My Garden Seed List

I am so excited about this time of year.  A time to dream and plan.  One of my favorite things to buy now is Ed Hume's Garden Almanac,  Moon Planting Guide, I buy one for $1.79, each year for the great calendar of month by month moon signs.  I try to coordinate my gardening efforts with the calendar.  When I do, I receive a bigger bounty, better production and hardier plants.

My gardening goals are:
1. High production for my time and space.
2. Seeds and plants for our maritime weather. Most of these seed varieties will also work in other short season zones.
3. Variety of produce for our diets.
4. Food that can be eaten fresh, stored for winter or preserved via canning, freezing or dehydration.
5. Almost year round gardening or fresh foods.
6. Seeds that are heirloom and can be saved from year to year.
7. Store at least two years worth of seeds.

Your gardening goals may be different and you might not have the same space that we do.  But I encourage you to have your own gardening goals.

The following is my seed list for this year.  I print this out and carry it with me shopping, crossing off items as I acquire them.  You may notice from my list that I am specific about the varieties that I want.  That is for a couple of reasons; a short season producer, prolific, the best tasting, fits the criteria for year round growth or storage.

Garden Seed List

 -    Beans, Blue Lake Pole or Kentucky Blue Pole

-         Beans, Jacob’s Cattle (early dry bean)

-         Beans, Scarlet Runner (great red flowers, flat Italian style beans)

-         Celery, Utah

-         Cucumbers, Homemade Pickles (pickling cucumbers have a less chance of going bitter for me)

-         Cucumbers, SMR 58

-         Cucumbers, Lemon

-         Peas, Super Sugar Snap (yes, this is the only pea we grow, prolific, great raw, steamed or stir-fried, freezes well)

Cole Crops

-         Broccoli, Purple Sprouting (start in fall & eat in early April, purple raw, changes to green when cooked)

-         Brussels Sprouts, Long Island IMP

-         Cabbage, Danish Ballhead (winter storage)

-         Cabbage, Golden Acre (early, multipurpose cabbage)

-         Cabbage, Red Acre

-         Cabbage, Savoy Perfection

-         Cauliflower, Early Snowball

-         Kale, Russian Red *

-         Kohlrabi, Purple Vienna

Corn (I am trying to grow more crops with higher calories, corn can be a challenge in the Northwest)

-         Corn, Ashworth

-         Corn, Golden Bantam Sweet (70-85 days)

-         Corn, Japanese Hulless Popcorn

-         Corn, Black Aztec (for cornmeal)

-         Corn, Broom Multi-colored (yes for making brooms, fun project & useful too)

Greens & Lettuce

       -    Arugula (hardy green with nutty, peppery taste)

-         Lettuce, Butter Crunch

-         Lettuce, Romaine

-         Lettuce, Mesclun, Mixed Greens

-         Pak Choi (great salad or stir-fry green, cold hardy)

-         Radicchio, Red (Red Leafed Chicory)

-         Spinach, New Zealand (best steamed or stir-fry, prolific)

-         Spinach, Bloomsdale Long Standing (slow to bolt)

-         Spinach, Bloomsdale Savoy (cold hardy)

-         Swiss Chard, Rhubarb or Rainbow

Roots

-     Beets, Cylindrical (easy to can, tastes great, consistent producer)

-         Carrots, Scarlet Nantes (early, coreless, stores well, crisp & delicious)

-         Celeriac, Prague *

-         Onions, Early Yellow Globe (early, good to store0

-         Onions, Evergreen White Bunching

-         Onions, Red Globe

-         Onion, Walla Walla

-         Parsnip, Andover *

-         Potato, Red Mountain or Pontiac

-         Potato, All Blue (just for fun)

-         Potato, Yellow Finn

-         Potato, Yukon Gold

-         Radish, Gourmet Blend or Cherry Belle

-         Rutabaga, American Purple Top *

Peppers & Tomatoes (These are the varieties that I focus on, buy I am open to other short season ones too.)

-         Peppers, Anaheim

-         Peppers, Hungarian Sweet Wax or Sweet Banana

-         Peppers, Early Jalapeno

-         Peppers, Poblano Ancho

-         Tomato, Oregon Spring

-         Tomato, Black Plum

-         Tomato, Yellow Pear

-         Tomato, San Marzano

-         Tomato, Stupice

Pumpkins & Squash (There aren't too many listed so they don't inter-breed)

-         Pumpkins, Small Sugar (I don't grow the big ones, because I want to eat a tasty pumpkin)

-         Squash, Acorn

-         Squash, Butternut Waltham

-         Squash, Zucchini Black Beauty

Garden Herbs (Some of the herbs have long germination times, be patient. Peppermint is not on the list because there is no "true" peppermint seed.  Grow from cuttings.)

-         Basil, Italian

      -         Calendula, Pot Marigold

-         Catnip

-         Cilantro

-         Chives

-         Dill Bouquet

-         Fennel, Florence

-         Oregano

-         Parsley, Curly Leaf

-         Sage

-         Thyme

Garden Flowers (These flowers are in the garden to deter pests, disease and to "gladden the soul")

-         Bachelor Buttons

-         Cosmos

-         Marigold, Lemon or Petite Mix

-         Nasturtiums, Trailing & Dwarf

-         Sunflowers, Autumn Beauty, Mammoth, Red Sun

-         Sweet Peas, Royal Family Mix

-         Zinnia, Thumbelina

Extras to Try (I always have a few new things to try and experiment with.)

-         Flax (to spin)

-         Oats

-         Stevia (sweetener)

-         Sugar Beets (sugar)

Where I Acquire Seeds:

I already have my list of the heirloom varieties that I want, so I'm not concerned about hybrids or not knowing what varieties to get.

- Our local Fred Meyers has a great seed sale every February BOGO (buy one get one) 1/2 off.  They carry mostly Ed Hume Seeds.  I will buy most of my seeds this way.
- The Rite Aid down the street just put out their seed racks.  I search through the rack for the heirloom varieties on my list and will use my Wellness Rewards or Video Value Coupons to buy seeds.
- Free Seeds:  MaryJanes Farmgirl Connection  has been a fun place to barter or seep swap. This year I am trying Dave's Garden trade list for some seeds.
- Free Tomato seeds, Winter Sown.
- Gurney's has a deal right now for $25 worth of seeds when you purchase $25 or more. 
- I like to purchase from Seed Savers potatoes and any other heirlooms I can't find other places. I do like their lower shipping fees, especially on potatoes.

Perennial Vegetables  (That we already have growing.)
- Strawberries, June and Everbearing varieties
- Jerserulam Artichokes
- Red Strawberry Rhubarb
- Egyptian (Walking) Onions

* A blog post will be forth coming about some of these old-fashioned and under used vegetables.  It will include recipes and uses.

If you would like to have a copy of my Victory Garden Packet, with loads of gardening tips and techniques, please email me. kristinef@clearwire.net