my garden): kale, potatoes, sorrel, basil, chives, echinacea, lavender, lemon balm, lobelia, rosemary, mums, columbine, geraniums, and salvia.

OK, now this list looks REALLY large. Anyone looking for a couple of hours sowing or transplanting come Spring, just holler. I’ll gladly accept all the helpers who wander my way!