As I munch away at the last of our stored winter squash and potatoes, my attention moves towards the spring. Now is the time to assess your veggie seed stock and plan on what to grow for 2015. Here’s what I'll be trying.
Tomatoes are always a favorite. While many commercial farmers grow grafted varieties for vigor and disease resistance, I haven't yet. But this new variety peaked my interest. 'Ketchup N Fries' is a cherry tomato grafted onto a potato rootstock. Supposedly you'll get droves of tomatoes and up to 4 pounds of potatoes from one plant. I may pop one into a container and see how it does. For more conventional tomatoes, the latest in the purple colored tomato family is 'Indigo Apple'. It has larger fruits than 'Indigo Rose', so it is good for slicing. Speaking of colorful veggies, 'Royal Snow' is a burgundy colored pea. It will look good next to the purple 'Shiraz' and yellow 'Golden Sweet' in our garden.
I love eating quinoa and breeders are working on varieties we can try in our short growing season. 'Cherry Vanilla' is a compact variety that matures seeds early. I saw some growing at Middlebury College last year and will give this plant a try.
If you're an organic gardener and have trouble with sweet corn seeds rotting in cool, wet soil, try the new 'Who Gets Kissed'. This is the first open pollinated, bicolor sweet corn variety bred specifically for organic growers who don't use fungicides to prevent rot.
I love kale and a new variety on the market has my attention. 'Kalettes' is a cross between kale and brussels sprouts. The long season plants grow tall like Brussels sprouts, but instead of forming sprouts, they form small heads of kale along the stem. Cool!
And now for this week's tip: after your amaryllis bulb is finished flowering, cut back the flower stalk and leave the leaves. Keep it watered and fertilized monthly to survive the winter indoors.
Next week on the Vermont Garden Journal, I'll be talking about green shake combos. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
Resources:
Broadcast on Friday, January 23, 2015 at 5:57 p.m. and Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 9:35 a.m.
The Vermont Garden Journal with Charlie Nardozzi is made possible by Gardener's Supply, offering environmental solutions for gardens and landscapes. In Burlington, Williston and Gardeners.com.
