So I spent an afternoon preparing my planting list, and mapping out my beds, with much help from Burpee seeds and the Farmer's Almanac. Planting will officially begin in the Jones home on March 1 when lettuce seeds go down outside.
But before I get into my plans, here are some ghosts of garden past to help you get as excited as I am about this:
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| Grape and roma tomatoes |
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| Peppers! |
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| Mammoth sunflower before |
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| And after. See the boxelder bug enjoying the view? |
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| First year in our garden. I overplanted a little. |
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| And the ever-growing rosemary. |
This year's planting will look like this:
Bed 1: Strawberries. (as always)
Bed 2: Tomatoes, grape tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, onions. Basically it's a salsa garden.
Bed 3: Lettuce, spinach and potatoes. The potatoes are new, but I hear they're easy to grow and extra delicious when fresh. I might try out a unique variety, like purple potatoes.
Bed 4: Beans, beats and carrots. Basically beets and friends, because wow do I love beets. I've even convinced Chris that they're worth eating. And I might throw in a few ears of corn, even though Chris told me I wasn't allowed. Just think, trying to keep this Iowa native from growing a few ears of sweet corn . . . . don't tell him.
In addition, we'll have a planter of mint, one of basil, one of rosemary (our rosemary plants from last year have actually survived the winter, so this one is good to go!), one of peas (this is new - I found a compact variety of pea plant that's perfect for small spaces) and one of parsley, oregano and sage. Each garden bed will hold marigolds to keep the critters away, and I'll have a few varieties of sunflowers - including the huge ones, of course - along the flower beds outside the garden retaining wall.
So that's it, we're on official countdown to seed day - only 10 days! I can't wait.
Garden Dreaming captures the excitement and anticipation that comes with the start of a new planting season. The detailed planning, from mapping out garden beds to selecting a variety of crops, reflects the joy and dedication of gardening enthusiasts. The mix of tried-and-true favorites like tomatoes and strawberries, along with new experiments such as potatoes and compact pea plants, showcases the ever-evolving nature of gardening. The integration of companion planting, like marigolds for pest control, highlights a thoughtful and sustainable approach. This kind of enthusiasm is contagious, making even non-gardeners want to grab a trowel and start planting!
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