What I planted this week end

Newly seeded pot

Sunday, June 8, 2014

It is in the mid 80’s and we haven’t gotten any rain for a couple of weeks now.  Summer is definitely here!  I started watering the garden beds as the veggies were wilting.

I like trying new varieties while keeping the ones I have come to depend on.  This week end I planted seeds of summer lettuces I grew last year that did well and also am trying some other new veggies.  I will get them started on a planter and then decide if I leave them in the planter or transplant them into the garden.

*Heat resistant lettuce:  Red Sails-stays sweet even when bolting, Jericho romaine, Green Towers romaine, New Red Fire lettuce, and Simpson Elite.

*Pretty shades of red lettuce:  “Valentine” mix from Botanical Interests.

*Aunt Molly’s ground cherry:  1/2” golden yellow fruit, productive and only 18” tall by 24” wide.  Fruit from the end of July until frost.

*Purple tomatillo:  large purple fruits good for salads and salsa.

*Red Belgian pepper:  high yielding, 3.5” long, that are sweet and rich in taste.

*Thai Holy Kaprao Basil:  a religious Hindu herb that has purplish green leaves and a spicy clove scent.

*Blue spice basil:  vigorous basil with showy deep purple flowers and a heavy spicy vanilla scent.  I am growing this one to put in my cleaning sprays.  Sounds heavenly!

*Turkish orange eggplant:  3” orange eggplant fruits on a small plant that yields well.  Sweet, rich taste when picked while they are green with light orange.  And they are pretty to boot.

It is always fun to try new varieties!