New things I'm growing this year
Seeds started in the kitchen window
I’m trying several new things this year, including herbs and a couple of new flowers for the cutting/pollinator garden.
Agretti (also called saltwort), which I discovered through Jessie, at Plot 37, Mexican marigold/tarragon (Tagetes lucida), roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) that I’ll use for tea and flavoring jam, and lemongrass. I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to feel about Mexican tarragon. It’s said to have a licorice type flavor, which I really don’t like. If not, I’ll use it as a cut/pollinator flower. I also have chamomile on my list, which I’ve never been able to grow from seed, but I’m trying it again.
As for flowers, I’m hoping to get a few perennials going in the greenhouse in the next couple of weeks. Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) made the list this year. I’ve never grown either of them from seed, but I have grown milkweed from purchased plants before. I don’t have any at this house, and hoping to change that.
Several varieties of milkweed grow wild in my area, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can get some seed this fall. I found red ring milkweed (Asclepias variegata) at the edge of the woods on our hunting lease. I’m not sure exactly where, but I know the general area. I hope the clear cut this year didn’t destroy it. They are deeply rooted, which is helpful for their survival in adverse conditions. I can’t find any seeds online.
I (sort of) got my shit together this year and started some seeds indoors in addition to the direct sowing I did. I have these on a heated seed mat until they are big enough to harden off AND I get the greenhouse sorted so I can move them out there. I picked up the green trays and the heated mat directly from Vivosun. They are available on Amazon, but I’m trying to avoid buying from them as much as possible.
So far:
Tomatoes - Black Cherry, Honeycomb Hybrid (cherry), and Moskvich, which is supposed to be a more cold tolerant variety.
Peppers - Tabasco, from saved seed, and a Sweet Bell mix
Lettuce - Silvia (Red Romaine), Buttercrunch
Spinach - Bloomsdale Longstanding
Kale - Red Russian
Chard - Fordhook Giant
Various marigolds
Phlox - Crème Brûlée
Basil - 4 varieties
Alpine Strawberries
Onions - Green Bunching, Walla Walla
There’s so much more I want to start, but I have limited space. The chard and kale will probably go in tubs to save room in my beds for the smaller stuff and the summer crops I’ll need to put in by the middle of May. Our last frost date is usually in the first week of April, though my dad thinks it might be later this year because Easter is late. He swears by planting during favorable periods of the moon’s cycle.
I really have too much to do, but I’ll get it all done eventually.
Until next time…
Jennifer
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