What are you going to plant this summer?

[3girls1boy]

We were just talking about it at supper tonight.

Last year, we planted miniature Indian corn, with scarlet runner beans and squash around it. Got lots of squash, not too many beans and corn did well. DD #1 says lets grow corn we can eat, so will try a sweet corn this summer, with mini pumpkins and beans again. This is just a couple of rows in our small garden. Also DD want to plant carrots and radishes. Of course we always have a tomato plant or two.

Anybody grow any intersting heirloom varieties? Anybody know what will do well in southern wisconsin?

[leafylady]

Wisconsin public radio has great gardening shows on at around 11am, one day a week, maybe fridays. The host usually talks to UofW extension agents.
The Minnesota State Horticultural Society puts out a great magazine called Northern Gardener which is oriented toward growing in zones 4 and colder.
I live in Minnesota, but right on the border with LaCrosse, WI. I stick to warm weather vegetable varieties that mature quickly, preferably 60-75 days for tomatoes or peppers. I have a hard time with eggplant. My garden is too small for corn, but last year I grew a bunch of overcrowded sunflowers in a 3x6 raised bed, which looked absurdly beautiful next to our little yellow house. I don't think the garden club really understood that...
Cool weather crops do well, but I'm terrible about actually harvesting and eating them.

As far as my planting goes, I'm pregnant and due June 2nd. I've decided not to do any seeds at all this year. I'll get the common variety tomatoes and peppers that I can get at the nurseries. This year I've decided to focus on all plants- preferably rugosa and rambler roses, and some short hardy fruit trees. My husband wants to rip up some yard and put in grape vines. This all sounds good to me. I think seeds will be too much work with a baby coming. I think I can get plants in and settled before the end of May.

[anythingelse]

We are just starting to plan our garden. I got some info on a 'freedom garden' but lost my source.
This year we are trying to make it part of our homeschooling, not just mom weeding alone but an enriching educational thing. Also ordering some butterflies and hoping to plant a raised bed butterfly garden as well.
What do you all reccomend for kids to plant in northern IL?
Mary
mom to 3 boys 13, 7, 4, and 1 dd 11/99

[daylily]

I planted some sugar snap peas yesterday. Last year at the farmer's market, I used to buy some delicious heirloom tomatoes. They were called Green Zebra or something like that. They were green and yellow striped and the best tasting tomatoes ever. I'm definitely going to plant some of those. And I want some foxglove and columbine and more bee balm and poppies and I'd like to plant a rambling rose to cover a doorway that's in my garden. (The previous owners put up old french doors to lead into the garden rather than a traditional gate.) They look cool now, but they'd look better with roses climbing all over them.

[autumn]

also in (the somewhat moody) zone 4

like leafy lady, i am in zone 4. i also get the northern gardener which is great for flower and landscape gardening. i also really love og (organic gardening) for tips on vegie gardening.

last year we bought plants from the minneapolis farmer's market, but this year we're doing everything from seed or bulb (garlic). so far, i have seedlings thriving indoors for garlic, onions, and two varieties of leeks. i'm planning on starting some thyme this weekend. then, in the weeks before the last frost, i'll be starting: 5 varieities of tomato, 2-3 varieties each of sweet and hot peppers, 2 varieties each of spinach, kale, zucchini, squash, pole bean, and 1 each of snow pea, snap pea, and brussel sprouts. whew!

we will also be growing thai, large leaf sweet italian, and reb rubin basils, chives (p), stevia, calendula, and melissa/lemon balm (p). we also have a nice patch of raspberries that we transplanted last year. i think i cut them back too far into the old wood though, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed that the come back.

we'll also be direct seeding some annuals for the first time - calendula (seeding twice as both a flower and as an herb), cosmos, and "ring of fire" sunflowers (in tribute to my labor! hee hee).

just thinking about it makes me want to go outside in my shorts and clogs and get my hands in the soil! we're expanding our garden this year and i'm already surveying the backyard for where it can spread in 2003!

[autumn]

leafylady - i had ella may 21st last year, which is why i went the nursery/farmer's market route. you are a wise wise woman! i didn't get my plants until june, and they weren't in the soil until ella was about 3 weeks old (so, mid-june)...but we still had over 200 tomatoes since we had such a warm and tender fall. best of luck to you!

[AmandasMom]

I'm growing an all- heirloom garden this year. I bought all my seeds from Abundant Life Seed Foundation, great place btw. This year I'm growing "Isis Candy" cherry tomato, "Black from Tula" tomato, "Giant Zittau" globe onion, "Rainbow Inca" sweet corn, "Bordo" beet, "Early Scarlet Horn" carrot, "Sweet Bullnose" sweet pepper, and "Franz Bunching" onion. I started the tomatos and peppers 3 days ago indoors, and they are already sprouting!