First Flower

 

The first flower of the vegetable garden this year is on a cucumber still in the greenhouse! (The ones outside aren't doing this well!)

 

Note that the apple trees blossomed a couple of weeks ago, but they're not in the veggie garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Planting (Mostly Done)

All of the tomatoes and pea beds were in the ground by 4/20 2016. Added a couple (brandywine) tomatoes to the herb garden 4/24.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beet seeds went in weeks ago. Beet sprouts going strong. Some uneven spots, so I transplanted some starts into the gaps. 4/22.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transplanted the Dill into the garden. 4/20. Next

to beets, next to garlic, between lettuce and carrots (which are actually starting to germinate!).

 

 

 

 

 

Lettuce and Kale starts went in the ground by 4/16 2016. As soon as the irrigation system was done. I'll add broccoli, kohlrabi and maybe some others later; sprouts aren't ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transplanted cucumbers into the garlic beds 4/22. Looks like there might be room for daylight between the garlic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transplanted zucchini to the peas bed 4/10; Carnival squash and Hokkaido (German) pumpkins 4/22.

 

 

 

 

 

Replaced a sage plant with a Rosemary start 4/24. Going to be a fine shrub.

 

 

I may put some shallots out next weekend (seeds started indoors a month ago); I have 8 shallots from sets (expensive!).

I expect I'll wait another couple of weeks before putting basil in the Basil Box. Or I may make a cold frame for it. I have 3 kinds of starts (mammoth sweet, Thai, lemon), but I'll probably load the box with mostly one: mammoth sweet.

 

 

 

 

Hanging Planter of Salsa (and other goodies)

 

I've got a hanging planter of salsa.

 

On top: cilantro and onions.

Coming out the sides: tomatoes (chocolate cherry), more cilantro, and a bell pepper.

 

Might be fun.

 



 

Other hanging pots (all still in the greenhouse, but they'll all go outside later):

• Lemon cucumbers (x3)
• Cantaloupes (x2)
• Watermelon
• Cherry tomatoes (x3)

And there will be more to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underground Irrigation

I added underground irrigation to several beds.

 

The technology is pretty simple: soaker hose, buried a few inches. The upstream end has a couple of feet of regular hose for connections, and the far end has a cap. The hose has a quick-connect for hookup.

 

The beds:

• The Salad Bed (Brassicas, lettuce, etc)
• The Tomato & Peppers Bed
• The Peas & Squash

These three are on the perimeter: when I water with the overhead sprinkler, either I turn it up enough to water the neighbor's yard as well, but it gets all my garden, or I turn it down enough to focus on my garden, and the perimeter is a little under-covered.

 

We've theoretically solved that concern.

 

 

In addition, I'm also covering:

• The Herb Garden
• The Basil Box
• Sue's Flower Bed

And just to keep it cool, the herbs & basil can also be sourced from one of the rain barrels. Cool.

 

I have one wet spot in the Tomato and Peppers bed. I think I need to patch a spot in the soaker hose. Or bury it a little deeper there. I'll get there.

 

For now, I think this is a good start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Got the Waterfall Going

We're not done.

But we've turned a corner.

Asparagus Starts

I planted some asparagus seeds a couple of weeks ago. They didn’t germinate, so I ordered more seeds. Apparently you can't buy asparagus seeds locally. Who knew?

Today, I received confirmation that they've shipped my seeds.

So of course, today the starts poke through the dirt.

New Flower Bed

We wanted to plant some shrubs in this space, to replace the pile of pots and hoses that has been there for years. 

Milady decided that it needed some bricks, to match the flower garden on the other side of the yard.