Self-sufficiency seems to be this month’s hot potato – no pun intended. I admit that the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting my plans for the 2020 crop. But at the same time, I acknowledge that our relatively short growing season and our small area of cultivatable land makes it impossible for our 5-person household to be completely self-sufficient year-round. So this year, I’ll favor failsafe tried and true crops over trials.
grow-what-you-eat mindset
What does your family enjoy eating? My kids love to grow radishes because it’s a fast crop. But they really dislike the taste and refuse to eat them. So I let them enjoy the experience in a small container and eat the specimens they harvest – while I reserve my veggie beds for what we actually put on the table. There’s too much food ending up in the landfills; using your garden to add to that is would be insane.
My 4-year-old loves strawberries. My 9-year-old snacks on sugar peas all summer long. I’ve still yet to figure out where to squeeze in an apple tree for the boy.
which crops perform reliably in your location?
What grows best in your location? I have no ambitions to grow a bumper crop of watermelons here. Heat-loving varieties are a gamble here and usually fail spectacularly. My luck seems to run out when I go beyond hardy pumpkins. Thus I’ll not jeopardize my main crop by betting on an unusually warm and long summer.
In addition to my staples, I have strawberries, rhubarb, and currants that produce increasingly more each year. I also have 6 asparagus crowns and a 0.5 square meter bed with Jerusalem artichokes. These are not affected by my year-to-year seed plans and crop rotation.
my 2020 staples
- potatoes
- onions
- garlic
- broad beans
- sugar snap peas
- beetroot
- parsley and chives
- celery
- looseleaf salad and chard
- squash
what I grow for interest
You might have guessed it: chili peppers. And lots of it. Perhaps against my better judgment, but they are my gardening indulgent. You need to feed your soul, not just your tummy.
I also grow Tiny Tim cherry tomatoes and snack cucumbers every year. They actually do well outdoor, shielded on the terrace. Not a huge crop, but when they are in season, we’re covered. I’ve yet to get a bumper crop of tomatoes, but if I do, I’ll make and can salsa.
What about pumpkins, you might ask. Yes, I do plant some – primarily for Halloween decorations. If the summer is nice and the autumn is dry and frost-free, we might get a few ripe butternuts and spaghetti squashes before the mildew takes over.
what I could have planted, but don’t
Many recommend kale, cabbage, and other brassicas for cool-climate veggie gardens. I’ve tried and tried again. I don’t have the stamina to keep the cabbage caterpillars in check. And I’ll admit I’ve brought this pest upon myself by having a bee and butterfly friendly garden. They love the roses and perennial lavender. To them, my kale is the best nursery they could ask for. Especially my netted kale, which is bird-proofed for them as well.
My salad greens, chard, and spinach seem to do OKish. And for that I’m grateful.
preserving
We’re not a pickling type household. What I cannot store as-is is either dehydrated or frozen. We’re set year-round for garlic, pepper, and herbs, fresh or dried. The color and scent of the dried herbs are so much better than the store-bought ones! If you’re able, get a decent dehydrator! We use it not only for herbs but also chili, legumes, and foraged chanterelles.
Celery, chard, and squash usually go in the freezer along with any fruit or berries. Chopped according to the intended use and then bagged or boxed. Saves a ton of time in summer when you’re needed out in the garden, and again when the snow is falling outside and you want to cook up a hearty stew.
I grow basil indoor in my mini hydroponic rig. I run it in the blender with some olive oil and freeze it in icecube trays. I’ve not had much success with basil outdoor here.
My top 3 tips for the pantry garden
- Use great rich soil with compost, preferrable peat-free.
- Mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
- Stagger sowing so that not everything ripens and needs to be picked and processed at the same time.
What are you looking to grow this season?
