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Questions about perennials and Italians.....

Posted by nansaidh N. Ca (My Page) on
Sat, Feb 12, 11 at 10:59

Brand new to winter sowing so bare with me! Perennials like hollyhocks, they won't bloom the first year will they? You winter sow and plant, the next year you'll see flowers correct?

I want an Italian veggie garden so how will these wintersow:
Red and green bell peppers
Eggplant
basil-this one I'm thinking I should hold off on?
Tomatoes-Can i really grow tomatoes from seed and get fruit the first year??? I SAID I was a newbie!!!

Ok, what about vines? Morning Glories? Any other vine suggestions would be awesome!

Anything else you would like to add to my Italian garden or vine selection feel free to let me know, and thank you!


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Questions about perennials and Italians.....

Hi nansaidh and welcome to the winter sowing forum. You'll get lots of information and help here.

There's an old saying about perennials--first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. That said, I WS hollyhocks for the first time last year and they bloomed (2 different kinds) first year from seed as did anise hyssop, blackberry lily, gaura, lupine, coreopsis, gloriosa daisy, balloon flower and feverfew. Lots of others just had foliage their first year.

I grew two types of tomatoes via WS and had more tomatoes than I could eat. I gave away lots of lettuce but won't do that again--it just tastes too darn good!

I'm sure someone will chime in with information about the peppers, morning glories and others.

Happy gardening!!!


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RE: Questions about perennials and Italians.....

  • Posted by sjc48 5 Michigan (My Page) on
    Sat, Feb 12, 11 at 12:02

My Italian mother-in-law always planted endive; she used it for wedding soup. Don't know if it would WS tho. The older Italians in our neighborhood had these little old rickety greenhouses and grew tomatoes, peppers, basil, dill (can be WSed), eggplant, cukes and others. There was always great excitement when someone got their first tomatoes!


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RE: Questions about perennials and Italians.....

As for vines, wow there are many!!

Any passiflora genus
Any Lathyrus genus
Billardiera longiflora, I am so excited about growing this one this year!!
Cardinal vine
Trumpet vine
Moonflower
Clematis
I do not know if scrambling would be in your definition of vines, but a lot of the native Rosa genus.
Virginia Creeper
Climbing hempvine (very useful as rope)
Hyancinth bean (I hope I spelled that right)

Wow there are so many I am sure others will come along with some also!!


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RE: Questions about perennials and Italians.....

I've winter-sown several types of peppers successfully, as well as eggplant and basil. Tomatoes, you will definitely get fruit. You should have some escarole in your Italian garden, for some soup!

:)
Dee


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RE: Questions about perennials and Italians.....

Tomatoes are annuals, you will get fruit from the plants if you choose ones that will ripen in your location. Your local extension can recommend varieties that will work well for you.

Endive is a cold-season veggie and will WS very well.

For an amazing variety of Italian veggies I suggest you look at GourmetSeed.

Here is a link that might be useful: GourmetSeed


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