That said, some of us may need to be reminded just how important January is in the gardening cycle. This is our main, possibly only, opportunity to get the planning process accomplished for the coming growing season. I am working on the pretense that you are of the planning ilk. Seems to me that most gardeners are. I even know of gardens that have never made it past the planning stage, although a great deal of pleasure was derived from the making of those plans.
Then there are those who are just getting started with a garden, or who have tried and failed and are willing to try again. I applaud you. And it is to you that this column is geared.
There is an abundance of seed racks right here in this little city. These racks are stocked with seed varieties that will probably grow in our challenged environment. Why wouldn’t they be? What is the point of having a full seed rack at the end of the growing season? You want to grow a garden and someone wants to sell you the seed to do it. Go ahead, buy your seed right here. There is nothing to fear. There is enough information on the seed packet, from the sales person, from your neighbor and from me to get you gardening successfully.
The world of seed catalogs is shrinking. The resources required to produce these catalogs almost negates the purpose of a vegetable garden.
The key words are early and dwarf. Here in the Far North we need to keep in mind that there are only so many days (and that will vary dramatically) that you can produce food. The fewer days it takes a variety to produce a crop for you the better. If the plant must grow six feet (peas are a good example here) before it can start cranking out food for you and your family, you will have a good long wait on your hands and, possibly, few or no peas. But if you buy a pea variety that reaches maturity at four feet and 60 days, you can be sure a crop will come in.
Look at pumpkins. Why would you choose a variety that takes 20 feet of space and 125 days to mature when you can choose one that takes eight feet and 90 days. Go for the small and the fast.
Last summer was a good reminder of what a Homer growing season has to offer: little sun, lots of rain and not a whole lot of warmth. Watermelons and okra are out. But look at what thrives: all of the salad greens, potatoes, carrots, garlic, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, chard, spinach, kale, kohlrabi, peas, radish and onions.
Then comes the plants that need a little help. Bush green beans will produce a huge amount of food, but you need to offer them protection for most of the growing season. Same for pumpkins.
This is where the greenhouse umbrella comes in handy. I order these from Pinetree Garden Seeds 207-926-3400 or www.superseeds.com. I have yet to see these nifty tools in any shops. They fit perfectly over one of my raised beds. They offer protection from cold and wind and, at 30 inches tall, can be left over the plants until they are established enough to stand on their own. To ventilate, I just lift them up a few inches in the morning and push it back down at night. Very low tech.
If it is tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, melons or basil that is your hearts desire, you will need a greenhouse. There are so many kinds out there, you will need to do your research on that one. The Cooperative Extension Service in Soldotna has plans for you to build your own. There are kits that come ready to be assembled.
Keep in mind, if you are new to gardening, the last thing you want or need is a greenhouse. They are a huge amount of work. Yes, they extend the growing season. Yes you can grow plants that simply do not face the challenge of a summer in Homer. But if you are new at this, get your favorites at the Farmers Market and be thankful that someone else is going to the trouble and not you.
If you don’t have a garden yet take a good look around your property and note where the snow drifts are. These are not the ideal locations for a garden as it will take longer for the snow to leave, longer for the soil to warm. Now is a good time to determine just where your vegetable garden will be. Check the arc of the sun, note how far you will have to haul water or how many feet of hose you will need to buy. Think about locating the garden close to the kitchen door. Mine is as far from the kitchen as it can get and still be on this property, it was the only flat, well drained site. I can see it from almost every window and that counts for something.
Be thinking about the location of your compost pile.
Be thinking, be planning.
Note: Check your stored plants. They may need a little water.
The Homer Garden Club meets Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. at City Hall council chambers. Brigitte Suter, Shirley Forquer and Teena Garay will be sharing their knowledge of gardening in Homer.
Rosemary Fitzpatrick has been gardening with gusto in Homer for 28 years.
I have been giving a great deal of thought to the purchase of seed packets. This is the time of year that I usually give you a list of seed catalogs that you may find helpful. But there are more and more of you who are advocates of the Internet as a source of seeds, plants and supplies.
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