The Year of Gardening, For Us
Season 5, Episode 8, January 4, 2023
After taking a Christmas break and braving extra cold weather, we’re back!
In our first episode of 2023, Carol and I went through the National Garden Bureau’s list of "Year of" plants, discussed our favorite books of 2022, and provided new year’s updates of all sorts.
I had a sprinkler line break. A local company has put us on their wait list for a repair/replacement.
I also bought a new three-ring zipper binder to store my seeds. I ordered some tomato seeds last week and a few flower seeds, including seeds for Verbena officinalis ‘Bampton.’
Carol delivered the aglaonema Christmas present to her great-niece and is now jealous of the the large windows in her nephew’s remodeled house. More light equals more plants!
For our flower segment, we highlighted the 2023 Year of Plants on the National Garden Bureau website. Listen in to hear more.
Carol has an article on Family Handyman’s website about one of the featured plants, celosia. Amaryllis is also the bulb of the year, and that got us pondering whether caladiums are bulbs or corms. Technically, they are corms but commonly called bulbs. She’s also written about caladiums for FH. What hasn’t she written about is the question.
The 2023 list gave us an idea! We decided to create our own plants of the year. In the flower category, mine is nicotiana, especially 'Lavender Cloud' from Hudson Valley Seeds. I’m also growing ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ and ‘Cranberry Isles.’
Carol has decided to pursue yet more violas and make 2023 her second year of violas and pansies. I have no comment.
Instead, let’s move on to veggies! It’s the year of broccoli! Check out Carol's article on How to grow broccoli in Family Handyman.
For her 2023 vegetable of the year, Carol chose black and purple tomatoes. An excellent choice if I may say so. Deeply hued Midnight Snack cherry tomatoes are an All-America Selection from 2017. For more about tomatoes, we recommend you check out Craig LeHoullier’s website and his book Epic Tomatoes.
My veggies of the year are chile peppers, both hot and mild. Some of the ones I’m growing include a new AAS winner, ‘Buffy,’ a small and beautiful hot red pepper.
On our bookshelves this week were two of the books we found most meaningful in 2022. Carol chose The Chef’s Garden by Farmer Lee Jones. I heartily agree. I also think Tropical Plants and How to Love Them by Marianne Willburn deserves another mention.
Read on for our dirt, rabbit holes, and the usual links.
Happy New Year!
Dirt:
They Fought the Lawn. And the Lawn’s Done. - The New York Times.
Rabbit Holes:
Mildred Luedy who wrote The Christmas Rose with her husband, Arthur.
The usual links:
Affiliate link to Botanical Interest Seeds. Book links are also affiliate links.
Email us anytime at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com
For more info on Carol and her books, visit her website. Visit her blog May Dreams Gardens.
For more info on Dee and her book, visit her website. Visit her blog Red Dirt Ramblings.
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