2011 Garden Wish List

This is the cover of my garden journal that I started in 2009 -- I like to look back at years past and see what I did and when, and what worked/what didn't work.  It's also a good planning tool -- did I dream too big (of course) and when did perennials start coming back (i.e. when do I need to set time aside for major spring gardening weekends? That would be now.)

I finally remembered to have my initial 2011 garden dream list on hand for a blog post. This is from the evening I spent on my porch with my neighbor and her two daughters.  As it turned out, her older (9 years old) daughter had many good ideas, which I promptly hijacked.  In my defense, I told her I was totally writing down all her good ideas... 

Potatoes -- I plan to have little red new potatoes and fingerlings.  I loooove red potatoes.  I like fingerlings too, and aren't they the most expensive potatoes in the store? 

Rhubarb - I grew up eating raw rhubarb straight out of the dirt.  I loved the sourness of it.  I am going to order 1-3 crowns.  I think they will go in my sideyard outside my pedestrian gate where they would get morning sun and afternoon shade.  And, I've recently relocated a rain barrel to that area, so watering would be easy.   I need to research their sun requirements though.

Sunflowers - I started seeds from a sunflower mix indoors week before last, and they are 2-3 inches tall and look happy.  They will be transplanted to be along the side edge of my porch.  If all develops to plan, they will give me a nice screen on the driveway side.  I still need to start the mammoth sunflower seeds.  I didn't have any of those left from last year.

Moonflowers - totally my neighbor's idea.  Who doesn't love the thought of a fragrant flower that opens when the moon is up?

Kale - because I am madly in love with raw kale and it is insanely good for you.

Butter lettuce - my favorite salad green, and also expensive in the store!  Buttery goodness (sorry Nabisco)

Basil - a favorite every year

Chives - mine from last year are back!  I had transplanted them to the front, and apparently they like it there.

Asparagus - I ordered 10 crowns earlier this week.  Also one that I need to research about sun requirements.  These are a rather permanent fixture so I need to be sure I choose a good location.  I learned yesterday that someone else I know really loves asparagus -- so next year I'll have some to share!  (It doesn't produce the first year.)

Edamame - also my neighbor's idea.  I love edamame steamed with some sea salt on it but it never crossed my mind to grow my own.  Imagine how good it would be fresh, not frozen!

Gourds - these are the round ones that some people make into birdhouses.  One of my sisters says that getting them hollowed out and dried is tricky, but it seems like a fun project.   But what I'm more interested in is making this room divider:

I saw this at Biga on the Banks, a restaurant on the Riverwalk in San Antonio.  I was more interested in how it was made than how anything on the menu was prepared...

Beets - yum.  I love beets.

So that's my starter list.  I could make a separate herbs list, but for that I may as well just copy and paste an alphabetical all inclusive list of herbs...