February 17th, 2012 
Rick 
Every year we like to add new plants in the garden. Some of what we try ends up making it into our annual rotation, others get one season and they are gone!! To see a summary of the new stuff we grew last year you can go here. Usually we limit ourselves to 3 or 4 new crops but this year my master gardener course has filled my head with all kinds of new veggies to grow, so I’m going to have to make some space for a lot. Here’s the list of new veggies for this year.
Pickling Cucumbers – Wisconsin SMR
I’ve wanted to make our own pickles for several years now, this year we are going to take the leap.
Pumpkin – Small Sweet Sugar/Pie
We have also wanted to use our pumpkins for more that just jack-o-lanterns and chicken food so this year we are going to try a “pie pumpkin”
Melon – Crenshaw
This one was recommended to me by our master gardener instructor. It is supposed to be one of the better melons to grow in our climate!
Summer Crisp Lettuce – Nevada
This is an attempt to have fresh grown lettuce for more of the year. We eat a lot of salads and this variety should resist bolting and going bitter in the summer heat.
Heirloom Tomato – Brandywine Pink
All the tomatoes we have grown in the past were hybrids, this year we are going to branch out with an Heirloom!
Leeks – Large American Flag
We have never grown leeks before, we are hoping to get these to grow in the cold frames for winter harvest
Herbs
We haven’t grown a lot of herbs in our garden, this year I hope to add Dill, Parsley and Basil
Others
Others that we hope to find space for include a pat-a-pan squash, parsnips, a yellow tomato and shallots. We may even get a black berry plant or two!
So, big plans for the year, I’ve bought the seeds for most of them so I guess I’m committed. Now if I can just find the space!!
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Burbee is also selling the Crenshaw and I have purchased some. As it is an heirloom I think it would be cool to take the first of the season and save seeds from the first melon. Thus attempting to breed for earliness, we could get two lines going and then after a few generations create a cross and see what we get.
My seeds are also open pollinated and the MV seeds are supposed to be locally adapted? I’m not sure I will save seeds though because these will be planted in my main melon patch and I’m worried they may cross with my cantaloupe?
I’ll be curious how the Summer Crisp Lettuce turns out. I might have to try it. I’ve had a hard time getting lettuce to grow from June – Sept around here. I’m attempting to grow a patch in a shady spot and see if that helps.
I have grown several of these varieties and they did well for me. I too usually grow a few new varieties or items each year but try not to go crazy replacing tried and true varieties because I need the base production to be at a certain dependable level. Enjoy the small sugar pie pumpkins. I grow them every year without fail. They are a good producer, a good size for most families (not a huge pumpkin) and they have a delicious meat that is good anyway you prepare other winter squashes. Delicious!
Parsley is the first thing I sow, I absolutely adore it – its packed with Vitamin C and I use it in heaps of dishes I can’t imagine you will regret growing it. I want to grow a pickling cucumber next year too. I grow the Lebanese one and slice them and pickle those but I’d like to do come whole gerkins as well. Nice choices of crops.