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Planning for next year's garden

Well, the seed catalogs are starting to arrive. With the garlic bulbs
snuggled down deeply in their mulch beds and a deep blanket of snow covering
the garden, it's time to sit down and go over the notes from last year's
growing season and plan for the upcoming season.  As usual, the new
varieties featured sound almost too good to pass up and a tear is shed for
those favorites which have been dropped for one reason or another.

An initial garden plan has been drafted up, taking into account what we
harvested and ate last year.  The cultivars which survived the scrutiny of
the family palate have been given their squares to grow in.  After counting
seed packets and figuring out the reorders, the time has come to pine and
fret over which varieties to add to the garden for the upcoming year.

This next year I am adapting the square foot method to the larger garden
size I have (I will plant over 1000 sq. ft.) by using two-foot squares
instead of one foot squares for planting.  With the volume I grow this will
work well for planning and planting, as well as record keeping.

Some of the past varieties which have won their place for next year:

Bush Beans:    Jade and Bush Blue Lake:  Both of these had outstanding
harvests, were tender and froze extremely well.  Last year I planted waaay
too many and gave more than a few bushels of green beans away.  These two
varieties will be enough to hold for next year.  Others I have planted:
Provider, Golden Rocky Wax, Royal Purple, Bush Romano II.

Pole Beans:    Northeaster Pole, Kentucky Wonder, and Rattlesnake:  As with
the bush beans, too many were planted last year for what we needed.
Northeaster Pole and Kentucky Wonder are marvelous varieties which have
excelled the past few years.  Leaf hoppers took their toll this year, but
they still performed well.  Rattlesnake was a new variety which was very
tender and nutty in taste.  most of the rattlesnake never made it in from
the garden to the kitchen without being eaten.  As with the Bush Beans, I
won't be looking for any additions to the pole beans.

Shell Peas:    Lincoln:  This is the only variety which has survived.  We
haven't frozen shell peas in the past and I grow them strictly for snacking
on.  This variety has been the sweetest we have come across and will be
replanted again, but I will be looking to try some of other varieties as we
plan to start freezing them this next year.

Snow Peas:    Mammoth Melting Sugar:  A very prolific and sweet variety.
Tall vines give large snow peas which hold on the vine fairly long and
produce over a long period.  We tried Dwarf Grey Sugar last year, but did
not care for the taste of these.  I will be picking a second snow pea
variety to plant.

Snap Peas:    Sugar Snap and Sugar Ann:  This provides me with an early
variety which is very sweet and the standard sugar snap which holds well
even in the heat of July.  I have trie the Super Sugar Snap in  the past and
found it to be a lesser quality than the original Sugar Snap.  These two
should be enough to plant the needs for next year.

Corn:    Tuxedo and Platinum Lady:  Both are very good varieties.  The
Tuxedo filled out right to the tip and the tight wrappings foiled most of
the corn borers.  Platinum Lady is an old favorite.  I picked up enough seed
of Platinum Lady for the next few years, since Crookham (the producer) has
announced they are dropping seed production.  I tried Dawn this last year
(another variety which is being dropped from production) and found the
germination to be spotty but the corn to be very sweet and corny tasting for
an early variety.  I will retry it again this next year, but need to look
for another early corn for the future.

Melons:    Yellow Doll:    This next year will be the 3rd year I will have
tried melons.  Last year I got some nice, though small, yellow dolls which
tasted great.  Family taste buds dictate that I stick with watermelons.  I
tried Earliqueen muskmelons this past year and found them to be very
prolific, but too strong tasting for the kids.  I will be doubling my melon
crops for this next year, so will be looking to pick up at least 3 more
varieties of watermelon or muskmelon.

Cucumbers:    Lemon:    Unusual variety, very sweet, round lemon-like in
appearance.  Since my wife is allergic to cucumbers, I grow this strictly
for myself and need only a plant or two to satisfy me.  I like lemon and
usually give a few away every year.

Summer Squash:    Costata Romanesca:  If you have not tried this heirloom
zucchini, you should.  Nutty taste, not watery like many others.  It is not
overly prolific, so we can keep up with the harvest.  This next year I want
to try another variety to challenge and possibly replace Cocozelle.
Although I liked Cocozelle, more than two squash plants produce more than
the family can handle.  I've also tried Seneca Prolific (so-so) and Sunburst
patty pan.  The Sunburst has been delegated to providing forage for my ducks
and for fair entries.

Winter Squash:  Sweet Mama, Burgess Buttercup, Delicata, and Baby Blue
Hubbard:  These done well the past few years, and there is little which
looks or sounds good enough to replace them.  Both Sweet Mama and the
Burgess are exceptionally sweet and very prolific.  The Baby Hubbard is the
right size for stuffing and not having 3 or 4 meals worth left over.  My
wife and youngest love the Delicata, so that is given it's section in the
garden.  Not a lot of trellis room left over for anything else....

Pumpkins:    Howden:  The Howdens gave us 8 to 9 pumpkins from 15 to 30 lbs
each, well shaped and uniform.  I've also tried Baby Pam for a pie pumkin,
but the taste is not as sweet or as flavorful as we would like, so I'm on
the prowl for a good pie pumpkin variety.  My kids also grow Baby Bear as
ornamentals.  I've been convinced by a friend to try Connecticut Field for
carving pumpkins this next year.

Carrots:    Mokum, Estelle, Scarlet Nantes:  All delicious and sweet.  None
of these are long keepers.  So this year is my year for trialling carrots.
Looking for any suggestions as to your favorites with special emphasis on
storage and good fall varieties.

Beets:    Chioggia:  Colorful red and white striped, very sweet and
delicious.  If you haven't tried this heirloom beet, you should!  I've tried
Red Ace and Lutz Green Leaf, but will be on the prowl for several more
varieties to try.

Onions:    Walla Walla, Ailsa Craig, Sweet Sandwich, Southport Red Globe,
New York Early: Of the sweet varieties, Sweet Sandwich has been
discontinued, so this year will be the last.  It was the only sweet onion
which would store for several months.  The Southport Red and the New York
Early did well last year and stored fairly well this year, but I am still
looking for a good, mild storage onion, with a fairly high sugar content.

Spinach:    Long Standing Bloomsdale, Tyee:  Both have performed fairly well
the past few years.  This year I will trial a few other varieties so am
looking for suggestions.  One I have tried in the past was Residane, but it
always bolted quickly both in the spring and fall plantings.

Lettuce:    Buttercrunch, Red Sails, Simpson, Nancy Butterhead, Kagraner
Sommer Bibb, Red Ibis:  These have performed the best of all the varieties I
have tried and fill the allotted space for lettuce.  I may try another, if
it comes highly praised.

Cabbage:    Jersey Wakefield, Perfect Ball:  Perfect Ball is no longer
available, so I am looking for a replacement.  I've also grown Flash, a
smaller quick maturing variety, but it lacks sweetness.  I would like to
find a good storage variety which retains its sweetness and crispness for a
while.

Broccoli:    Arcadia:  A consistently performing variety.  This year I am
looking for several others to replace Green King, which I have grown the
past few years with mixed success.

Cauliflower:  Snow Crown:  This variety has performed very well for me.  I
will be planting a few others to find a second variety, so need some
suggestions here.  I've tried Violet Queen, but do not consider it as much a
cauliflower as a purple broccoli.

Eggplant:    Rosa Bianca:  This past year was poor for my eggplants.  The
late cool spring and lack of rain produced a very small crop.  I have also
planted Dusky and Swallow for the yields and will plant them again this next
year to give them a better trial.

Peppers:    Lipstick, Orobelle, Apple, Spanish Spice:  These have all been
very prolific and sweet, earning a place in the garden.  Orobelle seed
production has been halted, but I've a supply for a few years yet.  Need to
find a replacement for this fine yellow pepper.  I've also set aside space
to plant several more varieties of sweet pepper, so I'm interested in
hearing of your favorites.

Tomatoes:    Brandywine, Sochulak:  These have been in my garden for several
years now.  Both heirlooms, they produce well and taste great. I will also
grow Manny and Dad's Barber for paste tomatoes, but will be looking for
another, better tasting variety.  I also plant a Glacier every year for its
earliness.  I've tried Firebird in the past, but it is too sweet for me with
a blander taste when compared to the heirlooms.

Well, having rambled long enough, I will send this with anticipation of
hearing of your favorite varieties.

Cliff Parker
Holden, ME
zone 4
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