Six on Saturday-Feb 10

It’s another dreary Saturday, although yesterday our snow cover melted…again.  Temps are turning colder and more snow is on the way, so just losing our snow doesn’t mean winter is ending.  So I tend the indoor seedlings in the basement and dream of the luscious crops that will fill the potager this season.  There are six things I haven’t grown before that I’m excited to try.  The first is this French Baby Leek “Primor” from Renee’s Garden Seeds.    I view other blogger’s photos of huge, gorgeous leeks with envy.  Maybe with these earlier, smaller leeks I will be successful, too.  When we were in Florida recently, friends made a grilled leek dish that was delicious that I’d like to duplicate.  The second, also from Renee’s are these climbing Cannellini beans.    I haven’t grown beans for drying since my homesteading days, so I’ve decided since cannellini are the beans I use most they will be perfect on the arch over the bench at the south end of the central path.  Hopefully they will provide lots of shade, and lots of beans, and not be covered in bean beetles.  Dream on…..isn’t that what winter is all about?  Number 3 is from Territorial Seeds, a beautiful heirloom eggplant.  Yes, I’ve grown eggplant before, although not often, but I’ve never grown this type so it still counts.  And, I’m going to try a new method, suggested on a blog I read (and I apologize I can’t remember which one) of growing them in large black pots that absorb the sun.    If they are as beautiful as the photo, I’m already in love with them!  We don’t eat many eggplants, but when my vegetarian daughter who lives part of each year in Italy visits, I try to have some.  This one is Listada De Gandia, and since it will be the only eggplant variety I grow, I’ll be able to save seeds for future gardening seasons.  Now if I can just defeat the flea beetles…..

Also from Territorial are these gorgeous Italian Dandelions, for my daughter but also for me.  I love dandelions in salads and wilted just like my mother and grandmother always made them.    Aren’t they pretty?  Upright for easy cleaning and harvest, and just look at those burgundy stems.  I can’t wait to taste them.  Yes, there are dandelions growing all over the lawn but we also get some run-off from the neighbor’s fields that have who-knows-what sprayed on them, so I’d rather grow my own.  From Baker Creek Seeds are these French “Savor” Charentais melons.  I love growing melons (this year I’m doing 7 cantaloupe types plus 3 watermelon varieties.)  I’ve never grown this French type before, and  I’ve read it’s a bit trickier, but I’m looking forward to the challenge and the learning experience.  I hope they taste as good as the ones I’ve had in France, and it seems almost mandatory to grow a few French things in my potager each season.   Finally,  #6 is the “All American” parsnip shown here.    I’ve never attempted to grow parsnips but I love them, so I feel I should at least give them a try.  I only use them in a couple of recipes, so I won’t need lots, but I’m looking forward to having another vegetable that extends my season.  So, that’s my “Six on Saturday” for this week.  Thanks to The Propagator for hosting this meme.  Visit the link to see all the other “Six on Saturday” posts, and join in!