The winter edible garden

4 season onions

 Sunday, November 17, 2024

The winter garden can provide food all the way to spring.  There are five strategies to having edibles through the winter months.  One is to plant early enough to be at full size by first of November.  The second is to leverage protection like row covers, portable greenhouses, and cold frames.  The third is to choose varieties that are winter hardy.  The fourth is to grow edibles indoors.  The fifth strategy is to grow varieties during the warmer months that you can easily store all winter.  You can do any one of the five or do all of them. 

If your want to ramp up the flavor and nutrient value of your winter meals, consider planting the season’s last garden using quick-growing crops such as greens, cabbage, and radishes. It’s not too late to get plants in the ground for fall and winter harvests as late as early October and definitely if you live where winters are mild. In fact, many plants get sweeter in chilly weather, and some hardy plants can be pulled right out of the snow for fresh eating like carrots and onions.

If the thought of fresh-picked salads and hearty, nutritious sautéed greens on your winter table appeals to you, use the information below to sow your winter garden and enjoy homegrown flavor, nutritious produce this winter.

In late summer and early fall if you haven’t already started seeds for transplanting, seek out transplants from garden centers.  The ornamental kale and cabbage for sale are not only pretty, but also edible!  Check well-stocked local stores for sturdy, healthy-looking plants. 

Make sure to add a scoop of finished compost to planting holes and organic fertilizer to add nutrients to soil that may be depleted after the summer harvest and less available due to the chilly temperatures.  Espoma is readily available at most big box and hardware stores.  For greens type veggies, the general vegetable garden fertilizer is a good choice.

Choose the Right Varieties

In addition to choosing the right plants for cold-weather harvests, you can also increase winter harvests by planting specific varieties. Look for varieties marketed as: winter-hardy, frost tolerant, overwintering, for every season, year-round, remarkably cold hardy, etc. 

Because daylight hours are getting shorter in the fall, you will need to add about 2 weeks to the “Days to Harvest” your seed packet gives as the seed packet dates are based on spring planting.  Plants grow slower in fall because the days are getting shorter instead of longer. 

The list below starts with the produce that will be ready for harvesting the quickest.  You will want to get the slowest growers (at the bottom of this list) in the ground in August; you may be able to continue sowing seeds of some of the fastest crops into October or beyond.  Those that are planted as transplants can be ready 2-3 weeks sooner than the dates listed below.  If they don't sprout now, there is a good chance they will sprout in the spring when the conditions are right.

If sowing seeds, be sure to keep the soil moist.  Seeds sown in the fall have the same needs as seeds sown in the spring.  Outdoor seed starting tips  If you are starting your seeds indoors, you will have to harden the seedlings before planting for the colder temperatures outdoors.  "Hardening off" seedlings 

17 Varieties for Winter Gardening

1-Radishes  Easy to grow crispy, peppery radishes

Ready for harvest in: 3 to 9 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: For small and fast maturing radishes, broadcast seed directly in beds, or use chicken wire as a guide to space seeds 1 inch apart. Harvest after a few weeks in the ground and before the bulb becomes too hot and fibrous. You can sow seeds once a week for continuous harvests.

2-Turnips  All about turnips

Ready for harvest in: 5 to 10 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Harvest when roots are mature, but before they become bitter. A “neck” will begin to form when the root has reached maximum size, and quality will decline as the neck elongates.

3-Spinach and other hardy greens   Grow spinach-a super nutritious, easy green

Ready for harvest in: 6 to 7 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Transplant seedlings about 6 weeks before first frost. Harvest the leaves around the outside of the plant; always leaving 5 leaves on each plant.  This will let you harvest for weeks from the same plants.  Other hardy greens include miner's lettuce, corn salad, sorrel, arugula, salad burnet.

4-Winter hardy greens  Fall and winter greens

Ready for harvest in: 6 to 7 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Sow seeds directly into the garden or pot.  Harvest the leaves around the outside of the plant; always leaving 5 leaves on each plant.  This will let you harvest for weeks from the same plants.  Winter hardy greens include miner's lettuce, corn salad, sorrel, arugula, salad burnet, cultivated dandelions.

5-Lettuce  Everything you need to know about growing lettuce

Ready for harvest in: 6 to 12 weeks for leaf lettuce; 11 to 13 weeks for head lettuce

Can survive frost: Yes (depending on variety-try Winter Density, Rouge diver, No Name Red Leaf, Arctic King, Continuity, Salad Bowl, Mottistone to name a few.  

Fall planting notes: Keep transplants indoors until soil cools. Lettuce seeds won't germinate in hot soil temperatures, above 75-80F.  You can also broadcast seeds in cool soil every two weeks for a continuous harvest. I like starting my seeds in a pot in a cool area and then transplant into the garden.  Harvest in early morning for best taste and structure.  

6-Chard  For year round steamed greens, grow chard!

Ready for harvest in: 6 to 8 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: I like getting the transplant pots with several colors; then separate and plant into the garden. Harvest sequentially as leaves mature, 1 to 2 outer stalks per plant; be sure to leave at least 5 significant inner stalks per plant for continuous harvesting.

7-Kohlrabi  Another spring veggie-kohlrabi

Ready for harvest in: 7 to 8 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. Harvest as soon as leaves begin to become dull/less green and bulbs stop increasing in size.

8-Cabbage  Cabbage is nutritious and easy to grow

Ready for harvest in: 7 to 16 weeks, depending on variety

Can survive frost: Yes (the denser varieties are the most hardy)

Fall planting notes: Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. Harvest at peak size and succulence, before leaves begin to yellow and split, and before plants go to seed.

9-Kale  Collards and kale in your garden

Ready for harvest in: 6 to 9 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. Harvest sequentially as leaves mature.

10-Broccoli  Broccoli and cauliflower growing tips

Ready for harvest in: 8 to 9 weeks

Can survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. Heads grow fast. Harvest before flowering begins. May produce secondary heads. Harvest edible leaves, too — they are even more nutritious than the buds.  I love the leaves in salads.

11-Carrots  All you need to know about growing carrots

Ready for harvest in: 8 to 11 weeks

Survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Carrots don't appreciate being transplanted.  Sow directly in the garden or pot.  You can use the thinnings as tasty baby carrots and salad additions. If you do start in a pot to transplant, handle the transplant carefully and make sure its main root is pointing straight down when transplanted.  Harvest mature roots at maximum diameter while they are still sweet. 

12-Cauliflower  Broccoli and cauliflower growing tips

Ready for harvest in: 8 to 12 weeks

Survive frost: Light

Fall planting notes: Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. Cauliflower heads often develops in just a few days. Harvest at full size, before it begins to yellow.  Making sure the head is covered by the leaves keeps the head a nice white.

13-Brussels Sprouts  Growing Brussel sprouts

Ready for harvest in: 11 to 13 weeks

Survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Grows best in very fertile soil. Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. When a node begins to grow a bulge out of the stalk to form a sprout, remove the leaf just below it to optimize growth. Harvest when sprouts are at maximum plumpness, before outer leaves become fibrous and sprouts becomes bitter.  Sprouts can be harvested well into winter.  

14-Parsley  Self-seeding crops, plant once and forget 'em

Ready for harvest in: 10 to 13 weeks

Survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Transplant when seedlings are about 3 inches tall or sow directly in the garden. Choose best seedlings (healthy and vibrant green) to transplant. Harvest outer stalks carefully, leaving 3 to 5 large stalks per plant for continuous harvests.

15-Collards  Collards and kale in your garden

Ready for harvest in: 12 weeks

Survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Plant seedlings deep, leaving 1 to 3 leaves above soil. Harvest outer leaves to leave inner leaves to continue growing.  In mild climates, collards can be harvested all winter long.  Baby leaves are good in salads, larger leaves are great steamed or cooked.

16-Onions and Shallots  Everything to know about growing onions

Ready for harvest in: Next spring for mature onions, 6 weeks for green onions

Survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Onions, leeks and shallots like loose, rich soil.  Be sure to plant varieties for the length of daylight your zone has in the summer.  It is the number of daylight hours that stimulates the onion to form bulbs.  In our lower Midwest garden, we need intermediate onion types.  Don't be tempted to grow Vidalias in Minnesota; they just won't make bulbs.

17-Overwintering Fava Beans and Peas  Grow a European favorite-the fava or broad bean

Time to plant peas!

Ready for harvest in: 4 weeks-Next spring

Survive frost: Yes

Fall planting notes: Inoculate the seeds to get the nitrogen nodules that support more vigorous growth and nitrogen in the soil.  There are snow peas that are ready to harvest in just 30 days.

Now, don't forget you can harvest many Mediterranean herbs all winter as they are perennials.  Start a kitchen herb garden! 

How Low Can You Go?

Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a decent vegetable harvest even through winter with protection.  Many folks grow edibles through the winter in Zone 3 with some type of cover.  Several varieties will grow well into the snowy months, and a good frost sweetens many by forcing the plants to make more frost-protecting sugars.

Can Survive Hard Freeze with No Protection/Cover

• Broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

• Cabbage, regular

• Carrots

• Chard

• Collards

• Fava beans

• Kale

• Kohlrabi

• Lettuce (depending on variety-look for winter hardy) 

• Onions, leeks, and shallots

• Overwintering peas

• Parsley

• Radishes

• Spinach

• Turnips

• Winter hardy and perennial greens  Perennial veggies in the Midwest garden

Homegrown, organic salads in a Midwest winter

Harvest Longer

In fall, promote faster growth by packing plants a bit more tightly than you might normally do. You can extend your growing season by adding thick layers of mulch around plants, or by using season-extending techniques such as row covers. When nights get chilly, protect plants by covering them with a cloth or blanket, portable greenhouse or cold frame.  Extend the season with protection for plants

If you aren't interested in outdoor cold season gardening, you can still grow some of your food indoors.  What edibles can you grow indoors? 

In late fall when the first freeze is being forecast, I bring in my citrus, potted hot pepper plants, my bay tree, moringa tree, potted basil plants and Red Malabar spinach to overwinter.  I also harvest from them until spring when I take them back outside.  You can grow other herbs and sprouts from seed, too.

The fifth strategy is to grow edibles that can be easily canned, frozen or stored.  For those that don't have freezer space, here is a list of crops that can be stored without an appliance.  If you didn't include these in this season's gardening season, add them to the list for next year.  24 No Tech Storage Fruits and Vegetables 

How to extend the harvest after a hard freeze

Fall sunrise

Saturday, November 16, 2024

We have yet to have a hard freeze and the temp's are in the 70's for the next few days.  Next week, we are having a cold front move through.  When a hard freeze is in the forecast, it is time to pick the last of the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants and clean the plants from the garden, bring in the tropicals for the winter and give your cold crops a nice warm"coat" to protect them all winter!

You can compost any plant debris that was disease free, but dispose af any diseased plants in the garbage.  Only high sustained temperatures will destroy the spores and it is not worth the risk of spreading disease into next year’s garden through your homemade compost.  Composting is possible in small spaces or even indoors

Peppers will do well indoors if put in a sunny area.  They will continue to flower and fruit for weeks.  Their flowers and red fruits are pretty, too.  Come spring, they will have a one to two month head start on the season.

This is the time of year to put a coat over your potted plants left outdoors planted with cold loving crops.  The best place to locate your plants and greenhouse is close to a wall and on the south side of the house in full sun.  Putting the greenhouse against the house or other structure will help keep the temperatures warmer for your plants.  Extend the season with protection for plants

I will put my mini portable greenhouse covers over my pots and Earthoxes that contain kale, celery, French dandelion, lettuce, sorrel, sprouting broccoli, parsley, chard and arugula.  I also put inside the greenhouse along the outside edge, one gallon jugs filled with water and spray painted black.  These will help moderate the temperature inside the greenhouse.  Spray painting the jugs protects the plastic from sun degradation.

Mini portable greenhouse

I added a larger portable greenhouse for the other self-watering pots I have a few winters ago. It has worked very well and allows me to have more winter greens and start greens, carrots, broccoli and cabbage in the early spring.  I have a 6' x 8' walk in, portable greenhouse we just got and assembled to be able to give the native flowers I have transplanted a boost for establishing their roots over the winter and to get an earlier start on tomato plants.  I went with clear plastic to maximize the rays that get to the plants.  

Larger portable greenhouse

The biggest risk with a greenhouse?  Overheating!  The sun’s rays are quite hot on a cloudless day.  I open the vent on my greenhouses when it is sunny and in the 30’s.  I will unzip the front door flap when it gets into the 40’s.   In the 50’s, the cold crops really don’t need any protection.  

The crops that do well in early spring are the ones that do well over the winter in a greenhouse.  Cold crops I like to grow under cover are arugula, broccoli, cabbage, celery, chard, cilantro, corn salad, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, parsley, peas, sorrel, spinach, cultivated dandelions.  Cold season crops for your edible garden

Reflections on the 2024 edible garden and the 2025 plan

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Late fall is an ideal time to reflect on the spring and summer gardening season and capture what went well, what didn't and what you want to do for your garden next year while the garden season is fresh in the mind.  I like to capture what varieties did well, what I planted too much or too little of, including the specific names before I forget.  I am forever trying to make the garden more productive and enjoyable.  I also like to make notes of what I want to learn more about over the winter.   

Here are my reflections on this year's garden............

Overall

In general, the garden did well in the spring, had troubles getting my summer seeds going, was typical timing for producing summer veggies, and my fall seed starting did great.  We actually had a real spring for the fourth year in a row.  Usually, the season changes from winter to summer like a flick of a switch.  This year, we had a crazy warm up at the end of winter, then back to chilly temperatures and a slow increase back to normal temperatures in June.  The cool temperatures are great for lettuces and spinach.  Snow peas did okay.

This year, I was again gardening exclusively in the back ornamental beds because my husband was moving dirt to shape the yard.  I found out last year that hickory trees are like walnut trees and likely the reason that the summer crops didn't do well in the garden bed next to it so I only placed my pots in that bed and planted in the basement garden bed.  

I planted tomatoes, basil, beans, cucumber, okra, zucchini, winter squash, marjoram in the basement bed along with cockscomb and marigolds.  I transplanted creeping thyme from the garage bed over into the basement bed.  It's pretty and helps deter deer.  I put peppers and eggplant in pots around the bed by the hickory tree, as far into the sun as possible.  I always put petunias in with them to add color.

I ended up planting a second round of tomatoes in large pots in July.  I had several volunteer sweet peppers come up in my lettuce pots.  I grew all my lettuce, celery, spinach, cultivated dandelions, dill, parsley, chard, and sorrel in my larger self-watering pots.  

There were high points and not so great turn outs for the season.  Just your typical edible garden season!  

The good

  The lettuce, cultivated dandelions, bay laurel, sorrel, Egyptian walking onions, basil, celery, butternut squash, garlic chives, chard, Anaheim peppers, sweet peppers and container tomatoes did very well.  Greens were the standouts in the spring.  The tomatoes planted upside down in 5 gallon buckets in the summer garden did fantastic into August.  

I have been growing Red Malabar, Chinese Multicolor Spinach amaranth, Giant Leaf sweet mustard, Cock's Comb, Heavenly Blue morning glory and African Nunum basil the past few years.  They grow well in my garden and self-seed.  I just look for volunteers coming up and transplant them to their summer spot.  Next year, I need to do more thinning of all these volunteers as I had many more than I needed this year, except for the Chinese Multicolor Spinach.

My raspberry plant did well.  It's an ever bearer and it gave berries through summer and fall.  I had two volunteer bushes show up that started producing in the fall.  I'm going to plant them in a new bed this fall with the 2 blackberry bushes I have.

I had lots of self-seeded Cock's Comb plants, Hummingbird vine and Heavenly Blue morning glory vines to transplant around the garden.  There were several zinnias that also sprouted here and there.  I always have lots of the dark pink zinnias that volunteer in all the beds.  The orange California Giant zinnia I planted in the front pot just shone.  It was quite the standout.  I've saved seeds from it to plant again next year.  Zinnias are native to the Southwest US and do well in Midwest gardens.

I planted Mashed Potato, Spaghetti and Jarrahdale squash.  I did not get a single Mashed Potato or Spaghetti squash but did get 7 Butternut squashes!  They tasted great.  I'll grow them again next year with the seeds I saved.

My Cardinal and Genovese basil did great again this summer.  Genovese gives lots of flowers for the pollinators but gets woody when it flowers.  Cardinal has beautiful large maroon seed heads and lots of leaves for making pesto.  

The okay

I grew Blauhilde and 1500 Year Old pole beans and a bush cucumber again in the garden bed this year.  The beans were slow to produce and died in August.  I think it was from vole damage as there were holes all around the vines.  I did more researching on vole deterrent and I think I will try blood meal as my nitrogen fertilizer next year as they don't like the smell of blood.  My other option is to just grow in large pots which works well.  

I grew an early Japanese winged bean that has beautiful blue flowers in a pot.  It takes until August for winged beans to start producing pods.  I didn't see any disease during the season on any of the pole beans.  

I grew Purple Yard Long pole beans in our Master Gardener Demonstration Garden over an arbor this summer.  It produced tons of bean pods.  I think I will grow it next year in my home garden.  

I also grew Christmas Speckles lima beans because the beans are such a pretty white and red.  I got 2 flushes of dried beans from Christmas Speckles.  The second flush is just beginning to dry on the vine.  As the pods turn brown, I pick and shell them.  I leave them to dry on the counter for a few weeks before putting away in sealed quart jars.  For dried beans, you have to plant many vines to get a decent harvest!

I had a heck of a time getting the tomato, yard long bean and squash seeds to sprout and grow.  On the third attempt, I put them in a wet paper towel on a plate to see if it was the seeds or starting mix.  All the seeds sprouted.  I just took the sprouts and put into a small pot to get to size and then transplanted to their permanent spot in the garden.

My cucumber bush did pretty well.  I got enough for all the pickles my husband needs.  The bush did get powdery mildew in August.  I'll plant 2 next year as my mom was asking for some every week so I have enough for pickles and all she wants.

The Trombetta did just okay in its new spot in the basement bed this year.  Last year, it did much better in the garage bed.  I used seeds from those I save last year.  The fruits did not have a hook in them like the original plants.  Not sure if getting less fruit was the bed, growing conditions or the difference in the fruit.  Next year, I think I'll put it back in the garage bed and use original seed.

The Jarrahdale winter squash did okay in the basement bed.  I got one pretty blue green squash from the vine.  I baked it and will use the flesh for pies and pumpkin bread.  Leaning towards trying another fun type.

My Red Burgundy okra was doing well until the deer got really hungry because of the drought we were having and ate its leaves up as far as they could reach.  That really slowed down production.  It is still giving flowers and fruits.  Think I will plant a second one next year. 

What in pots versus in the ground? 

 

I grew Anaheim peppers, sweet peppers, and eggplant in pots.  The peppers were slow to get going but filled with fruits later in summer.  I got 2 full flushes of peppers on each plant.  The eggplants had a good amount of fruiting.  The 5 potted plants gave more fruit than I could eat.  I grilled and froze what I couldn't eat.  I always put petunias in with the potted eggplant and peppers.  It looks nice and the pollinators appreciate the extra flowers.  Both peppers and eggplants usually do very well in pots.  Right now, the eggplants have a fruit or two and the pepper plants are loaded with fruits.

I had 3 Anaheim pepper plants.  I think that is enough for the chili powder I need.  This last crop seems to be taking forever to grow to full size and ripen.  I may bring them all into the garage to get all I can from them.  

I planted 1 sweet pepper plant and had 2 more California bell volunteers come up later in the summer.  So far, I have put up 7 pints of sliced sweet peppers.  I probably could use 12 pints.  I have lots of baby sweet peppers on all the plants.  I may bring them into the garage to prolong the harvest.  Next year, I'll get 3 sweet pepper plants going in the spring.  I'll stay with my burgundy sweet pepper and add the California bell pepper plant, too, as they did very well in pots this year.

I started a Habanada late as it took a few tries to get the seed going.  They were a lime green and sweet.  The plant remained on the small size and has many fruits on it.  I may bring it indoors for the winter and see how it does. 

I interplanted snow peas, Oregon Sugar Pod II, Little Purple Snowpea, Avalanche, in the pots with the eggplant and peppers in late spring.  They all did okay.  Maybe they need to be fertilized a bit more.  I'll fertilize the pots when I plant the seeds and then again about a month after they sprout.

The tomatoes in very large pots that I planted in July did well.  They've kept us in fresh tomatoes through fall.  With the tomatoes in the 5 gallon buckets, we are still putting some up as well.  This week I will need to process all of 2023 frozen tomatoes left and all the 2024 tomatoes that won't fit in the bottom basket of our upright freezer.

Had a few small fruiting tomatoes that volunteered in pots and the Tumbling Tom that I had grown indoors over the winter.  There were plenty of them for salads and to give my mom some weekly.  

We will do both the 5 gallon system and pots again next year. 

The bad

I did not see a single Mashed Potato, White Scallop or Warsaw spaghetti squash fruit that I planted in the basement bed.  Since this is my second go at the Mashed Potato and Warsaw spaghetti squash, I won't grow them next year.  May try another winter squash or pumpkin next year. 

The sprouting broccoli volunteers came back again this year.  It grows robustly and the greens taste great in salads through all 4 seasons.  The only drawback to it is the worms that come starting in July.  I should cut them off at the first of July and start them again in the fall to miss the worms, but I don't the heart to so the leaves gets many holes in them in late summer.  Radish plants are supposed to repel cabbage moths so I'll try those next year with the volunteer sprouting broccoli.

I didn't have the best luck in starting lettuce and spinach in pots this summer.  I have several small lettuce plants sprouted from fall planting.  They are about 4" tall right now.  Hopefully, they will get up close to full size this month so we will have lettuce to harvest through the winter.

All the tomato plants in the basement bed wilted in late June.  I pulled them all as we really don't need them with the 10 plants in the 5 gallon buckets.  One definitely had a disease.  I put Celebrity's back in their place as they are supposed to be the most disease resistant variety for our area.  Out of the 5 plants, I got one tomato.  Not sure I will plant Celebrity again next year.

I got zero purple tomatillo fruits from the 2 plants I had in the basement bed.  They had many flowers.  Planted on in our Master Gardener Demonstration Garden and it did fabulous.  Don't think I will plant it at home next year.  

Winter learning 

I'm going to lay out the plantings in my 2 new beds in the front of the house this winter.  Since these beds face the street, I want to be choiceful on what I plant around the perimeter so that it is pretty, does not overgrow its space and helps to deter deer and voles.  A bonus would be if I can put a creeping plant to grow between all the ornamentals around the perimeter.  Right now, I'm thinking I want to try a variety of creeping thymes for that purpose.  

I may also try a cold frame this winter.  I'd sow lettuce and spinach seeds in it in January to get a jump on spring harvests.

I still have one bed I am in the process of putting in for my raspberry and blackberry plants that I have.  We have the edging in, my husband cut the grass to the ground.  I want it sprayed with weed and grass killer before I cover with cardboard and plant just because of the Bermuda grass.  That stuff is evil.  In my previous houses, I could just cover the grass with cardboard and mulch leave it for the winter and plant in it in the spring.  The grass would die and add organic matter.  Bermuda grass does not die so spraying will help, but I'll likely have to dig out what comes back up next year.

Next year's garden

With the front bed in, I should be able to do better crop rotation.  With only 2 beds, it is tough to do.  The other issue I have is that I like so many veggies in the night shade family that it is challenging to not plant in the same location for 4 years.

Here is my garden plan for next year:

Blauhilde pole snap beans, 1500 Year Old bean vine on one trellis and Christmas speckles lima beans around another trellis

Purple Yard Long bean vine on the guide wire in the berry bed; maybe 2 vines.  Plant with Hummingbird vine and Red Malabar spinach with it.

Urizun Japanese winged bean in a pot as it loves the heat

Red Burgundy okra (2 in the garden bed)

10 tomato plants-large paste (Italian Red Pear), slicers (Cherokee Purple and an orange/yellow), a small fruit (Chocolate Pear), a storage tomato (Yellow Keeper or other), Brandywine and an early variety like Rubee Dawn

3 eggplant-AO Daimura, Antigua or Rotanda Bianca or Rosa, Shiromaru or Amadeo (in pot)

2 bush cucumber (in garden bed)

1 summer squash-Trombetta since it is resistant to vine borer, disease and squash bugs

2 winter squash-Butternut and fun other one

Perennial onions-potato onion type and Egyptian Walking onion sweet and cooking varieties

Hardneck garlic, Elephant garlic and shallots

Potatoes in the potato boxes

Snow peas in pots with peppers and eggplants

Dragon Tail radish in pot by sprouting broccoli

Hilton Chinese cabbage (2 plants)

New Zealand in pot (1)

Lettuce (Royal Oakleaf, Grand Rapids, Butter King, Bronze Beauty, Celtic, Forellenschluss, Giant Blue Feather, Yedikule, Red Sails) and spinach in pots

Greens that stay sweet in summer-Orach, Amaranth, Chard-Perpetual Spinach and Fordhook, Chinese Multicolor Spinach, Purple Stardust Iceplant, Komatsuna, Giant Leaf mustard

Herbs-Dill, Basil (Nunum, Genovese, Cardinal), Cilantro, Lion's Ear, Rosemary, Parsley, Garden Sage, Chervil, Pink Celery, Multicolor Sage, marjoram

Sweet and hot peppers-variety to make chili powder (3 plants), Jigsaw and Baklouti hot pepper plants, and 3 sweet pepper plants

No watermelon, beets, heading cabbage or broccoli

Cantaloupe-Tigger melon

Flowers-zinnias, alyssum, marigolds, Cock's Comb, peach hollyhocks, blue morning glory, Love Lies Bleeding, Moonflower?

I will also need to thin my celery, Red Malabar spinach and Giant mustard plants out as they come up next year.

I have to be stern with myself about what I will not plant.  In the past 4 years, I planted much less than usual and had plenty for fresh eating and preserving.  My eyes are always bigger than my space or need!