A little Arugula, a lot of Homesteader Peas:Our Top Garden Seed Picks for 2021

I garden a lot by instinct. But I reckon everyone, including me, should up their game with some intention this year. A few weeks ago, I published a blog post called “There is no Plan B”. So that’s what we are doing: planning, organizing and doing a fair bit of dreaming but with intention.

Now the rubber hits the road.

So here is what we are planning to plant for annual vegetables in our home garden this year. Remember we are in zone 6a here on the very southwest tip of Nova Scotia: loads of humidity, wind, and it’s never really hot here.

I just love it. (Truly!)

The early garden around July . A few more trees are coming down this year and an extension right to our stone wall .

Legend :V -Veseys; R-Revival Seeds; BC-Bakers Creek; HS-Halifax Seeds; S-Self seeded/saved

Asparagus- 3 year old crowns were planted last year after our farm reno , so I only list these because I’m anxiously awaiting them. I purchased those from L’Ouest Perennials in West Pubnico.

Beans

Baking-Jacobs Cattle, Red kidney (V)
Pole- Scarlet Runner (V) , Sunset Runner (BC)
Bush – Gold Rush (V), Royal Burgundy (V), Dragons Tongue (BC), Early Provider (V)

Beets

Golden (BC), Detroit Red (V), Chioggia (V)

Broccoli

Chinese (S) these originally came from BC and bolted too early this year but I’m giving them another year . They have a very thin stalk and head so they take up less space.
Note : I usually buy my broccoli, cauliflower and corn at the Indian Garden Farm Market, Bridgewater in bulk. I find for my space and our climate, this is not worth me growing myself. Maybe when I’m older 😉

Cabbage

Early Copenhagen (HS), Chinese (V), All Season Blend (V), Kilmaro (V)

I didn’t have the biggest heads but I had the cutest garden helpers

Carrots

Storage- Balero (V)
Scarlet Nantes (RS)
Chantenay (HS)
Variety-Rainbow , Napoli
Manpukiyi – this is a long Japanese carrot we are growing purely for fun and competition in 4H

Cucumber

Lemon (HS), Straight 8 (HS), Marketmore (V)

Fennel

Grown for seed not for the bulb (S)

Garlic

Planted in the fall (soft neck saved from last year, hard neck purchased from Sissiboo Organics )

Ground Cherries

These self seed for me every year.

Kale

Casper (BC), Blue Curled Scotch (V)

Lettuces

Tatsoi (BC), Crawford Estates (R), Black Seeded Simpson , Buttercrunch, Arugula (all from BC), Yucaipa (V)

Leeks

Lancelot (v)

Onions

Seeds- Oneida (V), Alisa Craig (BC)
Sets – red storage , yellow storage

Parsnips

Harris (V)

They aren’t pretty but they were tasty . I hauled them all because I wanted the chickens to go in the garden and turn the soil and you don’t let chickens in your garden when there are veggies in it for food safety reasons. Plus they eat everything.

Peas

King tut Purple, Homesteader (both R), Oregon Sugar (V), sugar snap (HS)

Peppers

New Ace ,sensation , purple star, Carmen (V)
Early jalapeño (V)

Potatoes

Seed- Yukon, red chieftain, russet , purple (from Mackenzies and saved from our potatoes this year)

Pumpkins

Rocket, White New Moon, Racer (Saved) Giant (V)

Radishes (we do not really like radishes, so don’t listen to us on this pick)

Rover (V)

Turnips

York (V)

Spinach

Bloomsdale (R) , seaside (V)

Summer Squash

Midnight (Saved), Costata Romanesco (R) , Onyx (V)

Zucchini chocolate cake is a favorite here

Winter Squash

Waltham Buttercup (saved ), Burgess (V), Variety pack (V)

I literally had wheelbarrows of squash from 5 plants to cure and put in storage. I wasn’t complaining .

Tomatoes

Indeterminate-Manitoba, Italian Heirloom (R), Amish Paste, BlackBeauty (BC) Cherokee Purple, San Marzano (seed savers international , I think I got this at Home Depot ?)
Determinate – Scotia (V), Mountain Merit (V)
Cherry – Sungold (V), Chadwick ,Purple Bumblebee (R)

I grew a bit of a tomato jungle last year in my temporary hoophouse. Can’t wait to do it again

I have to admit I had a nagging feeling I had forgotten a seed order I had made and sure enough I did. My Yonder Hill order will be here shortly as I just received notice it shipped from the Valley where they are located. Here’s my order from them:

Pickling Cucumber, Peradovic Oilseed Sunflower Ice Queen Lettuce, Jalapeno Pepper, Golden Zucchini, Sweet Basil and some French Shallot

And as hopeless as I am about remaining firm when I see all the seeds in stores, it’s inevitable I will pick up a few packs here and there. I have no doubt I have an addiction to seeds but it’s cheaper than most addictions and actually produces amazing food so we will just leave that right there.

Hey I almost forgot ! There is a YouTube video we did to accompany this blog post , it’s pretty fun to watch I think . My 14 year old shot it for me and he did a great job ! Click hereTo view the video.

Love, Jenn xx