Seems like some of you were surprised to discover that I don’t always follow all of the conventional and established rules of vegetable gardening: “I really like your website… your honesty about breaking a cardinal rule and not hardening off your cool weather seedlings, got my attention!”

“What would you say are your favorite half dozen vegetables?” Hmmm, that’s easy enough isn’t it? Well actually it’s a rather difficult question because there are so many interesting vegetable varieties that I really enjoy growing in my raised bed garden. And just like on those popular cellular commercials, someone is going to be left out!

Eggplants are one of my favorite vegetables to grow in the garden which is strange considering that I refused to eat them as a kid. Now I love eggplants in and out of the garden. There are about twenty plants of a dozen different varieties of heirloom eggplants growing in my garden this season.

I also tend to be spontaneous when planning the vegetable garden but I do think that it is important to record the garden’s design and layout, even if it’s after the fact, so that you have a record that you can refer back to when planning your future gardens. Or you can take photos of your garden as a record of what was planted when, where, and the results.