2012 garden planning has begun

The winter season is just beginning to tighten its grip, but a couple weeks ago a bit of summer sunshine arrived in the mailbox in the form of two seed catalogs.  Since their arrival, I've spent quality time with both catalogs (Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) and have pretty much read them from cover to cover, circling items that interest me.  While both catalogs include many photographs of the vegetable and flower seeds they sell, Baker Creek's photographs are exceptional.  It's food erotica, folks.  Have a look for yourself.  

There are many large, bright photographs that really showcase the vegetables.  The tomato section alone in this catalog is inspiring.  A vast selection of tomatoes is one thing but their catalog has sections dedicated to Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Striped, White and Yellow tomato varieties!  This attention to detail really speaks to me.  It also helps me to narrow my selection and keep half of the garden from turning into a tomato jungle.  No other vegetable says summer like a delicious ripe tomato, but it is a challenge to keep from growing seven or more varieties of tomatoes.  I want a more diverse garden this year and to be able to grow the brunt of our produce and herbs.  Perhaps I’ll enlarge the garden and have a raised bed dedicated to tomatoes.  Until then, here’s the list of what will be grown in the Wright Garden this season:

Atomic Red carrots
Tendercrisp celery
New England Sugar Pie pumpkins
Tokio Verte soybeans
Crapaudine beet
Golden beet
Long Island Brussels sprouts
Waltham Butternut squash
Snow’s Fancy Pickling cucumber
Blue Curled Scotch kale
Prizetaker leek
Minnesota Midget muskmelon
Burgundy okra
Australian Brown onion (yellow)
Bianca Di Maggio onion (yellow)
Flat of Italy onion (red)
Long Scarlet radish
Georgia Flame peppers
Pasilla Bajio pepper
Serrano Tampequino pepper
Jalapeno Traveler Strain pepper
Emerald Giant bell pepper
Orange bell pepper
Quadrato D’asti Giallo bell pepper (yellow)
Quadrato D’asti Rosso bell pepper (red)
Golden Midget watermelon
Djeena Lee’s Golden Girl tomato (orange)
Costoluto Genovese tomato (red)
Mama Leone tomato (red)
Black Icicle tomato (purple)
Empress Beans

In addition to growing a truly epic garden this season, I also plan to begin saving seeds from as many vegetables as possible.  At the end of the year, I’ll be sure to include a list of the vegetable seeds we have available to share.

Here’s a helpful website that discusses the prevention of cross-pollination in tomatoes.
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/tomato/2005025852004159.html

Victory Seeds provides a step-by-step process for saving tomato seeds using the fermentation method: http://www.vintageveggies.com/information/seedsave_tomato.html

Also found at the Victory Seeds web site is a guide to saving seed: http://www.vintageveggies.com/information/brook_seed_saving.html

Before you know it, it’ll be time to get seedlings started. Have fun planning your garden!