First - on March 21, I will be in Shelby for the Cleveland County Extension Master Gardener Symposium. Link to my event page is here.

OK - back to garden planning. This is fun! Visioning ahead as tomorrow’s forecast temp is 15 degrees warms one’s soul. In my last blog, I discussed what will return, what will leave, and what will arrive as to the straw bale indeterminate tomatoes. Even with those decisions, I already have a few second thoughts - particularly with regard to the ultra delicious Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom. We shall see. I will have seedlings - but will I end up planting one?

Before returning to tomatoes, here are current thoughts on other crops.

Corn - last year, 4 strawbales were pushed together for 4 rows of Natural Sweet hybrid. The 2 internal rows had some issues with full pollination, so I am thinking of having 2 strawbales end to end - one bale with Natural sweet, the other with a variety ordered from Pine Tree a week ago - Sweetness hybrid.

Summer Squash - last year, 2 bales with with 2 plants in each - one bale Zephyr, the other Kephren. This year, Zephyr will return, and I am replacing Kefren with Green Machine zucchini, from Pine Tree. I will have only 1 plant in each bale to eliminate the squash overabundance we experienced last year.

Peppers - last year, I had 2 bales with 4 pepper plants total - Pinata, Shishito, Amethyst and Fire Opal. For 2026, I will stay with 2 strawbales, growing Shishito and red Corno di Toro in one, Snackabelle hybrid and Mini bell pepper blend in the other - both this year’s purchase from Pine Tree. I am going to give my sweet pepper project a break this coming year, as well as hot peppers.

Eggplants - last year I had 2 straw bales, 2 plants in each. This year I will have 2 strawbales, and will decide upon the varieties at planting time - most likely Twilight Lightning and Green Ghost.

Cucumbers - last year I had 1 strawbale with 2 hills of Deli Star hybrid. I will do the same in 2026.

Bush Snap Beans - I will repeat the block of strawbales, and 3 rows of beans. Goldilocks returns, with Jade replacing Fowler, and Marbel replacing Maxibel.

The above represents a total 13 strawbales. Add to 11 for tomatoes and I will be at 24 strawbales for 2026.

The situation with the grow bags is a very different matter. I use the smaller containers for my research projects - so am not concerned so much with yield. So let’s return to tomato planning, focusing on those that will be in 5 gallon grow bags.

The list of tomatoes that will not be back in containers is a long one. Here it is - two selections of the Bee family, 2 selections of the Triply family, Honor Bright, a Blazey selection, three Peppy and one each Matey and Varey selections, Mexico Midget, Honor Bright, Carrot Like, Agatha’s Mystery, Fuzzy Pink, Fuzzy Purple, Dwarf Mocha’s Plum, Sullivan Rose, Rufus Red Stripe, a striped green selection from Cherokee Green X Caitlin’s Lucky Stripe (sent to Victory for release), Dwarf Sweet Sue, Rosella Purple, Surprise and Mullens Mortgage Lifter. Wow - that will free up 25 grow bags.

As far as what will return - only Dwarf Eli’s Surprise. For the Captains, I hope to test 9 F3 selections and 4 F2 (2 each potato and regular leaf) - that is 13 plants in the Captain (Sun Gold X Captain Lucky) family. Add Dwarf Eli’s Surprise, 6 new named dwarfs by Marsha Eisenberg from the Glory family (Dester X Gloria’s Treat) and I am at 20. The last 5 slots could be taken up by Triply seedlings (especially if I get some variegated seedlings), or other varieties sent to me by friends from various R and D families.

This and the last blog are best guesses at what will be in the garden. The final selections will depend on germination results and any changes of heart that I have between now and then.