It's the beginning of February and the snow is falling hard. Whatever the climate, there is a limit to how much you can do in the kitchen garden. Most of us have looked through our seed catalogues and rummaged through our own seed inventory. This down time gives you the perfect opportunity to plan out your spring and summer season. It can be a bit overwhelming, but understanding how these vegetables are classified can help you organize your thoughts and map out a timeline to plant each seed or transplant.
This year I have mapped out what I will grow. I hope that this list will introduce you to new varieties and even inspire you to grow your own vegetables. Understanding the endless possibilities that can be grown in your own backyard is what makes gardening so exciting and never dull.
I would love to hear what you plan to grow this year in your gardens! Whether it be a new one to you or your old faithfuls that you grow year after year. Be sure to drop them in the comments section at the end of this article.
Solanaceous Crops
These crops belong to the nightshade family, most these crops are perennials, but treated as annuals and are summer season transplanted crops. These seeds are started in mid February in zone 5b.
Peppers - Start seeds indoor in Mid February
Peppers are my favourite vegetable of all time, there are over 50,000 types in then world. How amazing is that? The amount of varieties you can grow are endless. The flavours have a heat scale and the sizes, shapes and colours are beyond our imagination.
They require a lot of heat, sun and time, making it slightly difficult to grow here in Nova Scotia, but I make it work. Sweet peppers take roughly 60-90 days, while Hot peppers can take up to 150 days. I don't have a long enough growing season to grow just any pepper, especially the bigger ones that take a long time to ripen. I mostly stick to smaller varieties that bush out and look like summer Christmas trees.
Peppers are what I live to grow. Last year was filled with jellies, salsas, sauces, pepper powders, and even freezing a bunch of leftover peppers! Looking forward to what this season will bring.
Brazilian Starfish
90 days, originated from Peru, domesticated in Brazil. Floral and fruity tones, unique star-shaped. Slow to yield, mine didn't come until November of 2020 and they were started in February, however, they amazingly prolific.
Ají Charapita
Jalapeño
Cayenne Long Thin
Chiltepin Wild Chile
Sugar Rush Peach
Korean Dark Green
Lemon Drop
Buena Mulata
Datil (new to me)
Jamaican Scotch Bonnet (new to me)
Habanero Orange (new to me)
Tomato - Start seeds indoor Beginning of March
Determinates
Cream Sausage (new to me)
70-75 days, an elongated paste tomato that is creamy white to pale yellow in color. Sweet in flavour that is quite productive.
Little Bing
Orange Icicle (new to me)
Roma
Striped Roman
Sunrise Sauce (new to me)
Indeterminates
Green Zebra (new to me)
75 days, beautiful deep lime-green stripes, very rich tasting, sweet with a sharp bite to it. Around 3 ounces and has excellent yields. Baker's Creek Seeds says it's a favourite among high-class chefs, speciality markets, and home gardeners.
Lemon Boy
Mingle Mix (new to me)
Marzito (new to me)
Corn - Direct seed in late April
My interest in growing my own corn is not just for the fun summer time corn on the cob, but to actually use the kernels to pop my own fresh popcorn. It's best if seeded directly into the garden, in good, rich, well-drained soil, right around the time of the last spring frost.
Fisher's Earliest Sweet Corn (new to me)
70 days, grows in the cool and harsh conditions of the state of Montana. This sweet corn grows 5-6 foot stalks bear one ear per plant and have 10-12 row with a golden hue. They are sure to please .
Damaun KS Super Sweet Corn (new to me)
Root Vegetables
These crops have a fleshy underground structure and are direct seeded winter season crops.
Carrots
This is the year of the carrot, I have purposefully bought over ten types of carrots to try and find some amazing new varieties!
Amarillo (new to me)
75 days, good for a summer to fall crop. They are crunchy, full of juice and packet with Vitamin C.
Berlicum 2 (new to me)
Cosmic Purple
Dara Flowering (new to me)
Jaune Obtuse du Doubs (new to me)
Koral (new to me)
Little Fingers (new to me)
Longue Rouge (new to me)
Lunar White (new to me)
Nante Scarlet
Parisienne (new to me)
Rainbow Blend
Beets
Nothing I love more than pickled beets. I have to gained a massive appreciation for them over the years.
Chioggia (new to me)
60 days, white and red rings with a very sweet flavour. Green leaves are perfect tossed inn a salad.
Early Wonder
Ruby Queen
Touchstone Gold
Radishes
Undervalued crop - small but mighty, I'm going to be roasting these this year.
Cherry Belle (new to me)
21 days, crisp and delicious with a red skin and tasty white flesh.
De 18 Jours
Early Scarlet Globe (new to me)
Easter Basket Mix
French Breakfast (new to me)
Turnip
Trying to find a tasty turnip is proving to be difficult. Hopefully this one hits the spot.
Nagasaki Akari Kabu (new to me)
50 days, traditionally grown in Nagasaki, Japan. This turnip has a plum to wine colour skin, crisp flesh. Great for pickling or eating raw.
Pea and Beans (Pod Vegetables)
Belong to the Pea Family, these crops are legume vegetables and are directly seeded.
Soya Bean, Chiba Green
70-80 days great for eating fresh out of the pod, canning or freezing. Who doesn't want home grown fresh edamame? I do!
Soya Bean, Tanker Edamame (new to me)
Cucurbit Crops
Belong to the Gourd family, these crops have tendrils, fleshy fruit and are direct seeded summer season crops.
Pumpkin
Baby Boo
100 days, miniature white pumpkins, really cute, amazing for decor.
Early Sugar Pie
Jack Be Little
Squash
Baby Blue Hubbard (new to me)
90-100 days, Hubbard-shaped fruit, yellow-gold flesh that is sweet and of excellent quality. Semi-bush vines are easy to handle.
Honeynut Butternut
Musquee De Maroc (new to me)
Salad Vegetables
Salad Greens does tend to denote leaves that are eaten raw.
Lettuce
Cosmic Crimson Mix
Baker Creek has selected their favourite anthocyanin-rich varieties to make the most colourful salad blend possible.
Merlot
Merveille Des Quatre Saisons
Mesclun Salad Mix
Paris Island Cos
Rouge D'Hiver
Tom Thumb
Bulb Vegetables
Belong to the Alliaceae family, these crops grow just below the surface and produce a fleshy bulb, and a leafy shoot above ground.
Onions Sets: Red, Yellow and White
Onion, Tokyo Long White Bunching
Herbs
You can't not grow herbs in a garden. Do it — grow it all.
Basil, Red Rubin
Combines ornamental appeal and compact growth-habit, smooth flat, reddish-leaves, great for flavoured vinegars and unique salads.
Basil, Siam Queen Thai
Basil, Dark Purple Opal
Bee Balm Lemon
Chives
Coriander/Cilantro
Dill, Bouquet (dwarf)
Lavender
Lemongrass
Mint, Marvellous Mix
Parsley, Italian Flat Leaf
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Well just like last year, that's a long list
It's going to be an interesting gardening season. I have a little more responsible this year and less space. It will be challenging — but I am up for the challenge. Trying to juggle a new puppy around the yard, making sure he doesn't dig or eat anything he isn't suppose too. Also try make the most of my backyard space with only having one garden bed at my parents.
What are you planning on growing this year? I'd love to see it and hear about it!
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