Tuesday, May 31, 2011

More Plants Added

It was expected to be rainy or stormy early afternoon today, that didn't happen so we were able to tend to the yard and garden when we got home from work. While I mowed, Kate added several plants in the west garden. Along the top sun/shade line are cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes and basil. And below the garlic are a hot pepper and a sweet pepper plant. Everything else is progressing nicely. The cucumber plants, that were started from seed inside, are stil pretty small, but it is still early. Everything is a little later than last year due to the weather and cool Spring we've had.


In the strawberry bed most of the flowers have turned into small, green, going-to-be berries.  We've never done this before, but I'm hoping all the wet weather we've had and now more of the warm sunny weather expected is good for their growth. 

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Gardens Are Shaping Up Nicely

It's almost the end of May, there has been progress and growth but even now the planting is not done.  At the top, two rows of peas grow between the back fence and a small trellis made out of leftover fence.  Just this side of that trellis several small cucumber plants - started from seed - form a row.  In the middle are two rows of garlic with sage and thyme right behind.  Then there is a blank area kind of shaped like 'T', with radishes in the lower right and carrots in the lower left.  Unfortunately the carrot seeds seem to have washed down to the lower end, but they are growing well anyway.  We still have tomato and pepper plants to put in.  Very soon I would say, after threats of frost yet.

The strawberry bed is lush with very big plants, some still flowering and others even starting to grow berries!  These are June-bearing plants so we look to have a bumper crop but we won't be picking them all summer long.  As long as we can keep the critters away no berry shall go to waste!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Mid-May Growth

In the mid morning shadows, the west garden is coming to life despite more yet to be planted.  The peas are getting big at the top, I'll be building a small trellis for the vines to attach to soon.  Below that is open space above two leftover herb plants, sage and thyme I think, my wife will correct me later.  Then there are two rows of garlic, some more open space that will be planted later, with radishes in the lower right and carrots just starting to come up in the lower left.

The east strawberry bed is almost in full swing.  There are several blossoms starting, and Kate said she saw a tiny berry starting already!  When they start ripening we will have to stay on top of picking them so we don't lose it all to the birds and squirrels.  I have a netting that hopefully will dissuade vermin poachers.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Latest Plantings

Just a quick note before I forget-  Friday Kate planted the garlic in the garden and today she planted carrots.  There will also be cucumbers in the garden soon, she has some started in planters inside but they are not big enough to be replanted yet.  No picture, it would just be dirt, but there should be sprouts to show off soon enough.  It seems like a late Spring this year, but looking back at last year we started planting around April 21 and still had a frost warning in early May.  So not so much a late Spring, I guess, as it is warm weather anticipation!