Resilience
from the ground up
Grow. Gather. Enjoy.
Get Growing
Seed or Seedling
Seed - the following are easy to grow from seed, or "direct seed", in your garden simply by following the instructions on the back of the seed packet. Also, Johnny's Selected Seeds is also a great resource for planting instructions. In our garden, seeding occurs in the garden beginning mid-April, weather depending.
Herbs: Basil, Chervil, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley
Veggies: Arugula, Beans, Carrot, Collard, Cucumber, Greens & Lettuces, Fennel, Kale, Melon, Pea, Parsnip, Potato (from potato not seeds, but direct into the ground), Radish, Spinach, Squash (butternut, acorn, etc), Swiss Chard, Turnip, Zucchini
Seedling - the following are best grown from a seedling, or "transplants", purchased from a local farm, farmers market, or garden center. These plants take much longer to mature than say, arugula, and in our short midwestern growing season they would not have enough time to grow to maturity. To get a head start, these seedlings are grown in greenhouses weeks before it's warm enough to plant outside.
Herbs: Celery, Lemon Balm, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme
Veggies: Cabbage (could try direct seed), Eggplant, Kohlrabi (could try direct seed), Leek, Okra, Onion, Pepper, Shallot, Sweet Potato (from "slips"), Tomato
Annual or Perennial
Annual plants only grow for one season, thus need to be replanted each year.
Annual Fruit & Veg
Arugula, Bean, Beet, Carrot, Cucumber, Greens & Lettuces, Melon, Pea, Pepper, Radish, Squash (butternut, acorn, etc), Tomato, Zucchini
Annual Herbs
Basil, Chervil, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary (or bring your rosemary inside for the winter to keep it alive)
Perennial plants come back each year, so you plant them once and enjoy them for years.
Perennial Fruit & Veg
Asparagus, Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Rhubarb, Strawberry, all Fruit Trees that are hardy to your zone (for us - apple, cherry, pear, plum, sea berry, paw paw, persimmon, Chicago hardy fig, hardy kiwi)
Perennial Herbs
Chives, Lemon Balm, Mint, Oregano, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme, Winter Savory
Reading a Seed Packet
There are creatures large and small, birds and fishes, bacteria and fungi, predator and prey and the dynamic balances between them. You can also see farmers interacting harmoniously with that living world.
Eliot Coleman, Four Season Farm
