A Fresh Start
One of the great pleasures of home gardening is that each year, you get a fresh start. If a particular crop or variety of plant did not work out, grow well, or produce much, each spring you get a do over. You get to start again and try something new, without any harm done.
It might be as simple as moving plants to a new location in the garden where there is more or less sunlight. Or maybe you need to supplement your soil more with a specific combination of nutrients. It could be that you need to start seeds at a slightly different time. Possibly the weather was too hot or wet, or the deer too hungry, factors beyond your control. One of the easiest changes you can make is trying a new variety of seed to see if you are more successful and get a greater yield.
In December and January, gardeners’ mailboxes are filled with seed catalogs, with photos of all the beautiful new varieties and old standbys. After evaluating last year’s garden, I get to pick new varieties of plants that may be more successful, or I select them simply because they have a new trait, making them more fun.
I pick my seeds each year based on a variety of characteristics. If a crop was very successful the previous year, I will almost certainly grow it again. If something did not grow well, I may try a new variety of that crop to see if it makes a difference. If I don’t have success after a few years of trying, that crop will fall out of rotation, and I will have to face the fact that I just might need to buy it at the market. I often try new vegetables that I have never grown, and sometimes ones I have never even eaten. While I might only give up a small parcel of precious garden space to something brand new, it is always fun, and it may force me to expand my palate and cooking repertoire. Finally, I sometimes pick new varieties to grow based on how they will look on the plate, for food should not only be pleasing to the palate, but pleasing to the eye as well. So I always try to grow some crops where the harvest promises to be visually stunning.
This year several of the new seeds I will be trying come from Fruition Seeds, a small, organic seed company in upstate New York that breeds varieties specially adapted for the Northeast. (They have a great weekly garden email.) I have noted the seeds that come from them in my list of the new varieties I will be trying this coming year.
Calypso Cilantro – While cilantro grows very well in the cool spring and fall, the problem with growing it in the home garden is that it bolts or flowers very quickly in the heat of the summer. So as summer approaches, you need to plant new seeds every few weeks. Calypso is a variety that bolts two to three weeks later than other cilantro and easily grows back after the stems are cut. My guacamole, pico de gallo, and salsa verde are sure to benefit.
Mexican Gherkin Cucumber – This is a mini cucumber that looks like a watermelon. I am going to try this one-inch cuke from Fruition seeds just because it looks fun to grow and serve as one component of a small plates meal.
NY Slicing 264 Cucumber – This new variety of cucumber from Fruition seeds is bred specifically to be planted in July and last into early fall, well past most other varieties. In addition, it is disease resistant, specifically to downy mildew. With NY Slicing 264, I’m hoping for a cucumber crop late into the season.
Beauregarde Snow Peas – I grow great snow peas every year, so there is no reason for me to switch varieties. But when I saw that Row 7 Seeds is selling Beauregarde, a purple-podded snow pea, I had to give it a try. This is all about aesthetics for me, and I hope they look stunning on the plate.
Kossak Hybrid Kohlrabi – I have never grown kohlrabi. I have never cooked kohlrabi. I have never even eaten kohlrabi. That’s why I am going to try it in the garden this year; I’m going to force myself to expand my repertoire (and my family’s).
Brandywise Tomato – I have grown heirloom Brandywine tomatoes in my garden for years because they are big and famous for their flavor. But they also are susceptible to common diseases. This new variety from Fruition Seeds promises the same great flavor with resistance to some of the diseases that plague tomatoes in the Northeast.
Tatsoi (Asian Spinach) – I have never had luck with spinach in my garden. It may be because spinach really only grows in the cool weather of spring and fall. No matter. Tatsoi, which is technically not spinach but more closely related to bok choy, is supposed to be easier to grow, including in the heat of the summer. We’ll see if my luck changes with Fruition Seed’s Tatsoi.
August Ambrosia Watermelon – I gave up trying to grow melons years ago because they need such a long season. But I recently learned that Fruition Seeds is selling a new variety bred specifically for the short seasons here in the Northeast. I figured I’d give it a go and see if watermelons can be successful in New York.
Cool. I am definitely adding this cilantro to my garden this year. You have to report back on how the kohlrabi grows and how to prepare it. We only have room for a small garden here so won’t grow it. But it’s avaialble here. We need some good recipes. Thanks Max!
Thanks Emily – I’ll let you know later in the year about the kohlrabi. And it’s always nice to be able to pick fresh cilantro from the garden and use it in the kitchen!!