What Are You Planting This Year?

Looking at our weather forecast you would not think that spring is right around the corner. My garden is still snow covered and our forecast is for another 16” of the white stuff! However my seeds have arrived and my potting soil is mixed up and ready and it is time to start my seeds indoors.

What are you planting this year. Here are a few of the seeds I will be starting early inside. Tomatoes and peppers are always started about 6-8 weeks before planting time. This gives the plants a time to get started and give you a better chance to have a good harvest.

The majority of my seeds that I ordered this year are all heirloom and come from Solstice Seeds; all the vegetables are grown locally and then the seeds are saved and available for purchase. I have confidence that these vegetables will do well in my garden since they were grown locally. This year I am growing three types of tomatoes.

Amish Paste – this is one of our favorites. An heirloom form Lancaster, PA the tomatoes produced are acorn or heart shaped with a deep red color and an intense tomatoey flavor. The fruit is meaty with few seeds and is excellent for fresh eating or caning.

Burbank – This will be a new tomato for us this year. The fruit is medium sized round and smooth with good flavor and good drought resistance. Luther Burbank developed this tomato in 1915.

Orange Banana – These 3 oz plum tomatoes are very productive and adapted to a wide range of uses from drying to sauces to fresh eating. Unusually full and sweet flavor for a paste tomato. I am looking forward to trying these apricot colored tomatoes.

I will also be starting an assortment of peppers.

Odessa Market Sweet Pepper – this is an heirloom pepper from Odessa on the Black Sea in the Ukraine. The plant has strong stocky stems and unique green leaves and grows rapidly and dependably. It usually sets 7-12 fruits per plant. The fruit is crisp, juicy and tasty.

Peacework Sweet Pepper – This is an exciting sweet early bell pepper. The peppers have a good flavor and a full bodied sweetness.

Boldog Hungarian Spice Pepper – This pepper is somewhat blocky but a slender paprika pepper with an intoxicating aroma and a touch of heat once dried and ground. The plants are robust and about 2-3 feet tall, bearing heavily close to the stems. Peppers start dark and then ripen to a rich reddish brown.

In addition to the tomatoes and peppers I will also be starting Leeks and Eggplant. I don’t usually have much luck with eggplant here in Vermont but I give it a try each year.

Scotland Leeks– I have grow these leeks before with an incredibly harvest. Scotland Leeks are a very sturdy heirloom winter leek with a fat, pure white shank and deep green leaves. They have an outstanding flavor and exceptional hardiness. I have to space them generously as they can achieve remarkable size!

Diamond Eggplant is a Ukrainian variety brought back to the states in 1993 by Seed Saver Exchange co-founder Kent Whealy. The fruits are glossy, elongated, tapered, dark purple with a pale green flesh that is free of bitterness. Of the various varieties of eggplant that Solstice Seeds have grown this is the best performing. Hopefully it will do well in my garden!

What will you be growing in your garden this year?

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