December Dreaming

I do experiment when something looks good. This summer was the first time I grew the Landreth green beans and they did the best we've ever had so I'll be repeating them. We've found that the Roma tomatoes are a bit hardier than the other tomatoes- they managed to weather the first frosts when the other tomatoes just sighed and gave up, so those go in again. Galilee Spinach is one that is popular in Israel (bet you couldn't figure that out from the name, lol) and it's supposedly very good at withstanding that early summer heat. I haven't grown that one before, but I'm tired of only getting maybe 2 good pickings of spinach before they bolt so we'll just see. The Cicerchia Beans are a new one- it's considered a "survival food" in the middle east, because it's so extremely drought resistant it will produce a crop when everything else dies. It's also supposedly delicious; but there is a caveat- it has a mild toxin in it that can cause paralysis and death if you eat it as your primary food source for several months in a row. Of course, if everything else is dead because of drought, that's just what you will be doing, isn't it? I have trouble growing dry beans here though, so If it will grow here, I'll be eating them occasionally.

I forgot to add that I also have raspberries growing along one of the 60' lengths of fencing. I want to get some Rhubarb and Horseradish planted as well- but I need to figure out where. Does anyone know if those are safe from the depredations of deer? If so, I'll be able to grow them somewhere other than my crowded garden space.

Chic Rustler said:

Order details
Product Total
National Pickling Cucumber × 1 $0.99
White Wonder Cucumber × 1 $0.99
Assorted Beet Mix × 1 $0.99
Blue Lake Pole Bean × 2 $1.98
Purple Beauty Pepper × 1 $0.99
Jalapeno Early (Hot) - Pepper × 1 $0.99
White Sweet Spanish - Onion × 1 $0.99
Texas Early Grano 502 Onion × 1 $0.99
Little Gem Butterhead Lettuce × 1 $0.99
Bibb Butterhead Lettuce × 1 $0.99
Rainbow Mix Carrot × 1 $0.99
Sugar Snap pea × 1 $0.99
Yolo Wonder Sweet Pepper × 1 $0.99
Golden Cal Wonder Pepper × 1 $0.99
Sunbright (Sweet) Pepper × 1 $0.99
Slow Bolt - Cilantro × 1 $0.99
Bouquet Dill × 1 $0.99
Waltham Butternut - Squash × 1 $0.99
Italian Oregano × 1 $0.99
Italian Large Leaf - Basil × 1 $0.99
English (Common) Thyme *Perennial* *organic* × 1 $0.99
Subtotal: $21.78
Discount: -$1.99
Shipping: $3.75 via USPS
Payment method: Credit Card
Total: $23.54



I just ordered a load more seeds. Good deal too

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Fantastic deal and site! I bookmarked it!

Britesea said:

The Cicerchia Beans are a new one- it's considered a "survival food" in the middle east, because it's so extremely drought resistant it will produce a crop when everything else dies. It's also supposedly delicious; but there is a caveat- it has a mild toxin in it that can cause paralysis and death if you eat it as your primary food source for several months in a row. Of course, if everything else is dead because of drought, that's just what you will be doing, isn't it?
.

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Niiiice......so your survival food will kill you?

It does seem counter-intuitive doesn't it? But it looks like you can eat it safely in moderation- so I suspect what they would do is to eat it as much as they could safely to extend their total available food supply. I understand it's delicious as well- there is a festival in some Italian town that honors this bean.

treerooted said:

What is everyone's garden size?

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My garden is roughly 90x70 feet, with 5 strand electric fence around it to keep deer out. Our garden problems are chipmunks eating the big seeds as fast as we can plant them. And crabgrass. Oh Lordy. Crabgrass is about the only thing that makes roundup look attractive. This past year was better. I convinced DH to put all the grass clippings on the garden. we didn't have enough to do the whole garden, but a couple sections looked respectable. 6 foot tall weeds everywhere else... A big garden gets away from us every year!

I just ordered seeds. Baker Creek and Jung (somewhat local). Baker Creek doesn't have Maestro peas - our favorite variety. I order a few new things each year. This year I'm trying 3 new tomato varieties. And mangel beets for livestock fodder and/or food plots. Or we might grow them in the food plots and harvest for livestock. Who knows? DH doesn't know I ordered them, but he's the type to plant everything because he can feed excess to the goats.

I am going to try celery from seed this year. I have an open seed packet. I didn't buy it! Or try to plant it! The packet says to start 3 - 4 MONTHS before the last frost! I'm going to plant them the last week of January, and I don't expect anything to come of them. A couple weeks after that I'll start onions from seed. I had terrible germination last year, just of this one type of onion, the other onions grew awesomely from seed. Baker Creek was fantastic. They replaced the seeds with the same variety from a different lot number. I don't have high hopes for them anyway. I'm just happy to think about being able to start seeds so early!

I'm going to test some new garden areas closer to the house. I have trouble getting to and from the veggie garden because there's a big hill. Hence, the garden is neglected. I'm relocating more tender plants up near the house. I only need to convince DH to keep the chickens locked up so they don't destroy it all!

My seeds are organized by the planting date and I am SUPER EXCITED to get my 2018 seeds and organize them. Daydreaming is the best part!

I just bought some Maestro peas- glad to hear you like them. The blurbs in the catalogs always make everything sound so good, lol.

@tortoise I hope for the day when I'll have a garden that size! It's completely understandable that it would be difficult to keep on top of

Daydreaming IS the best part! I much prefer daydreaming to weeding! Lol

Still waiting for my Baker Creek catalogue. That one in particular is a good source for daydreams.

tortoise said:

I'm going to test some new garden areas closer to the house. I have trouble getting to and from the veggie garden because there's a big hill. Hence, the garden is neglected

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Do you have a riding mower? I've used mine to help tote things in the pulled cart (good for baby seats, too) and to limit walks -- or speed them up by taking everything in one trip.

tortoise said:

A big garden gets away from us every year!

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Ain't THAT the truth!!! And yet, we ALL want, dream, persist in trying that.

NH Homesteader said:

Daydreaming IS the best part! I much prefer daydreaming to weeding! Lol

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I like your way of thinking!

@Mini Horses - last year I started driving my car to the garden. Easier to tow kids and buckets. It made a huge difference in how often i could get down there. I still struggled with cerebral hypoperfusion/hypoxia while gardening, so I have some more problems to sort out. Maybe 2018 is the year?! I can daydream about a perfectly tended garden, right?