I'm trying Hickory King corn. This is a field/dent corn that matures in 115 days but.... it is the sweetest of all the dent corns and we can eat it like sweet corn in 80 days at the milk stage.

My husband is from North Carolina and remembers Hickory King from this childhood. We had some this spring at his brother's place and just had to try growing it. They called it a "Mountain Corn" and not only grow it but save the seed from year to year.

The corn grows 10-12 feet tall! It must grow amazingly fast. I just ordered my seed from Southern States. I plan to start it in my greenhouse (where I'll make the space, I just don't know) and plant it out in early June.

So, are you experimenting with any plants this year?

Wow, that sounds neat, TB! I'll be interested in your raccoon proofing strategy! When I lived back East I would do corn and the little rascals knew *exactly* when I was going to pick...and got out there the night before.

This year I am returning to gardening after a 5 or so year hiatus. Trying tomatillos here, always reliable back East but we will see here. Napa cabbage also new for me.

Good luck, all!

Hi mummydog,

Welcome back to gardening. I too had a several years layoff and last year was the first year that I could garden. I sure missed being out with my plants in the early morning cool.

I use an electric fence and aluminum foil around my vegetable garden. The deer, raccoons, rabbits, ground squirrels, chipmunks, etc. do not bother my vegetable garden. Now, elk and pocket gophers are another story....

Good luck with your garden. Tomatillos do well here - I will also have some at the Plant Swap/Sale on May 26. I love Napa cabbage and used to grow it. Hmmm, I can't remember why I stopped.

TB

Cubanelles, Nasturtium, Anaheim, Habanero, Thai Basil, Bee Balm, Trillium (purple and white), Sweet Peppers (mixed bag), Serrano, Hellborous (also mixed, only three).

That's about all I can remember for now.

My goodness sjewett, you are ambitious. At what altitude are you gardening?

Outside I'm trying sweet corn from Denali Alaska seed company.. On the inside I'm trying Indian corn.. We will see how it does..

Ahh it's the corn year up here. By Indian corn do you mean the bicolored, decorative corn or something else?

Trying from seed , some for the first time Flowers:- zinnias, petunias, baby's breath, nasturtiums, marigolds, lobelia, cosmos, columbine, lupine, blue flax, black eyes susan vines, 3 diff colors.
From bulbs or tubers: Begonias, dahlias (4 types, one hopefully will have dinner plate sized flowers!) astilbe, peony, gladiolas, giant lilly of the Valley, and a day lilly. Whew

Veggies: Beefsteak, Brandywine, BetterBoy and Big Beef maters. 4 or 5 different types peppers, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, a (new) asparagus bed planted, garlic, onions, potatoes, zucc's green and yellow straight neck - Herbs - chives, garlic chives, oregeno and dill. Ohh, strawberries and rhubarb too!
Ooops and I just "planted" some earthworm cacoons in my raised beds, they should "hatch" in 45 days. First time trying this, see how it works. The cacoons looked like dried peas... I was going to sprinkle them on my hubby's salad and tell him they were peas or capers

Even if I gotta larger greenhouse, I would outgrow that one too in a season!

Yep.. did that when my kids were young, they loved it and made beautiful decorations at Thanksgiving..

Lordy woman.. we must be communicating while we sleep.. hahahaha.. on the flowers.. I've also planted, lilly of the valley, astilbe, lillies, marigolds, baby's breath, zinnias, petunias.. this is SCAREY!!!
I'm so glad that when we go to therapy that we might be able to split the cost since we have the same addictions.. hehehe

Stalker Now I AM worried!

Not very high, I'm in White Ridge, remember. Most of my stuff I started from seed, though