I've mentioned before that I bought a neat-o perpetual garden planner download from Northwest Edible Life, and have all intentions of using it this year, but our printer pooped out last week. Until I can find a replacement printer for cheap or find time to take the file to be printed out at a printer-outer shop, I'm stuck with old-school pencil and paper.
I had to do a little research to remember, but I've determined that this will be our fifth season in the garden. In the past, we've grown a little of this, a little of that, and whatever sounded interesting. It's a fun way to garden, and a great way to learn what you like, don't like, can grow well, or can't grow at all.
This year, though, we're approaching gardening a little differently. There will still be plenty of variety and a bit of novelty, but we're really going to focus on growing what we eat most.
With that in mind, the first step in this year's plan was to write down everything I could think of that we eat that is plant-based. From tomatoes to dry beans to rice to tea to pineapple. I used a seed catalog or two to help me remember everything and I wrote down things I know we can't grow simply because they might jog my memory about things we can grow here.
Then I went through and crossed off anything that we can't grow in our area (things like citrus, tropicals, coffee) and anything we don't have room to grow (grains, mostly) and things I'm just not ready to try yet (grapes, mushrooms).
Once that was done, I considered our family demand. How often do we eat these foods?
There are several vegetables, fruits, and berries that we eat often and grow well for us. Because these are on our menu several times a week all year round, these will be the biggest money-savers and nutrition-givers. They will stay on the list. Frequently-used herbs also stay at the top of the list. For some reason I'm not very successfully at growing herbs, but if I can get successful, then cha-ching! Big savings!
Several crops will grow well for us, but we don't eat them as often. They'll be planted if we can work them in, or dropped without regret if we can't.
Some foods are better for us to purchase, either because we don't eat that much of them, we have tried growing them before with little or no luck, we know they won't grow here at all (coconuts, anyone?), or we don't have room to grow them even though they will grow here (wheat is good example). Unless we just want to try a couple of these crops for the fun of it, they won't make the cut.
The end result should be a fairly accurate list (below) of what we'll be planting this year. Your list will vary depending on your appetite, gardening zone, skill level and space limitations.
Already-Established Perennials:
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Blackberries
Elderberries
Raspberries
Sunchokes
Definitely Will Plant:
Green beans
Lettuce, variety
Onions, bulbing
Garlic
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Dry beans
Carrots
Beets
Zucchini or other summer squashes
Onions, green (scallions)
Spinach
Swiss chard
Bell peppers
Cucumbers
Radishes
Cilantro
Parsley
Basil
Thyme
Oregano
Cumin
Will Plant If It Works Out:
Sweet Corn
Peas (shell-out and snow varieties)
Kohlrabi
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Celery
Eggplant
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Collard greens
Jalapeno peppers
Winter squash (butternut, acorn)
Ground cherries
Watermelon
Okra
Sunflowers
Ginger
Summer savory
Sesame (for seeds)
Gooseberry bush(es)
Peach tree(s)
Be prepared. Next week, we start talking numbers.
