Temperatures are finally feeling appropriate for the season and garden planting is well underway. Edging the north and south gardens before tilling them was a lot of work (the heavy lifting thanks mostly to R.). Even after removing sod around the perimeter and raking out weeds and grass rhizomes after tilling, we're still finding dandelion root chunks in the soil. Persistant things, dandelions. On the positive side, some unexpected treasures continue to be unearthed, even after all these years working in the garden plots. R. found a green Hot Wheels race car and a 1964 penny, and I found a 1941 American penny.
In the south garden, there is a row of Green Beauty snow peas and several rows of Green Arrow peas. The peas were planted May 26th. A third of the garden is in partial shade, so I planted lettuce, kale, chard, mizuna, parsley, alyssum, and some marigolds this past week.
In the north garden, there are a few tomato (Early Annie, Clear Pink, Black Sea Man, Japanese Black Trifele, and Petitbec) and pepper (Shepherd) plants, Gold Harvest dry peas, State Fair zinnias, garlic bulbils, Orca beans (a few older ones, to try to grow them out), Bonbon calendula (dwarf), some Chantenay carrots sprinkled here and there, White Scallop pattypan squash, and Fordhook zucchini. The ground is very wet, so planting the summer squash seeds was a bit of a gamble. Hopefully, they will germinate and not rot. Because the ground is so wet, I have held off on planting beans. Usually, they're in the ground by late May.
At the side of the house, tomatoes, kale, and dry beans are planted. Most of the tomatoes were planted between May 25th and June 1st. Though they were hardened off for more than two weeks, the weather had been overcast and mild, not hot. As a consequence, some of the plants ended up sun scorched and looking rough once they were out in the garden. I ended up pulling out and replacing a few of them. It always pays to have more transplants on hand than you think you'll need! There are 48 tomato plants in the garden and in pots this year. I think that's a record for our garden. There's one more I'm toying with planting (Indigo Pear Drops), but me being me, if there are 49 plants, I'll have to plant another to make a nice, even 50!
Update June 7th - I couldn't resist, and planted two more to make 50. I didn't have room for Indigo Pear Drops (an indeterminate), so planted EM-Champion and Clear Pink Early.
Update June 12th - Two of the jalapeno peppers I planted out in late May were looking sickly and hadn't grow since transplanted. I replaced them with tomatoes: Clear Pink and Indigo Pear Drops. Late last week, I popped a Petitbec into a small spot in a container with marigolds. That brings the total of tomato plants up to 53.
More tomatoes and peppers, kale, and 4 aspararus spears going to seed.
The garlic and potato patch (potatoes were planted May 22) with a very sparse raspberry patch in the background. Between last year's heat wave and the patch being very overgrown with grass, new growth is minimal this year. Most of the new canes are a foot tall or smaller.
Dry beans are planted in this bed. Kitty is being very helpful, holding down the plastic mesh that will protect the seedlings.
Her sister sticks close while I water the cabbage bed.
The beginnings of Burpee's Butterbush squash plants.
The cabbage bed, and beyond...!
Kitty exploring the roof of the shed.
Siberian dwarf kale (and Swiss Chard on the right).
While pulling grass rhizomes out of the north garden, R. spotted a whole bunch of volunteer garlic bulbils that had begun to sprout. One of us must have tossed bulbil heads we thought were immature into the garden during the garlic harvest last year. I couldn't bring myself to toss them back into the garden or compost. Instead, I planted most of them. We'll see how they've fared come Fall.
The apple tree is just starting to blossom. A bit late this year.
Kitties are longing for the rows of peas to be tall so they can hide and ambush each other!
We have noticed the absence of magpies and ravens this year. I can't remember a year when there weren't magpies clacking and chattering while I planted the garden. There have, however, been quite a number of crows. They seem to enjoy the bird bath on the rock wall; every now and then, we see one stopping by to have a drink.
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