We’ve had a really weird mild winter this year, but I’m starting to dream of spring. We have some snow on the ground, but I have a good view of the garden (even covered with snow) from my window and I have been sifting through my seeds to see what I’m going to plant this year. With last year’s travel and health issues, my garden wasn’t very successful last year. I want to try to go a little easy this year, but I still want to make a good effort and have a great garden. That said, I tried to rein in what I’m going to plant but it is still a little more extensive than I originally wanted. Here is what the plan is for this year:

I did a quick pen drawing for my garden plan for this year, but you can go as extensive as you’d like if you make one. I did a nice one a few years ago that I actually colored in, on large paper. My problem is that when I go to plant I tend to bring this outside with me so a nice one will become dirty and probably wet from being out there with my. So rudimentary is best in my case.

To make the plan above, I started by going through all my seeds. I have a plastic photo box that I use for my seed storage, and earlier this winter I went through and got rid of the old seeds – anything pre-2019. I had tried to grow some older seeds last year and had a bunch that didn’t sprout, so I figure 5 years is a good mark – anything older I tossed. I also through out any onion seeds also because those are really only good for about a year.

I went through the seeds and decided what I wanted and what I didn’t want to grow for the year. I also bought a few things this year so of course those will be grown too. I had an original pile that was probably half of my seeds, and then I whittled that down more by choosing things I know I definitely want to grow. Some plants I like but know that they are a hassle for what we get, and some things I wanted to grow but I have tried and failed too many times (like Brussel’s sprouts). Here are most of the contenders for this year:

I have most of the regular contenders – pumpkins (including another try at giant pumpkins), and those giant Gete Okosomin squash I grew a few years ago. We’ll see if this summer is hot enough to get a nice crop. In my effort to really rein in, I’m only growing 2 types of tomatoes – one is a Pineapple tomato that I really liked and have grown a couple times. While seed shopping I saw some Devil’s claw seeds and Job’s tears – the job’s tears are good for beads, and I figured maybe i could make some art with the Devil’s claws. We’ll see if they grow and what they are like.

I decided I definitely want to grow carrots, so I grabbed a few kinds for this year – one was a free seed packet I just got. I am growing lots of flowers this year, including 3 types of sunflowers, because I love them. I also am growing cucumbers, beans, green zucchini, broccoli and some other herbs and vegetables.

I make a lot of art and have been working with natural dyes and botanical printing lately, so I decided I would like to grow some dye plants. I started some last year but with everything going on, most of them didn’t take. I did grow some madder plants, I had 3 in the fall, but we’ll see if they survived our winter once the snow is all gone. Madder is good for red dye.

This year’s garden should be exciting. Let’s hope the weather is good.