Next year’s growing plans

Posted by louisa on Tuesday 16 November 2010 in frugal, growing | 2 comments

I think this time of year may be favourite part of gardening – when I get to start making exciting plans for next year from the comfort of the sofa. Mmm, sofa.

So far, I’m planning the following – and thankfully, it doesn’t look like I’ve have to spend too much more on new seeds.

Old faithfuls:

• All sorts of lettuce including winter gem & spicy leaves – all leftover seed & seeds bought in a 75% sale off
• Broad beans – some saved seed, some leftover seed
• French beans – some saved seeds, some sale seeds
• Pumpkins a go go – I seem to have four different types of pumpkin seeds, bought in various mega-discount sales – not sure I’ll grow them all
• Courgettes & marrow – some saved seed and some new
• Chillis – super hot birds eye ones and cooler jalapeno types – leftover and sale seeds
• Carrots – sale seed, bought 75% off
• Misc brassicas – try broccoli, kale & cabbage again, maybe not cauliflower. Got leftover seed for all
• Leeks & onions – leftover seeds
• Tomatoes – some saved seeds, some new sale seeds
• Swiss chard – leftover seeds
• Potatoes – will have to buy some new seed potatoes, probably go for salad ones

Herbs – old and new:

• Borage – leftover seed and I suspect we might get a few plants from self-seeding too
• Tarragon & Oregano – might be able to coax a couple of plants through winter…
• Mint, Rosemary and Lavender – existing plants should survive
• Sage – new seeds bought in 50% off sale
• Meadow-sweet – new seeds, tempted to try use them, and some other wild flowers, for a bit of guerilla gardening in the local environs…
• Basil – need new seeds by the look of it
• Comfrey – a little amount for green manuring, sale seeds
• Cat nip – existing seeds, existing cats

New exciting things!

• Cucumber – not sure why I didn’t do them this year, seed bought on sale will be grown next year!
• Apples & pears – trees en route, might get a little fruit next year
• Strawberries – since I don’t do fruit, I’ve not grown any but John is interested in strawberries and mmm, strawberry jam. Need to buy seeds/plants.
• Scotch Bonnet peppers – more hot hot chillis. Need to buy seeds.

Extra exciting maybes!

• Achocha – if I get organised enough to buy some seeds
• Asparagus – ditto substituting “seeds” for “crowns”
• Some sort of berry thing to grow in a planter – maybe cranberry or lingonberry – need to decide & buy
• Mushrooms – we’ve got the space, shade and wood, so we might as well try to grow some deliberately rather than just letting nature take its course. I’m thinking maybe oyster mushrooms.

What are you planning to grow next year? Anything new?

Is there something I’ve missed off my list that you think I should definitely try?