Spring Planning

This time of year my thoughts turn to spring.  Seed catalogs have been arriving the last couple of weeks and I have already planted some seeds that I saved from last year. I am semi-successful with growing vegetables so I am always looking for different types of veggies to try.

I can grow flowers but, for some reason have more trouble with vegetables. Our soil is poor, so we have raised beds, but trees have grown through the years and our raised beds are now more shaded than they used to be. Last year we decided to try something different, in addition to the raised beds we tried growing our vegetables in pots...success was mixed.

Some things we have had success with were lettuce and spinach but, only in the cool of the spring. I have lettuce in a cold frame right now that is growing. Tomato's did well in pots, the "determinate" type did best, those are a little more compact. The "indeterminate" type worked but they are taller and more sprawling, and needed sturdier support as they grew. All the tomatoes I grew needed some type of support with either cages, stakes or trellises along our fence line. I grew a couple of different "Roma type" tomatoes and some patio cherry tomatoes. I also grew peppers and, various herbs in pots.  Pots can be expensive but I found many at end of season sales, yard sales and Craig's list.

I am also going to try to do potatoes in a trash can again this year, first time we tried it we didn't get a potato one but I am not going to let that stop me from trying again...not sure what we did wrong.

Tomatoes we are trying this year are Amish Paste, Roma, Patio Princess, Yellow Pear and Gold Medal.   Any other suggestions?

 We have a long growing season, and the weather can be quite hot. What are some of the things you are planning to grow this year?  I would love to hear how you garden in less than ideal conditions.