Add more varieties suitable for canning and storage to your veggie garden
In light of recent upshot environ the novel coronavirus , I want to discuss a wave tangle the country , include the Mountain West — the resurrection of Victory Gardens . Between stay - at - home orders , reluctance to contact garden truck at the market store , food bank line circle blocking , and visuals of farm crops being plowed under , is it any wonder we are see a resurgent interest group in growing our own food ?
triumph Gardens begin in World War I when governments encouraged citizens to engraft edible gardens in their yard and public area for help land up the intellectual nourishment supply as well as to hike up esprit de corps . Ever since , Victory Gardens have been revived in times of crisis — like right now .
The first signs of the grow movement occurred just a few week ago as seed companies began reporting apace increase sales . Our very own Mountain West source company , Botanical Interests , had to pause online sales for two week in April in fiat to capture up with purchases in the queue and still allow its staff to practice social distancing while filling ordering . Local glasshouse are reporting increased sake in and sales of fruit and vegetable crop as well , both plants and seed .
Many resident are adding vegetable garden beds for the first fourth dimension . More experienced nurseryman are cautiously planning their beds to maximize production . I have designed this year ’s vegetable garden to increase harvest for hive away , freezing , and canning purposes . Based upon these changes and take on a good harvest , I ’m going to be very busy in recent summertime and into capitulation . Here are some of the adjustment I have made .
Onions
commonly I engraft onions like ‘ Walla Walla ’ that are suitable for eating fresh , but this year I sum more storage onions ( these typically call for 14 hours or more of sunlight per day ) , such as ‘ Cabernet ’ , and some for pickling . There are several cipollini mixed bag usable that are perfect forpickling .
Squash
I always have more summertime squash racquets than I can use , so this summer I plan to freeze some to tot to soups and other dishes . In gain , I tot morewinter squashthan common to the garden for storage in our basement throughout the wintertime . I ’m produce acorn , spaghetti , and butternut squash , ‘ Delicata ’ squash , and pie pumpkins .
Brassica oleracea italica and cauliflower
Both of these cropsare well-off to freeze down , so I ’ve added several different varieties to our garden , including ‘ Arcadia ’ , ‘ Belstar ’ , and ‘ Imperial ’ broccolis , and ‘ Graffiti ’ and ‘ Abronia elliptica ’ cauliflower .
tomato
I have n’t raise spread tomatoes for several years . Quite candidly , I ’ve been faineant about freezing them orcanning tomato plant sauce . This year I ’ve added ‘ Amish Paste ’ and ‘ Roma ’ to my garden for just those purposes . I also added an extra cherry Lycopersicon esculentum plant to have sun - dry love apple throughout the wintertime .
The length of growing seasons variegate wide across the Mountain West . It is important to know your specific USDA Zone and middling first and last frost dates for your country . You may involve to select varieties that mature in a shorter number of day ( listed on the seed packet ) than the ones list here , which do well on Colorado ’s Front Range .
In plus to adjusting our usual vegetable garden scheme for personal use , I am making certain to grow surplus solid food for neighbors and the community at large . Many communities havePlant - a - Rowor other donation programs for local gardeners to originate and donate saucy produce to those in indigence . As food banking company requirement surges , this is one way we can all help during this pandemic .
Working in the garden provides physical activity and legion genial health benefits . grow garden truck supply nutritive food for our body . Gardening in general allows us to connect to the earth and to each other . All are essential during these trying metre . I am wishing each of you a good and healthy growing season this twelvemonth .
— Michelle Provaznik is executive managing director of the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins , Colorado .
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Many are trying vegetable gardening for the first time or increasing their yields to produce more food this year.Photo: Hans Linde/pixabay.com
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President and Mrs. Roosevelt water their victory garden at the White House in 1943, encouraging civilians to take up growing their own produce.Photo: The U.S. National Archives
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This “Fruits of Victory” poster promoting Victory Gardens shows that the purpose of these gardens is not just growing food to eat fresh, but preserving food through canning.Photo: USDA
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I’m prepping more garden beds to plant new varieties this year.Photo: Michelle Provaznik
Cipollini onions come in many different varieties, but they are all generally flat and round and great for marinating and pickling.Photo: Scott Phillips
Winter squash such as the sweet and high-yield ‘Delicata’ are great for storage during the winter.Photo: Carol Collins
I’m getting ready to plant my brassicas, including different varieties of broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.Photo: Michelle Provaznik
Cherry tomatoes are ideal for sun drying—or for snacking on while gardening.Photo: Scott Phillips
This year I’m growing more varieties of tomatoes suitable for canning or making sauces.Photo: Michelle Provaznik
Have more produce than you know what to do with? Consider giving some to your neighbors or to a community relief program.Photo: Fionuala Campion
