16 May 2008
It's time for more garden photos! I stuck my thumb in the air yesterday, put my ear to the ground, and decided it was safe to purchase and plant the more delicate of my veggies. The spring has been so slow to get started around here, everybody's been saying. I think I get that; I keep expecting it to take one last dip below freezing, to snow like it did only a few short weeks ago. And then I remember it's the middle of May already.
I'm very fond of my little baby radishes, although I have to say that I haven't been blown away by their growth. They came up weeks ago, and this is all they've got to show for themselves. But even though our last frost date wasn't late this year (assuming the forecast for the next week isn't utterly wrong), I guess it really was colder in the weeks leading up to it. Anyway, things are getting going now.
So, as I was saying, I went to Malmborg's yesterday to buy my veggies. I think I've got just about everything I need now, save a butternut squash plant and a couple more herbs I want to get at the farmer's market. See the veggie garden here. Everything's so small right now! Last year, I wound up having some really crowded areas and really bare areas. Chard got overshadowed by broccoli, peppers were hidden under sprawling zucchini plants, and the tomatoes threatened to take over the entire plot. Some arms from the tomato plants wound up on the ground and seemed to be trying to take root. Interesting.
I've tried to avoid this problem by giving the peppers their own end of the garden (I planted jalapeño, poblano, some little chili pepper, and a red bell. I might eventually plant another bell pepper, since I've heard the fruit are ridiculously easy to freeze. I also put the zucchini in their own space. The squash will go back in that corner too. I figure having it that close to the door will either A) make it easier for me to shout at and keep it in line or B) protect me from would-be intruders. Thugs held at bay by rampant vine! Story at eleven.
The tiniest kale. Not sure if these will ever grow up, but they weren't happy inside, so out they went. When I was doing my morning inspection of the garden, I realized that the little leaves in front of that kale seedling are from some of the chard seeds I planted weeks ago. I'd given up on it, but it looks like there may be some runaway chard after all, in addition to the older plants I bought.
The back garden had been my favourite non-veggie plot, but I think it might be slipping in status to the new corner/compost garden:
I don't know how it manages to be so charming with a compost bin in the middle of it. I think it's those low-hanging lilac branches. In addition to some verbena and alyssum that I planted yesterday, it's also home to the catnip, cilantro, and a few snapdragons.
I dreamt last night that I walked into my backyard to find that it was snowing, and my veggies were all under a foot of snow. I'm almost certain that won't actually happen, but clearly I've got gardens on the brain. Hope you don't mind.
[Due to excessive spamming, comments have been closed for this entry.]
Gardens on the mind here, too! I love my little seedlings and can't believe they'll be hulking big plants soon.
I dreamed that it was fall already -- the ultimate nightmare. ;-)
posted by anne at May 16, 2008 11:52 AM
So apparently seeing other people's baby plants makes me as nervous as my own little plants! As I keep saying to mine, "grow and be strong!" - I hope yours can hear me all the way over there!
posted by Sarah at May 17, 2008 06:27 PM