Garden Plan for 2013

It's PLANTIN' TIME!!  Well, we're almost there... Some items will be planted this weekend and others are being hardened over for transplanting in a couple of weeks. I am hoping for a high yield this year as the previous 2 years we've had numerous consecutive days of 100+ degree weather and most of my crops just burned under the Texas sun.

The "Plan" is a little ambitious for me, especially when summer hits and constant care is required. And, I've already ruined the first batch of saffron corms. It seems my darling daughter was watering the plants as well, so they were being over-watered which is a huge "no-no" for  saffron, so... yeah, a new batch will be planted this weekend as well as the following:

    Bought some "blue" potatoes, they looked really cool and they are supposed to be delicious. Anyway, the blues are going in this weekend as well as the Yukon Gold.

    I am also planting the shallots (used all of last years, so I am starting with new bulbs and keeping my fingers crossed.

    I am planting both hot and sweet peppers. I can never get enough of these so I am over-planting these this year for a bountiful crop. They don't go in the ground just yet, but I will put them in my terrace room to over-hardened before they're planted in.

    Onions are going in as well, those are a 'fingers-crossed" deal too. I will be more detailed on what's going in as I plant each vegetable. Expect an update on all items planted this weekend in proper detail. Please note, the plan depicts what I would like to see but as math gives me a headache, I don't formally measure anything out... Its more of a guide on how I see it in my head but reality is always a lot less forgiving. I guess I could be more accurate but I admit, I am "math lazy"... I can add/multiply/subtract and divide and since I am NOT an aerospace engineer, I don't feel so bad about dismissing geometry, calculus and trig. And when I do use this level of mathematics, I don't realize that's what I am doing and "voila" ~~ no headaches... see, it works out for everyone involved. Below are a list of my garden veggies going in this  year...

I've chosen this years 'experiment plant' to be the 'Saffron Crocus'. I ordered bulbs and planted them in December in a container inside the house. They have string-like green leaves but they haven't flowered. They produce a beautiful purple flower so it will be an added benefit in making my garden 'pretty'. I am hoping to use some of the filaments in cooking and preserving the rest for future use. This is a very expensive herb so grow it yourself instead and save a LOT of money.


Grow your own Saffron Crocus bulbs for harvesting and cooking.
[Info from: http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/crocus-sativus-saffron-crocus.aspx ]

The saffron crocus blooms in the autumn, producing 1 to 5 rich lilac flowers with dark purple veins, held wide open above inconspicuous foliage.

Noteworthy characteristics: Plants may bloom well the first year, but sparsely thereafter. Generally will not flower in cool, wet areas. Saffron, called "the world's most expensive spice,"  is obtained from the long, conspicuous, deep red style. It takes about 14,000 stigma to make one ounce of saffron threads.

Care: Plant 3 to 4 inches deep in late summer. Likes full sun and gritty, poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Prefers hot summers. Under glass, provide full light with gritty soil and ample water during growth. Keep dry during summer dormancy.

Propagation: Sterile, increasing only by division.

Problems: Mice, voles, and squirrels may eat the corms, while birds may pick off flowers. In storage, corms are prone to rots and molds.