Chinese bean seeds

I was given some beautiful hand collected Chinese pole bean seeds a couple of days ago. These were collected by a local gardener/colleague, who also shared some fresh beans with me last summer. The fresh beans were long, very crisp and a bit lemony in flavor (my photo). I was hoping I could grow some myself this year and am extremely pleased he shared his seed crop with me. Thank you Shunguang! There's nothing better than hand collected, heirloom seeds. Shunguang says the seeds store best in their shells, but I opened pod one just to see what the seeds look like.

Last summer Shunguang also shared with me some photos of his vegetable garden, which I post here below. I love to look at garden photos, especially in the middle of winter. It looks like a big plot with fantastic rows of produce. Corn, beans, cukes, radish, etc. Thanks also to Shunguang for sharing these photos.





My garden is nowhere near as big as Shunguang's, but I look forward to having a couple tepees of Chinese pole beans this year.

Chinese pole beans

garden review: A to F

APPLES: My dwarf Fugi apple tree is near a maple in my backyard. This year we only had one apple set. I bagged it, but a squirrel picked and ate it. This fall, we had a giant branch trimmed from the maple and I'm hoping more light will increase fruit set this summer. Bagging has worked well to protect from apple maggots, the only pest we've had so far (except for the squirrel). I'm hoping for a good crop this year!

ASPARAGUS: I am looking forward to harvesting my first asparagus this year!! Very exciting! I planted 25 crowns 2 years ago. It has grown well, it seems to me. I'll have to look up how much I can harvest. This year I have plans to make more room for the asparagus plants by moving the compost bin that is next to it. At some point, I will move some of the plants over and give all of the plants more space.

BASIL: I grew two varieties of basil last year, Nufar and Genovese. I usually grow Nufar and thought I'd try Genovese. I guess I didn't really like its spicier flavor or the smaller leaves. This year I will go back to only Nufar. Also, I grew too much. I had a patch about 4 by 4 feet, probably 4 rows of 10 plants per row. This was more than we used. We made pesto from a first harvest in early August, then did not use the big September harvest. Two 4 ft rows of Nufar sound good for this year.

BEANS: A disastrous crop last year!!! And I allocated 2 full beds for beans. I planted them, got one harvest from beautiful plants - and then the Mexican bean beetles showed up. They devastated the plants fast. I learned what this bug looks like and how to squish them. I tried Captain Jacks Dead Bug Spray, which slowed then down a little, but there were so many it really was hopeless. I think this is one of the problems with gardening in a large community garden. Many plots had beans and the beetles were out of control. I am thinking of asking this year if anyone want to share an order of parasitic wasps, which are supposed to be a good organic control, but a bit expensive. Maybe a good group project. However, I am planning grow all of my beans at home in my side yard garden this year. Not only am I hoping this will avoid the bean beetles, but in the past beans have done well in the partial sun of my side yard. One of the things I am worrying about is the very tiny batch of Chinese pole bean seeds I was able to save. This is a crop I was given by a friend and it is not available commercially (or anywhere else). I have been saving my seeds a couple years. This years I eat the first harvest, and was sure I'd have plenty more, but then the beetles came. I have a few seeds in tiny pods to plant this year. In the future, I'll save the first seeds for growing the next year. One more thing about beans next year, I'm going to skip the shell beans - we don't end up eating them.

BEETS: It was another great year for beets in my garden. I love how big and fast they grow in bright full sun! And I like the 3 varieties I have: Lutz, Chiogga and Detroit White. I had a few too many last year. I'll scale back a bit this year.

BROCCOLI: We eat a lot of broccoli and I don't think I could grow too much of this crop, but I can try. I grew Blue Wind and Marathon last year, both of which are very nice. Two years ago, my spring planted crop produced side shoots all year, but not so this past year, which was very hot and dry. I got nice big heads in early summer, but not much for side shoots. Then I planted my fall crop too late. The fall crop is still in my cold frame and I think it has a good chance to start growing again in late winter and give an early spring crop. I will try this year to succession plant a couple plants of broccoli every few weeks. Also, I was given seeds for a perennial purple broccoli that I look forward to trying this year.

CABBAGE: I love how nice heads of cabbage look in the garden, but I rarely eat it. Oh well. I did well with savoy, red, green, and bok choy the past two years, but don't eat much of it. I will limit myself to one ornamental row this year. Except for radicchio - does this count as cabbage? and baby bok choy, which is fantastic grilled.

CARROTS: My carrot germination was TERRIBLE. I must have killed ten packets of seeds! Here's a link to Tiny Farm Blog, where they had success with a heavy landscape fabric. I will definitely put this on my to-do list! I want more carrots. My favorite varieties are Mokum, a great fast growing variety from Johnny's, and Bolero. I grew Oxhart a few years ago, which is also nice - a big fat short carrot. But my goal this year is to somehow grow LOTS of carrots. I may experiment with seeds started in pots if I need to.

CELERIAC: This year I got 9 sprouts from my celeriac seeds and lost most to a watering mishap (oops). Only one seedling survived to harvest. But this was a good number for me. I will plan to grow 1-5 roots this year. A tiny crop goes a long way.

CELERY: I plant to try this for the first time this year.

CUCUMBERS: A bumper crop last year! 3 cheers for the cukes! I grew Diva, Sweet Success, North Carolina Pickling, Boston Pickling, and Takewa. The Boston Pickling's didn't do anything. Diva is the best cuke there is in my opinion. And North Carolina Picking runs a close second with enormous yields, very reliable and an unusual block white fruit. Takawa is also very nice. I think I will repeat the same combination again this year. I grew the cukes in my cold frame with the tops removed, which they seemed to really enjoy. However, they take up the whole thing and vines run all over. I plan to run one row along the back of the frame this year and a few more rows in the sunniest areas of my side yard beds (with the big maple tree branch removed, I hope it will be sunnier this year). I don't know why cukes didn't grow well at my community plot the one year I tried then there. My guess it they like more shelter. In any case, I will grow then at home again this year.

DILL: I planted lots of dill this year and it was great! I will do this again. Any free spaces should be planted with dill. I probably won't even need to plant it next year, since it self seeds so well.

EGGPLANT: Last year was the first year I tried to grow eggplant from seed. It did not do well. Probably because I did not plant them in full sun. The spot I have allocated for this year is in full sun. I will hope for better luck.

FENNEL: I will try this for the first time this year.

today's harvest

That's a big head of Murdoc cabbage. Almost 5 lbs. Its the third I picked this year - and a first year for me trying this. It's an excellent variety. Tender and mild. Perfect for coleslaw, fried rice, and stir fries. I'm looking forward to making sauerkraut with it.

I dug a few small horseradish roots. I love the smell. So did Charley. He loves everything from the garden - even enjoyed eating a piece of the horseradish. I had to shoo him away from the harvest bucket after that.

I also picked a few well ripened bean pods of a variety I save year to year. It's a long white Chinese pole bean given to me at least 10 years ago now. I'm glad I got them before the chipmunks!

Today: Planted in the garden next to my house seeds for two double rows of soybeans (Envy and Butterbean) with soy bean inoculant. Also two double rows of bush beans (Tavera and Royal Burgandy) and two poles of Chinese pole bean. In my community plot, I weeded and spread salt marsh hay in the paths.

photos from my garden

stir fried green beans

I'm growing four types of green beans this year:

- Shunguang's long Chinese pole beans (the best)
- Fortex pole beans (very nice)
- Provider green bush beans
- Royal Burgundy bush beans

They are growing in next to my house in reduced sunlight (about 11-3pm). They do well here and are always ready for a quick vegetable dish. I've been letting some of the pods mature on the vines recently. I'll harvest these later and let then dry for seed for next year. I'm thinking I'll skip the two bush bean varieties next year and only grow the pole beans. They taste much better to me.



This is a quick and easy vegetable dish. I added my garlic and Thai hot peppers. It is delicious served over rice with some roast duck on the side. Also nice with pork fried rice.

Recipe:
1 Tbs peanut oil
1 tsp minced fresh ginger (optional)
1 large clove minced garlic
1 minced Thai hot pepper (use the seeds too)
1/2 lb fresh green beans

To wok, add all of the above. Stir fry for 3 minutes ('til the beans just start to brown).

2 Tbs dry sherry or vermouth
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch combined with 2 Tbs cold water

Add all of these to wok with the beans. Stir fry until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Serve over rice.

garden notes

We had a very successful garden event today. We requested volunteers come to help dig a trench (about 125 feet long x 1 ft deep) to run an extra water line to the new plots. About 25 people came and it was short work to dig, lay line, and back fill. Thanks to all who came!

I checked on my beans at my plot today. I had a terrible problem with Mexican bean beetle. On Thursday, I sprayed with Captain Jack's Dead Bug Spray. I am pleased with the results. Very few larvae/beetles left today. I was able to squish these (yuck... I HATE to do this...). I will try to keep up with squishing them so I don't need to use spray again. Maybe I will bring an old glove to the garden and use this. I notice that many plots have skeleton bean leaves this year with bad bean beetle infestations.

I picked a handful of Chinese pole beans pods that I let ripen fully on the vines. I save these every year for replanting next year.

I continue to plant seeds for fall crops. I put in three rows of peas today. A bit late, but so hot I couldn't see planting sooner. I planted Caselode and Oregon Giant. Also a couple rows of carrots and lettuce seeds. I've been planting carrots every week for the past month. They don't do well with such dry weather, but I keep at it. I've covered the beds with row fabric and this seems to help keep in moisture and shade small seedlings.

I have some nice lettuce ans spinach seedlings under lights at home now. Its fun to watch them grow. They a coddled to be watered and under lights.

bean sprouts

These are sprouts of Chinese pole beans. A fantastic variety given to me by a friend of my husband. Such brave little sprouts poking up through the soil.

crop list for 2009

Here's my list of vegetables and varieties for my next year's garden. I'm still editing this list.

Asparagus (crowns): Jersey Supreme F1(J)
Basil: Nufar(J)
Beans, green: Provider bush(J), Fortex pole(l/o), Chinese pole(s), Royal Burgundy(J)
Beans, shell: Flagrano (l/o), Black Turtle Soup (l/o), Tongue of Fire (l/o)
Beets: Lutz (l/o), Chiogga (l/o), White Detroit (SH)
Broccoli: Green Sprouting Calabrese (l/o), Blue Wind (J), Marathon (J)
Cabbage: Alcosa (J), Super Red 80 (J)
Carrots: Mokum(J), Oxheart(SH), Carnival Blend(BI), Saint Valery(SH), Bolero(J)
Celeriac: Brilliant (J)
Collard greens: Top Bunch (J)
Corn: Faribo White Hulless Popcorn (SH)
Cilantro: Santo (J)
Cucumbers: Tokiwa(SH), Straight Eight(l/o), Sumter pickling(l/o), Sweet Success(B),
..... Diva(J), North Carolina Heirloom Pickling (SH)
Eggplant: Orient Express (J)
Escarole: Blonde Full Heart (l/o), Breadleaf Batavian (l/o)
Fava beans: Windsor (a few l/o)(BI)
Dill: Durkat (l/o), Bouquet (J)
Greens: Sand Hill Fall Mix (l/o), Arugula (l/o)
Kale: Green Curled Winterbor (l/o), Tuscan (SH), Blue Curled Scotch (SH), Red
..... Russian (l/o)
Lettuce: Prizehead (SH), Red Summer Crisp Cherokee (l/o), oak leaf, Valentine Red
..... Mesclun Mix (BI), Four Seasons (l/o), Big Boston (l/o), Burpee Bibb (l/o),
..... Green Summer Crisp Loma (l/o), Black Seeded Simpson (l/o)
Lima beans: Big Mama (B)
Melons: Anne Arundel (SH), Crane (SH), Charentais (trade)
Onion seeds: Yellow Sweet Spanish (l/o), Rossa Lunga di Firenze (l/o), White
..... Portugal (l/o), Gold Coin Cipollini (J), Ailsa Craig (J), Purplette (J),
..... Frontier (J)
Onion sets: Stuttgarter (F)
Onion plants: Walla walla (J)
Parsley: Single Italian (B)
Parsnips: Hollow Crown (B)
Peas, snap: Sugar Sprint (J)
Peas, green: Alderman (Tall Telephone)(SH), Wando (SH)
Peas, shell: Blue Pod Capuciner (SH)
Peppers: Anaheim (BI), Amelia's cayenne (s), Costa Rican Sweet (B)
Potatoes: Butte(F), French Fingerling(F), Dark Red Norland(F), Green Mountain(F),
..... Red Gold (F)
Pumpkin: Big Rock (l/o), mini pumpkins, Jarrahdale (BI)
Radish: Small Tricolored Easter Egg (l/o), Spring Radish mix (SH), Winter Mixed
.....Radish (SH)
Soybeans: Butterbeans (l/o)
Summer squash: Zephyr (l/o), Sunburst (l/o), Starship (l/o), Cashflow (l/o)
Sweet potatoes: I'll sprout my own slips from locally grown sweets
Tomatoes: New Girl (l/o), Brandywine (l/o), Giant Belgium (l/o), Orange Blossom
.....(l/o), Big Beef (l/o), Pink Beauty (l/o), Cherokee Purple (l/o), Purple
.....Calabash (l/o), Sungold (R), Opalka (R), Box Car Willie (R), Early Girl (R)
.....Hillbilly (trade), Sudduth strain Brandywine (trade)
Thyme: German Winter (J)
Watermelon: Sugar Baby (J)
Winter squash: Delicata (l/o), Waltham butternut (SH)

Flowers
Asclepias: Butterfly Milkweed (BI)
Bachelor Buttons: Blue Boy (BI)
Baptista: from my neighbor (s)
Cosmos: Kenikura (SH)
Heliotrope: Marine (J)
Hollyhocks: Single Mix (J)
Hyacinth bean vine Ruby Moon (BI)
Lavender: Provence Blue (B)
Marigolds: Tiger Eyes (PS), FireBall (B), Petite Mix Marigold (SH)
Nasturtiums: Night and Day (J), Peach Melba Superior Wina (J), Jewel Mix (J),
.....Whirlybird Mahogany (l/o)
Poppy: Lauren's Grape (BI)
Sunflowers: Goldy Honey Bear (BI), Tarahumara White (SH), Lyng's California
.....Greystripe (l/o), Big Smile (l/o)
Zinnias: Benary's Giant Purple (J)

(B) Burpee
(BI) Botanical Interests
(F) Fedco
(J) Johnny's Selected Seeds
(l/o) leftover from last year
(PS) Park Seed
(R) Reimer Seeds
(s) my own saved seeds
(SH) Sand Hill Preservation Center
(trade) trade

ideas for next year's garden

I'm starting a list of ideas for next year's vegetable gardens. I'll book mark this list on the sidebar and continue to add to it.

Tomatoes:
Use rail and string supports
Space plants more than this year
Plant as far from the old patch as possible
Use salt marsh hay instead of plastic mulch
Start plants in two batches, one 1 week earlier than this year. the other several weeks later
Find a plant light set-up

Other plants
Asparagus patch
Leave an area where Skippy can dig
Garden bench
A shade arbor over the bench
Move my two pear trees to the plot
More lettuce
Write up a schedule of planting this winter because I always end up with no lettuce mid summer even though I have some good varieties now that grow all summer
Grow lots of cucumbers in my shady home garden, none at the sunny plot
Same with soybeans and green beans
Label plants better
Store my winter keeper beets in the refrigerator in plastic baggies
Two plantings of summer squash
Try some Chinese greens, pak choy, etc (I am having fun looking into Chinese veggies)
Move garlic to full sun at community plot (cloves too small at home)
Don't bother with onions from seed again, use sets and purchased seedlings


Varieties to grow again
Basil: Nufar
Bean, green: Provider bush, Fortex pole
Bean, shell: Flagrano, Tongue of Fire
Beets: Lutz, Chiogga
Broccoli: Green Goliath
Carrots: Mokum, Oxheart
Fava beans: Windsor
Kale:
Lettuce: Prizehead, escarole blonde full heart, red summer crisp
Marigolds: Tiger Eyes
Potatoes: Russet
Pumpkin: Big Rock
Radish: Easter Egg mix
Summer squash: Zephyr, Sunburst
Soybeans: Butterbeans
Tomatoes: Big Girl, Brandywine, Giant Belgium, Orange Blossom, Sungold, Opalka

More ideas:
grow a bigger fall crop of carrots
grow more and bigger varieties of potatoes
(can you do a fall planting of potatoes?)
grow more onions too (I think I'll buy seedlings next year)
keep trying to grow parsnips (plant some in pots to see what seedlings look like)
try growing celeriac

harvest

This is my harvest from Thursday. The last of my cucumbers, broccoli, beans, a few onions, a small cabbage and big bunches of parsley, sage and thyme.

The broccoli looked nice, but wasn't good. It had frosted a bit and was mushy after cooking. I'll remember to pick this before temps go low next year.

The bright red beans are Tongue of Fire shell beans. I shelled a few to see how they look. Green beans are mostly Fortex. A few Purple beans too. I got tired of eating fresh green beans some time ago and left these on the vines. If we get around to eating them soon, we'll eat them as shell beans. Probably I'll let them all dry and use later. (They go great with kale soup in December!)

The bowl on the far right are Shungwang's Chinese pole beans. They aren't available commercially (as far as I can tell). I'm very happy to have successfully saved a bunch. I'll let these dry in the pods til I plant the seeds again next year. Its my favorite green bean for taste, crisp and lemony, and I'd like to make sure I keep a supply of these.

today's harvest

My Chinese pole beans are ready! These are my favorite bean. Big and lumpy - a green and white color mix. They are crisp and tender even when they grow very big.

A friend gave me some seeds. I've grown them for three years now and have to make sure to save a handful of beans to plant next year.

2017 seed sowing

Here's my 2017 planting list that I'll add to as I continue to plant. I'm noting in () the season the seeds were sold for. I'll mark if they germinated for me. I plant a lot of different varieties but the amounts of each are small and I risk no germination for many by planting old seeds until they don't germinate. Everything is at 70 degrees F for germination and growing this year, except the peppers that will go at 78 degrees F for germination.

February 23, sow indoors under lights
Onions, Stuttgarter (2017) ✓
Onions, Ailsa Craig (2017) ✓
Onions, Pontiac (2017) ✓
Onions, Red Wethersfield (2017) ✓
Onions, Walla Walla (2013) --failed
Onions, White Wing (2012) --failed
Onions, Purplette (2009) --failed
Bunching Onions, Nabechan (2015) ✓
Bunching Onions, Guardsman (2011) --failed
Leeks, Giant Musselberg (2017) ✓
Leeks, Bandit (2014) ✓
Celeriac, Brilliant (2017) ✓

March 5, sow indoors under lights
Arugula, Rucola (2012) ✓
Arugula, Rucola (2008) --failed
Arugula, Selvatica (2013) ✓
Arugula, Myway (2013) ✓
Cabbage, Napa, Mini Kisaku 50 (2011) ✓
Cabbage, Savoy, Alcosa (2009) --poor
Cabbage, Red Express (2017) ✓ (died)
Cabbage, Green, Murdoc (2016) ✓ (died)
Endive, Dubuisson (2013) ✓
Escarole, Natacha (2012) --poor
Escarole, Natacha (2017) --poor
Escarole, Galia (2013) --failed
Herbs,Parsley, Dark Green Italian Plain (2014) ✓
Herbs, Thyme, Creeping (2016) ✓
Flowers, Hollyhock, Single Mix (2016) ✓
Flowers, Ageratum, Tall Blue Planet (2017) ✓
Flowers, Liatrus (1016) ✓
Mustard Greens, Scarlet Frill (2016) ✓
Radicchio, Perseo (2016) --failed
Radicchio, Chioggia Red Preco #1 (2011) --poor
Shallot, Zebrune (2017) ✓
Spinach, Emperor (2017) ✓

March 13, sow indoors under lights
Basil, Superbo (2017) ✓
Basil, Eleonora (2015) ✓
Beets, Red Ace (2016) ✓
Beets, Chioggia Guardsman (2015) ✓
Beets, Merlin (2014) ✓
Endive, Broad-Leaf Batavian (2017) --failed
Eggplant, Hansel (2017) ✓
Eggplant Mitoyo (2017) ✓
Eggplant Barbarella (2017) ✓
Flowers, Marigold, Queen Sophia (2015) ✓
Flowers, Marigold, Cottage Red (2016) --poor
Flowers, Marigold, Judy's Giant (hand collected for 2017) --poor
Flowers, Marigold, Gem Mix (2017) ✓
Herbs, Parsley, Italian Large Flat Leaf (2017) ✓
Herbs, Summer Savory (2017) ✓
Herbs, Creeping Thyme (2015) ✓
Kale, mixed in one pot: Vates (2015), Toscano (2016), Nash's Green (2016) ✓
   (I'm starting lettuce a couple weeks early for my winter tunnel.)
Lettuce, Bibb Green, Winter Density (2011) ✓
Lettuce, Bibb Red, Rhazes (2017) ✓
Lettuce, Butterhead Green, Buttercrunch (2016) ✓
Lettuce, Butterhead Red, Skyphos (2013) --failed
Lettuce, Butterhead Red, Avicenna (2015) --failed
Lettuce, Butterhead Red, Speckles (2016) ✓
Lettuce, Iceberg, Ice Queen (2016) --failed
Lettuce, Looseleaf Red, Red Sails (2016) ✓
Lettuce, Oakleaf Red, Danyelle (2016) ✓
Lettuce, Romaine Green, Ridgeline (2017) ✓
Lettuce, Romaine Green, Monte Carlo (2017) ✓
Lettuce, Romaine Red, Rouge d'Hiver (2009) --failed
Lettuce, Romaine Red, Truchas (2015) ✓
Greens, Elegance mix (2010) ✓
Onions, Early Yellow Sweet Spanish (2017) ✓
Peppers, Joe's Long Cayenne (2017) ✓
Peppers, Thai Hot (hand collected for 2015) ✓
Peppers, King of the North (2016) ✓
Peppers, Canary Bell (2017) ✓
Peppers, Leutschauer Paprika (2017) ✓
Peppers, Ace (2015) ✓
Peppers, Anaheim (2017) ✓
Peppers, Numex Joe E Parker (2015) ✓
Peppers, Poblano (2017) ✓
Peppers, Ancho 211 (2015) ✓
Peppers, Thai Hot (2009) ✓
Peppers, Jalapeno (2017) --failed
Peppers, Emerald Fire (2016) --failed
   (3-24-2017: My peppers should be up. I dug down in many cells and couldn't find germinating seeds. I checked temperature - 74 F. I can't find anywhere in the house above 78 F. I'm on my way out now to get heat mat. I hope seeds haven't rotted. I'll replant everything as I think there's a good chance they have rotted.) 3-26-2017: Peppers popped up in 2 days with heat mat! 

March 24, sow indoors under lights
Bok Choi, Win-Win (2013) ✓
Broccoli, Red Fire (2017) ✓
Broccoli, Bay Meadows (2016) ✓
Broccoli, Diplomat (2015) ✓
Broccoli, Happy Rich (2015) ✓
Broccoli Raab (2013) ✓
Flowers, Nigella (2016) ✓
Flowers, Bells of Ireland (2016) --failed
Flowers, Tithonia Torch (2015) --failed
Flowers, Cleome Queen Mix (2017) ✓
Flowers, Cleome Pink (hand collected 2015) --failed
Flowers, Cleome, Magenta (hand collected 2015) --failed
Flowers, Cosmos, Sensation Picote (2016) ✓
Flowers, Cosmos, Celebration in Pink (2011) --failed
Flowers, Cosmos, Sulfureous (2009) --failed
Flowers, Cosmos, Sunshine Mix (2016) ✓

March 27, sow indoors under lights
 - I decided to plant a few seeds (4) of all varieties I have. Some are pretty old.
Tomato, 1884 (2010) -- 0 sprouts
Tomato, Beefsteak (2011) -- 2 sprouts
Tomato, Blue Beech (2017) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, Box Car Willie (2009) -- 2 sprouts
Tomato, Brandywine, Suddoth's strain (2009) -- 0 sprouts
Tomato, Carbon (2017) -- 3 sprouts
Tomato, Cherokee Purple (2008) -- 2 sprouts
Tomato, Cherokee Purple (2009) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, Giant Belgium (2008) -- 1 sprout
Tomato, Heinz 2653 (2015) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, Jersey Devil (2016) -- 3 sprouts
Tomato, Mortgage Lifter (2009) -- 0 sprouts
Tomato, Opalka (2017) -- 2 sprouts
Tomato, Orange Blossom (2015) -- 3 sprouts
Tomato, Oxheart Red (2008) -- 0 sprouts
Tomato, Pink Beauty (2015) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, Polish Linguisa (2017) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, Purple Calabash (2008) -- 1 sprout
Tomato, Raspberry Large Red (2010) -- 3 sprouts
Tomato, Red Siberian (2011) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, San Marzano (2015) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, San Marzano Gigante (2010) -- 3 sprouts
Tomato, Shoshone (2016) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, Starling (2016) -- 3 sprouts
Tomato, Sun Gold (2012) -- 4 sprouts
Tomato, True Black Brandywine (2017) -- 4 sprouts

March 31, sow in garden
Peas, Oregon Giant (2017) -- eaten by chipmunks
Peas, Super Snap (2017) -- eaten by chipmunks

April 3, sow indoors under lights
Swiss chard, Bright Lights (2017) ✓
Swiss chard, Peppermint (2016) ✓
Cabbage, Savoy Alcosa (2009, replant) --failed
Cabbage, Red Express (2016, replant) ✓
Cabbage, Murdoc (2015, replant) ✓
Bulb Fennel, Orion (2017) ✓
Kale, Toscano (2016) ✓
Flowers, Bachelor Buttons, Blue Boy (2009) --failed
Flowers, Purple Hyacinth Bean (2013) ✓
Flowers, Snapdragons, Tall Deluxe Mix (2017) ✓

April 4, sow indoors under lights
(Should have planted sweet peas outside, but after soaking o/n, weather was terrible outside.)
Flowers, Sweet pea, High Scent (2014) and Perfume Delight (2017) ✓
Flowers, Snapdragon, Tall Deluxe Mix (2017) ✓
Lettuce, Little Gem (2017) ✓

April 5, sow indoors under lights
Flowers, Morning Glory, Split Second (2017) ✓

April 11, sow indoors under lights
Flowers, Zinnia, Dwarf Profusion Single Mix (2016) ✓
Flowers, Zinnia, Benary's Giant Purple (2016) ✓
Flowers, Bells of Ireland (2016) --failed
Flowers, Cosmos, Sensation Picote (2016)✓
Flowers, Cosmos, Celebration in Pink (2011) --failed
Flowers, Cardinal Climber (2017) ✓
Flowers, Calendula Triangle Flashback (2016) ✓

April 14, sow indoors under lights
Cucumber, Straight Nine (2017) ✓
Cucumber, Miniature White (2013) ✓
Cucumber, Parisian Gherkin (2015) ✓
Cucumber, Little Leaf (2016) ✓
Cucumber, Diva (2017) ✓
Cucumber, Suyo Long (2017) ✓
Summer squash, Early White Bush Scallop (2015) ✓
Summer squash, Zucchini Costata Romanesco (2014) -- eaten by chipmunks
Summer squash, Yellow Multipik (2014) ✓
Winter squash, Acorn Honey Bear (2012) -- eaten by chipmunks
Winter squash, Blue Ballet (2013) --failed
Winter squash, Jarrahdale (2013) --failed
Winter squash, Yokohama (2016) ✓
Winter squash, Kabocha Orange Sunshine (2013) ✓
Winter squash, Buttercup Burgess Strain (2012) ✓
Winter squash, Long Island Cheese (2010) --failed
Winter squash, Ute Indian (2016) ✓
Winter squash, Galeux D'Eysines (2010) ✓
Winter squash, Rouge Vif d'Etampes (2011) ✓
Winter squash, Waltham Butternut (2012) ✓
Gourd, Speckled Swan (2017, hand collected) ✓

April 15, transplant to bigger pots
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant

May 1, sow in garden
Carrot, Bolero (2014)
Carrot, Scarlet Nantes (2017)
Carrot, Oxheart
Parsnip, Turga (2017) ✓
Radish, French Breakfast ✓
Dill, Mammoth (2010)

May 10, sow in garden
Dent Corn, Roy's Calais (2017) ✓
Beans, Maxibel Bush (2015) ✓

May 25, sow in pots outside on tables
Lettuce, Cherokee (2016) ✓
Lettuce, Muir (2014)
Belgian Endive, Wiltloof di Bruxelles (2017) ✓
Broccoli Raab (2013) ✓ (too late in season - bolted immediately)
Brussels Sprout, Nautic (2013) ✓
Bok Choy, Mei Qin Choi (2013) 
Soy beans, Edamame from R. Swain (hand-collected 2016) ✓
Soy beans, Tohya (2016) ✓

May 28, sow in garden
Popcorn, Calico (2015)
Beans, Shung Yuang Pole (hand-collected 2015)
Beans, Neckargold Pole (2014)

May 28, sow in pots outside on tables
(I'm sowing beans, squash, sunflowers in pots kept on my patio  - chipmunks eat these seeds in the garden.)
Beans, Lima, Burpee Improved (2017)
Beans, Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans (2017)
Beans, Jacob's Cattle Bean (2015)
Sunflower, Mammoth (2010) (failed to sprout)
Sunflower, Autumn Beauty (2009) (failed to sprout)
Summer Squash, Zucchini Costata Romanesco (2014)

June 12, sow in garden
Beets, Red Ace
Carrot, Mokum (failed to sprout - inconsistent watering)
Carrot, Bolero (failed to sprout - inconsistent watering)
Radish, Rudolf
Radish, Watermelon (failed to bulb)

June 12, sow in pots outside on tables
Lettuce, Cherokee
Lettuce, Muir

June 15, sow in pots outside on tables
Beans, Black Turtle Soup

June 20, sow in garden 
Carrot, Bolero
Carrot, Negovia
Carrot, Purple 68
Carrot, Mokum
Carrot, Napoli

July 10, transplant to garden
Brussels sprouts
Cabbages
Broccoli
Belgian endive

July 12, sow in pots outside on tables
Lettuce, Little Gem
Lettuce, Edox
Lettuce, Italienischer
Lettuce, Monte Carlo

July 22, sow in garden
Radish, KN-Bravo (a sweet purple daikon)
Radish, Nero Tondo (a black round Spanish radish)

July 24, sow in pots outside on tables
(Fall greens! I planted small amounts of many of my seed packages to see if they are still viable. It is really hot still, but these plants will mature in cool September or October weather.)
Arugula, My Way (2013)
Arugula, Franchi (2011)
Arugula, Franchi (2009)
Arugula, Selvatica (2013)
Arugula, mix of all the above
Broccoli, Summer Purple (2017)
Broccoli, Kailaan (Chinese kale) (2017)
Escarole, Dubuisson  (2012)
Escarole, Dubuisson  (2017)
Escarole,  Tres Fine (2012)
Escarole, Natacha (2016)
Escarole, Frisee (2017)
Lettuce, Ice Queen (2016)
Lettuce, Winter Density (2011)
Lettuce, Lettuce, Truchas (2015)
Lettuce, Salanova (2017)
Napa, Michihili
Napa, Minuet
Napa, Mini Kisaku
Radicchio, Perseo (2015)


Sept 9, sow in garden (for winter harvest)
Arugula, Myway
Spinach, Emporer
Lettuce

Sept 14, sow in garden (for winter harvest)
Dill, Mammoth
Cilantro, Calypso

Sept 16, sow in pots outside on tables (for winter harvest)
Basil, Eleonora


(last updated: 9-16-17)

Shunguang's beans

Seeds for these beans were given to me last year. They are unusual pole beans with a lumpy shape, green and white color, and unusually crisp lemony flavor. I don't think they are the same as the Yard Long beans I've seen around, which usually aren't lumpy and white. I'm very pleased these were shared with me.

This is my first bean harvest this year. I think my pods aren't as long as the pods Shunguang grew last year. I'm growing them next to my house where its a bit shady. My crop is late because of the cool weather, slugs, clouds, etc....

I've book marked this recipe that Daphne suggested. I'm looking forward to trying it soon.