Gardening matters Posted at 04 Oct 2007 12:19:59 PM

Gardening thoughts and ideas (for when I eventually have a garden). I think it's reading all the posts about canning and preserving on my RSS list and cooking forums which is inspiring this... I have so many ideas, and don't want to forget any of them!

Note - these are mostly for my own reference, at such time as I'm able to make use of them. However, if someone else finds them useful too - party on, Garth.)

• Raised beds?
  Yes. Tilled land is lovely, but I live in MO, and it is -dry-. Maybe I'll luck out and get naturally rich dirt, but I'm not counting on it. Plus, I can make them any height: Farmgirl Susan's are made with 2x4s and are just a few inches off the ground, whereas the people at Gardenweb have theirs made out of cinderblocks or stacked wall stone, and are waist-high.
  
  
  
  • Higher = good for drainage?
    
  • Wood, cinderblocks or stone? Stone is prettier but expensive, cinderblocks are cheaper, wood (pressure-treated or non?) is more expensive than concrete, may rot. Harder to expand wood, if it's framed up with posts drilled into the ground... you can just move stone.
    
  • Higher = the dogs won't be a threat, at least. Cats are a threat no matter what, heh.
    
  • Sunlight a factor in height? It certainly is in placement.
    
  
  
  
• Plants:
  
  
  
  • Peppers
    
    
    
    • Sweet bell
      
    • Hungarian Wax (Tammy)
      
    • Tom Matarese's
      
    • Poblano
      
    • Jalepeno (Tammy)
      
    • Tammy's mystery peppers
      
    • Lord, I'd better start my own farm stand
      
    
    
  • Tomatoes
    
    
    
    • Cherry
      
    • Something else bigger and jucier. Seed catalogue from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds should be here in December, and I can't wait!
      
    
    
  • Peas
    
    
    
    • Sugar snap and/or snow, if they'll grow here. Again, the BCH catalogue will probably help with this, as well as Susan's blogs (she's in southern MO, which is a massive help. If she can grow it, so can I).
      
    • My herb garden, which to date includes:
      
      
      
      • Cinnamon Basil
        
      • Lavender
        
      • Thyme
        
      • Oregano
        
      • Rosemary
        
      
      
      And which I would like to expand with:
      
      • Sweet basil
        
      • Sage
        
      • Savory
        
      • Lemon thyme
        
      
      
    
    
  • Lettuce
    
    
    
    • Decison pending perusal of catalogue
      
    
    
  • In the not-garden department
    
    
    
    • Fruit tree? Apple, maybe pear? Or oooh, lemon!
      
    • Hummingbird feeder ("or three?" -Dan)
      
    • Climbing rose and/or lattice(s)
      
    
    
  
  (I'm going to need some substancial backyard space, I can already tell.)
  
  
• Equipment that I don't need but which would would make me squeel like a little girl:
  
  
  
  • Crock pot (which I, thankfully, have already)
    
  • Dehydrator
    
  • FoodSaver vacuum sealer
    
  • Pressure canner
    
  • KitchenAid stand mixer
    
  • Slab of unglazed tile to use as bread/pizza stone
    
  • A really BIG pantry.
    
  • I'm sure this list will grow.
    
  
  
  
• Links:
  
  (This is by no means my full collection of cooking- and gardening-related items, but it's a good starting point)
  
  • http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com
    
  • http://inmykitchengarden.blogspot.com
    
  • http://
    
  • Chowhound - canning/pickling peppers
    
  • Chowhound - Home Cooking board
    
  • Preserving/freezing produce @ LJ Cooking
    
  • Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
    
  • Gardening pages at University of Illinois Extension
    
  • Hot pepper paste recipe
    
  
  
  
• ToDo:
  
  
  
  • Scan in Dan's sketch of a 3-layer spice cabinet
    
  • Build better credit score, so as to be able to afford said huge-backyard'ed house
    
  • Win lottery.
    
  
  

Tagged as: gardening