Garden Duties: Grow List 2022

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!

Tag #jobinkitchengarden on Instagram or Facebook.