2009 Gardening Planting Dates & Notes

4/5/09
Tarragon

4/12/09
all transplants
Broccoli -harvested 6/18-Small heads, very tasty. Continued to send out small shoots clear through August.
Brussell Sprouts-8/30 still not doing really well. They are getting eaten by something at night.
Cabbage-getting chewed up by cabbage loopers. i hand pick almost daily. consider row cover next time.
Cauliflower-began harvesting 6/18-getting chewed
Ice Berg Lettuce-planted 4/12 in between the cauliflower and broccoli plants. It really seemed happy and healthy, but never formed the tight heads you get in the store. Maybe because I harvested the outer leaves. Bugs weren't a problem.
Kennibec Potatoes
Lollo Lettuce -loved this lettuce and it's bright red color. planted 4/17 and ate thru late June. Bugs didn't bother this lettuce.
Red Potatoes
Red Onions
Simpson Lettuce-planted 4/12 in between the broccoli and cauliflower. It also thrived under the leaves of it's friend and no bug problem.
Yukon Gold Potatoes

4/17/09
New Zealand Spinach-grew very well, no bug problems. I just didn't know what to do with it. I ended up pulling it all out before it flowered and composted all of it.
Bloomsdale Spinach-planted 4/17 and ate it thru mid June. Grow more of it and more frequently. Cutworms did seem to like this, so I hand picked them daily.
Tom Thumb Lettuce-Planted 4/17 and was ready in late May. Very cute little iceberg heads. You need to pick this when they are young or they go to seed very quickly. Bugs seemed to stay clear of this one.
Mascara Lettuce-planted 4/17 and started harvesting in late may. This leaf is very pretty and looks like a green/red oak leaf. Great in a garden salad mix. Bugs didn't bother it very much.
Forellenschluss (from transplants) Lettuce-planted 4/17 and started harvesting early may. Very pretty. Cabbage loopers love this one.
Dark Lollo Lettuce-planted 4/17 and started harvesting Mid may. Love this lettuce. Bugs not a problem.
White Onions
Marigolds

4/18/09
Sugar Snap Peas -planted 4/18 and started harvesting 6/18. These are very sweet, pod and peas. If left to get fat, the seeds are very woody. No bug problem.
Blue Pod Peas-love these just for the colorful flowers they produce and then the purple pea pods. They are absolutely brilliant in a salad. Pick when very young, otherwise they are woody.

4/20/09
Detroit Beets-beets didn't grow this season.
Bulls Blood Beets
Chioggia Beets
Muscade Carrots-didn't like the taste of any of the carrots. But pulled them long after july. A friend told me they should be picked before july heat. I'll try them in my fall garden.
Atomic Red Carrots
Danvers Carrots
Amarillo Carrots
Lunar White Carrots

4/25/09
Parsley
Basil
German Cherry Tomato-pretty tasteless.
Green Zebra Tomato
Cherokee Purple-really like this tomato
Red Grape Tomato
Green Tennessee Tomato
Kentucky Beefsteak Tomato
Flame Hillbilly Tomato
Brandy Wine Tomato
Beefsteak Tomato
Green Peppers

4/30/09
Cucumber-growing quickly, no bugs yet-6/24.
Pole Beans-growing, cucumber beetle problem; sprayed and no growth is not affected.
Scarlet Red Beans-growing, cucumber beetle problem; sprayed and no growth is not affected.
Yard long bean-growing, cucumber beetle problem; sprayed and no growth is not affected.

Spring fever in January

So in January, when I could hardly stand it, I begin reading through my gardening books and internet articles. I stumbled upon topics such as Heirloom seeds, sustainable gardening, survivalist living. I was intrigued. I decided to commit to an organic Heirloom garden this season and see what all the fuss is about. As you get older and think of the earth you are leaving your children, you begin looking at living in this world differently. How can you do the things you do with less of a hurtful impact on the earth? This is what I want to find out. It was still January and I couldn't go outside and get dirty so I decided to order my Heirloom seeds. After reading many reviews, I ordered from Baker's Creek Heirloom. I went a little over board, but all my reading indicates that I need to help the world of seed savers keep these seeds going.... I'm just doing my part.

I ordered:

Old Homestead (Kentucky Wonder) Bean

Scarlet Runner Beans

Bull's Blood Beets

Chioggia (Bassano) Beets

Detroit Red Beets

Calabrese Green Sprouting Broccoli

Long Island Improved Brussell Sprouts

Mammoth Red Rock Cabbage

Perfection Drumhead Savoy Cabbage

Snowball Self-blanching Cauliflower

Danvers 126 Half Long Carrots

Atomic Red Carrots

Lunar White Carrots

Amarillo Carrots

Muscade Carrots

Stowell's Evergreen Sweet Corn

True Gold Sweet Corn

Delikatesse Cucumber

Wonderberry

Tom Thumb Lettuce

Forellenschluss Lettuce

Henderson's Black-Seeded Simpson

Iceberg

Dark Lolla Rossa

Lollo Rossa

Mascara

Kansas Lettuce

Blue Podded Peas

Sugar Snap Peas

Purple Jalepeno Pepper

Emerald Giant Pepper

Early Scarlet Globe Radish

Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach

New Zealand Spinach

Winter Luxary Pie Pumpkin

Green Zebra Tomato

Spear's Tennessee Green

Kentucky Beefsteak

Brandywine

Cherokee Purple

Beefsteak

Red Grape

Flame (Hillbilly)

White Zebra

Egg Yolk

Long Milky Way Moon and Stars Watermelon

Cilantro

Dill-Bouquet

Parsley-Giant of Italy

Russian Tarragon

Basil