If you are anything like me you are already thinking about next seasons garden half way through this one and rushing to the mailbox in anticipation of the arrival of the new seed catalogs.
Each year I keep a garden journal. In it I plan placement and design, record successes and failures and, my favorite, keep lists of all the things I must add to next seasons garden. I thought I would share with you some of the things I am currently coveting and fully intend to add to the 2019 garden.
First, let me introduce my favorite places to get my seeds.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds at www.rareseeds.com
I do collect many of my own seeds, but there are always new things going in the garden and some that just didn’t get collected the previous season. I have been getting seeds from Baker Creek for years and they have absolutely not disappointed. Baker Creek is owned by Jere and Emily Gettle with an incredible farm and village in the rolling hills of the Missouri Ozarks. Their seeds come with a safe seed pledge.
Jere Gettle always had a passion for growing things, and at age 3 he planted his first garden. Ever since, he wanted to be involved in the seed industry. So in 1998, at the age of 17, he printed the first Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog. The company has grown to offer nearly 2,000 varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs—the largest selection of heirloom varieties in the USA.
Baker Creek carries one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century, including many Asian and European varieties. The company has become a tool to promote and preserve our agricultural and culinary heritage. Our company and seeds have been featured in The New York Times, The Associated Press, Oprah Magazine, NPR, Martha Stewart, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. Gardeners can request a free color catalog. Our catalogs now distribute to over 700,000 gardeners nationally.
Add Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds to your 2019 garden plans.
Another favorite of mine, and many others, is Burpee Seeds.
Burpee has been a staple for most of the gardeners I know for generations.
We are proud to have delivered the finest quality, non-GMO varieties in home gardening for over 140 years.
We are a company of gardeners, for gardeners, and we guarantee each and every product. Grow confidently knowing that Burpee’s team of horticulture experts is with you every step of the way.
Burpee carries an astounding variety of plants and seeds, including house plants. They even have a large supply of accessories, baskets, books and tools. Burpee should definitely be in your garden supply toolbox. Find them at www.burpee.com
Now, let’s take a look at some of the NEW things going in my 2019 garden.
Mizuna
I am always looking for new, fast growing leafy greens to add to the garden and the dinner table. Mizuna is a Japanese creation that comes in a few varieties. Benihoushi mizuna adds great color to the garden and offers a good spring crop with it’s cool weather affinity.
Summer mizuna is very heat tolerant, great for filling in those cool crop harvest areas.
Orach
Orach is another unique “green”. This Aurora Mixed orach is just so pretty and, from what I hear, quite tasty.
Snowbank Blackberry
I adore berries. Breakfast, snacks, on a salad. I eat berries nearly every single day. So I am always looking for something new to add to the gardens. I also love strange and interesting things so these pretty white Snowbank Blackberries will be an exciting addition to both my diet and my garden.
Long Keeper Tomatoes
I don’t know where these Long Keeper tomatoes have been all my life, but I am not letting another season pass me by without them. Long Keepers are just that, a STORAGE TOMATO. Yes, you read that right. It is said that these tomatoes can be kept in the root cellar long into the winter. Yes, please.
There are a few things that Baker Creek and Burpee do not currently supply that I also hope to add this coming season.
Goumi
Goumi is a rounded, somewhat thorny shrub that produces red berries similar to Autumn Olives. They have a slight astringency when fully ripe that can be used in jellies, jams, juice, sauces and wine. Besides offering an edible berry, goumi have a very fragrant flower that is attractive to a wide range of pollinators. Hardy here in zone 5, goumi will be a welcome addition to the border gardens along the exterior of the new orchard. The same orchard that will, with any luck, house our bees this summer.
Hawthorn
I have been aching for the day I plant hawthorn here at Wild Shire. Hawthorn has a rich history in healing conditions of the heart, both physical and emotional. It is also ripe in folklore that we will delve into further when I have planted them here in my own garden. The young leaves in spring can be eaten in salads, the tougher leaves later in the year can be used in teas, the flowers are a tasty treat and the fall berries are wonderful dried and used in all types of healing remedies.
Hawthorn are another great border shrub/tree that is very attractive to pollinators and provides a beautiful, showy addition to spring gardens.
Pawpaw
For the record, Baker Creek does carry the seeds of pawpaw, when in stock. However, I do not have the patience to wait 5 or 6 years for a single fruit so I am currently researching suppliers who can provide an established plant. Furthermore, from all of the reviews I have read, just germinating a pawpaw seed can be a lengthy, frustrating endeavor. So, no seed starting on this one. Not this time anyway. Burpee also carries plants, when in stock, but I have yet to find them available. I am on the waiting list.
The pawpaw is a pretty wild plant. Once a staple in the native diet, it is now considered a delicacy. This tree bears large fruits with a tropical flavor and somewhat creamy texture.
As you can see, fruit trees are a big focus for the 2019 garden. As are nut trees. I am hoping to add a variety of fruit and nut bearing trees in the near future. Food for pollinators is also an integral part of the new additions. We hope to add bees to our ever expanding wild and home grown food sources in the spring and we will need to provide plenty of food for them. The winter will be filled with research, planning and plotting. I’m looking forward to sharing it all with you. The good, the bad and the ugly. Hopefully mostly good though.
Stay tuned for 2019 Garden Additions Part 2