Thursday, July 21, 2011

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

I don't have any silver bells or cockle shells, but I do have my ducklings in a row.



Here's what's in the garden this year:
Roma Tomatoes

Tomatoes:
  • Roma - 66 plants
  • Super Beefsteak
  • Tiny Tim 
  • Early Girl 
  • Big Boy 
  • Cherry 
  • Green Grape 
  • Red Reif Heart 
  • Eva Purple Ball 
  • Striped Cavern 
  • Burpee Long Keeper 
  • Ace 55 
  • Heirloom mix 
  • Sungella 
  • Red Lightning Hybrid 
  • There are also several volunteer plants. I'm curious to see which varieties they are.
  • Total: 161 (Volunteers not included.)
Mexican Sour Gherkin

Cucumbers:
  • Muncher 
  • Carolina 
  • Sumpter 
  • Lemon 
  • Boston Pickling 
  • White 
  • Poinsetta  76
  • Chicago Pickling
  • Mexican Sour Gherkin
  • Total: 100 plants (I think I got carried away)
Partial view of the East Garden, including Contender beans, tomatoes
cucumbers, and corn.

Beans:
  • Contender (bush variety)
  • Royal Burgandy
I have no idea how many plants total.  A rough guess for one Contender bean patch would be 450.  The patch is only about 15x18.  The other patches are smaller.


Golden Bell peppers

Peppers:
  • Keystone Resistant Giant
  • Garden Leader Tasty Red
  • Garden Leader Tasty Orange
  • Golden Bell
  • Ace
  • Pimento
  • Big Jim
  • Carnival Mix
  • Red Habanero
  • Chocolate Habanero
  • Total: No idea.  I have 36 plants that I bought (6 each of the first 6 listed). The rest are from seed. I should count them for future reference, I suppose.
I'm giving up on plant totals for the rest of this post.  I have notes in my garden book, but it's too tedious to total everything.  

Squash:
  • Blue Hubbard
  • Queensland Blue
  • Delicata
  • Black Beauty Zucchini
  • Blue Pumpkin
  • Rouge Vif d'Etampes
  • Butternut
  • Early Acorn Hybrid
  • Argonaut
  • Pink Banana 
  • Pie Pumpkin
  • Early White Bush Scallop
Corn:
  • Kandy Korn (sweet corn)
  • Early Sunglow (sweet corn)
  • Tom Thumb Popcorn
  • Strawberry Popcorn
  • Earth Tones Dent Corn
  • Painted Mountain Flour Corn
The corn is Eöl's department, at least the planting part. I'm working during that time of year and am usually dead tired when I get home. I'm really grateful he took over.

    This year, he and Little Sis were in charge of potato planting, as well.  They did an amazing job, despite the constant rain, and planted about 75 lbs of Yukon Gold.
    Partial view of West Garden, including melon patch, tomatoes, peppers, squash and corn.
    The huge, weedy mess on the left is our hedgerow.
    We let that grow to protect our garden from any spray used in the field next door.
    The hedgerow is also home to many birds, including a pair of Indigo Buntings.

    Melons:
    • Collective Farm Woman
    • Charentais
    • Amish Cantelope
    • Blacktail Mountain Watermelon
    • Sugar Baby Watermelon
    • Crimson Sweet Watermelon
    • Congo Watermelon
    • Georgia Rattlesnake Watermelon
    Another partial view of the West Garden, including Contender beans, corn, onions, beets,  and tomatoes.
    Notice the plastic is rolled back for the onions and beets.

    Onions:
    • Yellow
    • Red  (planted one pound each)
    Other:
    • Jersey Wakefield Cabbage
    • Romanesco Broccoli
    • Broccoli
    • Rutabaga
    • Turnips
    • Radishes
    • Horseradish
    • Asparagus
    • Baby Bok Choy
    • Pak Choy
    • Carrots
    • Lettuce
    • Ground Cherries
    • Snow Peas
    • Beets (Detroit Supreme, Chioggia, Golden, and Tall Top Early Wonder)
    Ground Cherries

    And of course there are the herbs:
    • Dill
    • Basil: Amethyst, Serrata, Queenette
    • Cilantro
    • Chives
    • Thyme
    • Lovage
    • Chamomile
    • Mint: Chocolate and Pineapple
    • Lemon Balm (I know it's technically a mint)
    • Sweet Woodruff
    • Bee Balm
    • Echinacea
    • Horseradish
    • Patchouli
    • Bay
    • Bronze Fennel
    • Oregano
    There are probably more herbs, but that's all I can think of right now.  They are scattered all over the garden, the flower beds, and the yard.

    ETA:  Tomatillos! Can't believe I forgot them.  I have purple and green.  I didn't actually plant any this year; they are all volunteers from last year.  Also, I forgot to list lavender in the herbs. I knew I was forgetting something.  

    What's in your garden this year?


    6 comments:

    Anonymous said...
    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
    Kevin said...

    good lord that's a massive garden. I'm glad I'm starting off small... I'd pull my hair out with that many plants to pick, weed, pick and pick some more.

    Anonymous said...

    I have been following your blog for a few months now and truly enjoying your sense of humor and your choice of lifestyle. Am a little envious. Your garden is fantastic, makes my 10 x 30 foot plot seem small. Keep on posting.

    Country Wife said...

    Kevin, it's the picking that makes me crazy. There's almost no time to process in between picking berries, peppers, beans, etc. In fact, I should be outside picking right now. lol

    Anonymous, thanks for the comment and compliment! A sense of humor is an absolute must with this lifestyle. My first garden here wasn't much bigger than yours. Beware, once the garden bug bites, you may have to expand. :)

    Nicole and Andrew said...

    every season you impress me more & more, you really are a wonder :o)

    Country Wife said...

    Nicole, thanks! That is so sweet!!