How does your garden grow?

Because I'm feeling super productive today (HA!), I spent some time planning out my spring garden. OK, mostly just going through the Heirloom Seed catalog and trying to decide what I'll get for next year's planting.

I love trying new and interesting things, and I love things that are not quite the colors I'm used to seeing them in. So, yes, color is often a determining factor in my choices. I had a friend in high school who was a vegetarian. He said that you're doing ok if you're eating from every color in the rainbow. Today, we know that's not so much the case (hello, skittles? taste the rainbow?), but that doesn't stop me from thinking it would be awesome to make a summer salad with all the colors of the rainbow.

When choosing what to plant, I try to stick with things I know we'll eat. No matter what I do, however, I know that we probably won't keep up on all the crop. Which means that I still need to figure out what to do with the leftovers.

First thing I looked at was carrots. We love carrots. Last year we had tons of fun growing carrots and picking and eating them. We container grew our carrots last year in a large pot. I think this year we're going to use some of the rubbermaid bins that we're not using.

I think that the Parisian carrots would be a good choice. They're interesting and fun-looking, plus SweetPea is a sucker for steamed carrots. These should be perfect, no chopping necessary!

Further deliberation may be necessary as to a secondary carrot crop. There are a couple that seem like good choices. The St. Valery, for example, but also the Tendersweet and the Chantenay Royal.

Of course I'll plant tomatoes, because our climate is perfect for it. Ours didn't do so well last year, but I think I learned some valuable lessons for next year. As for what I'm planting, I think I'll start with Brandywine Blacks, and add some Mule Team. Mule Team looks like something my grammy or nana would have grown, back in the day. Since I get my love of tomatoes from grandpa, I think those will be a good choice.

I'll definitely be planting some Sugar Snap Peas, some Dwarf Grey Sugar Peas, and maybe some Green Arrow Peas. I love string beans, but I'm not sure I'll be feeling ambitious enough to deal with a vine that gets as tall as my wife!

We tried bell peppers last year, and, much like the tomatoes, learned some valuable lessons. The crop we did get was pretty good, and our first pepper was ginormous! This year I'd like to try some Miniature Chocolate Bells, Orange Bells, and somewhere there'll have to be a purple pepper.

If I get extra adventurous, I might try growing Watermelon Radishes. Not that I think it'd be particularly difficult. Rather, because radishes are not big eaters here, really, so are lower on the wishing totem-pole.

I'd love to grow me some butternut squash, which is practically my favorite thing ever. Right along with pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and roasted garlic. Yum!

Well this is an awful long post for a glorified wish list! I think, though, I'll make final decisions and place some orders after the New Year.

I'll keep y'all posted!