Planning my garden

So I'm planning my garden(s) for this coming spring. I'm going to have a vegetable garden, a flower garden, an herb garden, and an orchard.

I'm stuck on the vegetable garden. What I'm planning to grow is:

About 12 different varieties of tomatoes.
Cucumbers.
Snap Peas
Sweet peas
Watermelon
pumpkin
birdhouse gourd
Squash (Acorn and butternut)
Cantaloupe
Peppers (not sure what kind, though)
corn
lettuce

I have most of the seeds that I need. I'm using all heirloom varieties. Is there anything I'm missing for the vegetables? I feel like I'm missing something...

Any ideas? What's your favorite vegetable for the garden?

Dave

Don't you like green beans, Dave? And what about cauliflower, cabbage, & broccoli? Those are my personal favs!...next to tomatoes & corn, of course! *S*

I actually cannot stand green beans. I can't stand harvesting them, can't stand the taste, either.

But, my daughter can't get enough of them. Maybe I should consider growing some just for her.

Cabbage: Same as above.

Cauliflower and broccoli: I've considered it. Are their heirloom varieties of these out there that can be obtained?

Dave

I don't know, Dave...but if you find any heirloom cauliflower or broccoli let me know, cuz I want some too!!! (think I'll add those to my 'want' list!) I mix them with carrots, etc and freeze about 40 gallon sized bags every year! Would love to have heirlooms so I can start savin my own seeds! As for the green beans...plant them for the girl, Dave....and let her know you're planting them just for HER...she'll feel real special! *s*

So there are heirloom varieties of both of these out there. What I'm seeing about cauliflower is:

Early Snowball Cauliflower at http://www.burpee.com/detail.asp?from=1&catID=401&prodID=1595

I also see this Early Snowball mentioned elsewhere.

As for broccoli, it appears that the "Green Goliath Broccoli" is the one most talked about. I've not seen above verify that this is a heirloom, though...

http://www.burpee.com/detail.asp?catID=search&prodID=1400

Thoughts?

No Okra, Dave? Are you a yankee boy? :-) Being a southern gal, we must have okra in our garden! Love it fried, fried whole, cut up in gumbos, love it, slime and all boiled whole too! The pods, when dried, are lovely in fall arrangements as well. I will have some seeds soon....
Your southern friend, Debby (Dragonfly)

How about snow peas? Or those long beans about a foot or longer, less work more filling! :)

Debby--
I have lived in the south (Florida) for 21 years and I can't stand okra.

Being a newbie and all, please educate me, how are the heirloom varieties different from other varieties? Hmmm heirloom...

From what I understand, you can collect the seeds from the heirloom varieties and it will produce the same plant. BUT...if you collect seeds from a hybrid variety, you don't get the same plant because it took two different things to make that hybrid, whereas the heirloom just comes from itself. Am I right, Dave?

My favorite has to be snow peas. Then come corn and butternut squash (wouldn't you know, I planted mostly acorn this year). Then fresh tomatoes and cukes. I really miss the tomatoes in the winter as the ones in the store (at least around here) taste like cardboard or something. They just really have no flavor or juice and are usually rock hard.

Hmmm, somthing is missing...

Cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapenos, green chiles, habaneros, serranos, anchos, poblanos, red bells, green bells, purple bells, orange bells, and a few cayenne. Well, you are buying 14 acres aren't you :)

16 acres, actually. ;-)

I better add all these to my want-list. :)

Let's see, I should buy onions, garlic, but the rest can be traded for I think.

I've got jalapenos coming from AuntyB. I've got some cayenne coming from a friend in Chile (but that was over amonth ago - we'll see if they come)

I'm lost on the rest. Rise Ann - that looked like a list for salsa. :)

Dave

Maybe Rise Ann just plants her salsa recipe. We know how she loves salsa !

Oh come on you guys, I only planted 84 pepper plants last year :) You can do alot of canning, chopping, and freezing with five gallons of jalapenos ;o

Here's a tip - if you have too many jalapenos, seed them, put them through a blender and then freeze them in ice cube trays. Then when you need a little zest - its in nice sized portions! We use it in winter salsa, chili, add it to store bought salsa, on tacos and in mexican caseroles.

Excellent tip!!

Just be sure not to mistaken the frozen jalapenos cubes for frozen fruit juice! :)