Planting Starts for your Summer Soiree
If you’re like me, going to the nursery this time of year is a test of willpower. We can almost taste those fresh veggies and our minds project images of arm loads of delicious food. It all starts in those 4 inch containers! The longer you browse the more you start to imagine that small raised bed is as big as a half-acre farm and of course 18 tomato plants will fit. Yes that personally happens to me each year, Tomatomania is wonderful rite of passage!
How do we decide how many starts to plant and which varieties? Here are a few simple guidelines we use to help you get the most out of your garden this Summer:
Plant what you eat
What recipe defines Summer for you? Is it a fresh Stars and Moon watermelon and feta salad? Crusty BLT with juicy Brandywine tomato slices or grilled sweet corn straight off the stalk?
Plant your garden like you would shop at your grocery store or farmers market. If you love making juices and can’t live without your kale, then there’s a great variety of cut and come again kale for you. Or, if your tastebuds yearn for a sweet and spicy salsa, plant some Yellow Aji chiles and Strawberry Heart tomatoes that will blow your mind. If your idea of a refreshing summer drink is a mojito, don’t forget to plant a pot full of mint..
To keep it simple, grab your favorite recipe or meal plan, and make a note which fresh produce shows up.
Portion Size?
Like Brad Gates, our legendary, local tomato breeder says, “…I feel like I’m getting robbed if I don’t have at least four colors!” At home, I planted 25 different varieties one year and could barely figure out what to do with 50 lbs. of tomatoes each week!
It might be hard, but once you have narrowed it down to a couple varieties, you can add more detail to your garden plan.
How seedlings of each vegetable should I plant?
When should each be planted, and how often?
Here are some resources to help with planning and timing of your vegetable garden:
