Too Soon to Talk Gardening, Nope!

#1

There's still two feet of snow along the road, just a half foot out back (was bare ground yesterday). More snow coming overnight here outside of Boston. I don't really care because I know in a month or so I'll be starting to plant, some starters inside, some seeds (lettuce)directly sowed in to Mother Earth.

Last year was the first time I've gardened in decades. I had poor result with the corn (not that it's good for us diabetics anyhow), mixed results with the tomatoes (blossom end rot) but because I planted over 75 plants I had plenty (some tomato sauce still in the freezer) and then some.

I tried growing the corn the three sisters (corn - squash - beans) method but the ants got the corn, but the squash & beans went into overdrive, I even had a squash growing out of my compost bin. Summer squash, spaghetti squash - devine.

Well what should a type II grow?

What are you Type Is, fellow type IIs growing this year?

Afraid? Try a small container, maybe a tomato, maybe some strawberries.

#2

My favorite veggie--zucchini!!! The plants yield a lot of vegetables, though, so unless you're going to live on zucchini for two months, you're best off planting one, two at most.

#3

Radish, tomato, green beans, cucumber, squash both yellow and zuchinni, potatoes (yea, I know all carb but they are so good from the garden!), onion, corn, bell pepper, banana pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Got broccoli trying to grow and swiss chard still growing now, the collard greens are bolting so bye bye! Lettuce is being lazy probably because we have had hot/cold/hot/cold Texas weather. Hope to tease out a couple of cabbage and maybe cauliflower unless it gets to hot to quick. oh - I'm a T1. Happy Gardening!

#4

Hi Guitarnut, Zucchini is something I have grown to like, it's pretty good steamed with summer squash. I'm going to plant a few this spring.

#5

Hi Korrie, Mmm radishes, adding those to the list. I forgot about last year's broccoli - a gogher or family of them ate about a dozen of them last summer just before I was going to harvest them, managed to save a few cabbage.

I had so much lettuce last year, a lot went to seed.

As for potatoes, I think new potatoes have a lot less carbs than other potatoes, might give them a try because as you say, they are so good. My bell peppers did well too, I'll have to try onions. Grew some leeks but they didn't amount to much.

#6

It's also good grilled and pan-browned! It pairs especially well with garlic.

#7

My favorite thing to do with zucs is to bbq them with fresh saltwater bass. We use those foil bags and fill it with a fillet, and tons of veggies like zucchini, summer squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms.

One of my favorite meals.

#8

Oh, yum! That sounds amazing! I hate my barbecue, but I might use it this summer just for that!

#9

I guess you could do it inside with the oven, we just do it outside because of the fresh fish, that said I'm sure fish other than bass could be used but it seems to work well with the veggies - and healthy.

#10

I'd probably use chicken since I'm not a big fan of fish. And yeah, smoker bags work just as well in an oven!

#11

Two words: swiss chard. They are so easy to grow (from seed, or seedlings)& they produce all season--just keep cutting off the outer leaves. Tender leaves: great in salads, on top (open-faced) sandwich. Larger leaves are great in eggs, sautees. any place you would use spinach.
I also had great success with kate (via seedlings) last year. But I find chard more versatile in cooking.

#12

How about a few herbs for great flavor. We like in particular basil, parsley, cilantro, oregano and rosemary. Now I can hardly wait for spring planting...

#13

I've certainly have heard of swiss chard Deborah, just not sure I've ever had it. Looks interesting, it's related to the beet but looks like spinach to me, does sound good with eggs.

They say iguanas like swiss chard root for its iron, I have to watch out for that as I have hemochromatosis (high iron), wonder if the leaves are also high iron? I'm trying to cut down on meat so I'm thinking it would take a lot more chard to equal the iron from meat.

#14

Great idea Trudy about growing herbs, maybe as important to diabetics as veggies?

I think basil and parsley are good for diabetics (not sure), the other three too? Will def have a small sections for herbs this year as well as tucking them where I can around the yard.

Spring - two weeks away!

#15

I grew Hart's Special Lettuce Mix last year, like Deborah's Swiss Chard you can just cut the leaves off as you need them and the plant continues to grow for later harvesting. Start several plants a few weeks apart and you'll have greens all season long, especially if doing the same with other plants like chard, spinach.

ad310e57e7795f70.jpg1024×682 340 KB