I got my seeds last month, and put my orders in off the cuff, going with the cultivars I was most familiar. : (
Only thing new at this point is trying to get my blueberries to thrive. Soils' ammended to right ph, and I've babied em according to all current wisdom.... but
Maybe think about some stealth pole beans here and there? I bought seeds from E-bay a few years ago... it was a combo of several different types and colors of pole beans. Two of them were stringless round pods... green and yellow. They produced and produced, and produced a bumper crop of seeds (which could be used for barter or saved for baked beans and bean soup). Tall telephone peas could also be used that way...I'll be trying to grow eggplants for the first time in Iowa. I used to grow them in Michigan. I also got talked into growing squash, but it'll be in the community garden. I just have such limited space at home, where the priority is the salad and herb gardens!
No corn. No mellons. I draw the line at those. I have plenty of sources for sweet corn, and I'm not a huge mellon fan.
We'll see what happens. My main concern is getting a good potato and onion harvest. Both were in short supply last fall. I'm also going to stealth plant an onion patch out near the bike path with hardy natives. I've sometimes found that a few onions do better if you just leave them alone until it's time to harvest.
I'll be trying to grow eggplants for the first time in Iowa. I used to grow them in Michigan. I also got talked into growing squash, but it'll be in the community garden. I just have such limited space at home, where the priority is the salad and herb gardens!
No corn. No mellons. I draw the line at those. I have plenty of sources for sweet corn, and I'm not a huge mellon fan.
We'll see what happens. My main concern is getting a good potato and onion harvest. Both were in short supply last fall. I'm also going to stealth plant an onion patch out near the bike path with hardy natives. I've sometimes found that a few onions do better if you just leave them alone until it's time to harvest.
Have you tried "vertical gardening"? I'm thinking of trying it this fall.