I have a garden dream

I can't say it enough - I have no idea what I am doing. I am such a totally amateur gardener and there is an infinite amount to learn. I read some books, do some online research and take my best guess at what might work. This is our third season with our garden and each year I try something new, change or get rid of what didn't work previously and grow more or less of certain things. It's really just a big experiment and even the very helpful folks at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden over at Cooperative Extension say they are always learning. Some stuff works, lots of stuff doesn't, mother nature hates you or loves you and then the seasons change and it begins all over.

This year we are trying out some storage varieties to make our harvest stretch further into the winter months. I am most excited to try growing potatoes. Due to space limitations I am going to try growing them in big bags designed just for this purpose. I watched a few online tutorials and decided to give it a go. They will be kept inside the garden fence to protect them from critters and I am crossing my fingers that they do well. I would totally love myself if we could eat our own sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving.

I would also like to try some floating row covers to protect my squash and pumpkins from vine borers. These are moths that lay their eggs on the plants and then the larvae hatch and tunnel into the stems and they suck. I hate them with passion. Last year I cut them out with a knife and fed them to my chickens for revenge. They did some serious damage and I am hoping to prevent them from ever showing up this year. I am also going to try putting down some of that black plastic to warm the soil for some of my transplants like the melons and winter squash which like it hot.

I will begin planting later this week with some of the cool weather crops like beets, spinach, peas and lettuce. There is never enough time to spend out there as I would like to and now comes the season when the inside of my house starts to look seriously neglected. I would rather have my hands in dirt than dishes any day.

So here is the list of what I planning on growing. Be sure to check back and see how it's going.
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*OG denotes organic variety

Seeds, tubers, etc. ordered from Johnny's Selected Seeds
Beets, Red Ace
Onion plants, Copra (storage)
Onion sets, Forum
Potatoes, Yukon Gold OG .
Sweet Potatoes, Beauregard
Peas (shelling), Caselode
Lima Beans, Fordhook 242
Corn (bicolor), Trinity F1
Spinach, Space
Lettuce (head), Winter Density
Lettuce (salad mix,) Encore OG
Radish, Easter Egg
Escarole, Eros OG
Bush Beans, Provider OG
Carrots, Vitana F1
Parsley, Giant of Italy
Basil, Genovese OG
Cilantro, Santo

Seedlings (OG) ordered from a local farm, Catnip Acres, to be picked up
Brussels Sprouts
Cucumber, pickling
Cucumber, slicing
Eggplant, Black Beauty
Cantaloupe, Heart of Gold
Watermelon, Sugar Baby
Pumpkin, New England Pie
Zucchini
Butternut Squash
Onion, Red Defender

Seedlings (OG) to be bought at annual plant sale for the CSA in town, Willow Pond Community Farm
Tomatoes
Sweet Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers

Planted Last Fall
Garlic, Russian Red OG
Garlic, German Extra Hardy OG

Perennial
Strawberries
Oregano