This is the first year I’m starting seeds and attempting a garden. I’ve grown flowers from seed and am pretty good with succulents (they thrive in my region), but I’m ready to grow things I can use in my kitchen. Last month I started seeds and have a few more I plan to start within the next few days and weeks to *hopefully* have spring and summer harvests.
We have a relatively small backyard that doesn’t get a whole lot of sun except for pockets throughout the yard, so I’ve been researching the last several weeks how I could possibly grow successfully. We also decided to convert a previous unused side of our home into garden space. We're almost done with transforming it and I'll post photos once it's complete! Here's a current view of that side of the house:
I’ve landed on the following seeds:
Pickling cucumbers (most likely eat raw)
Cherry tomatoes
Bell peppers
Lettuce
Arugula
Bok choy
Culantro (it’s a leafy green, not the herb)
Swiss chard
Radishes (two varieties)
Strawberries (not from seed)
Zinnias (flowers)
Yarrow (flowers)
Nasturtium (edible flowers & leaves)
Borage
Viola (edible flowers)
Potatoes (not from seed)
Garlic (planted in fall)
Various herbs: oregano, spice globe basil, opal basil, holy basil, Italian parsley, cilantro, thyme, rosemary
This might seem like a lot for a small garden space but I only plan on keeping one of most of the larger plants. I’ll be attempting to sprout multiple and give the extras to family and friends who want them.
I’ll be utilizing raised beds, boxes, and containers throughout different areas of our backyard (wherever the sun shines really). Thankfully my husband likes woodworking so he’ll be making all the beds.
Since I live in Southern California we have the ability to plant year-round. I started some seeds outdoors in Jan and Feb that already sprouted. We recently had a lot of rain (and some hail) for our area though and I believe some of my trays were compromised so I already started some new ones in case those don’t sprout.
I’m eagerly waiting to see what works and what doesn’t. I have that garden newbie positive energy that I hope keeps me going as things will inevitably be out of my control as the weeks and months pass.
If you’re interested in following along more of the day-to-day, I’ll be sharing things on my Instagram @allaroundgoodness.blog and share regular updates on this blog.
If you're a garden and have varieties of things you love, let me know! I'd be curious to see if they'd work in my area. Thanks!