April rain
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Skippy got way ahead of me on our walk today. I was taking pictures of raindrops. No shortage of raindrops this week. Also lots of little buds. Leaf buds and flower buds.
plot selection day is coming soon
This Saturday is plot selection day at our community garden! I remember what a big day this was for me last year. This year, I’ll be picking a plot, but not for me. Two new gardeners are getting married on the same day and I’ll pick for them. They’re so excited to get their plot that it will be really fun.
tomato seedlings
I planted a few tomatoes very early (February 21) and transplanted them and some peppers to bigger pots yesterday. The 16 varieties planted last weekend have all sprouted. My tomato varieties this year are: Hillbilly, Purple Calabash, Brandywine, Giant Belgium, Cherokee Purple, Sudduth’s strain Brandywine, Opalka, Box Car Willie, San Marzano, Oxheart Red, New Girl, Early Girl, Orange Blossom, Big Beef, Pink Beauty and Sungold. tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum))
seedlings out in the sun
These are the hardy ones. Onions, broccoli, lettuce, etc. Temps are still just under 50 at mid day. I’ll be bringing them in at night for a while yet.
crocuses mean it’s time to plant the peas
The crocuses are in full bloom in my side yard. I haven’t had time to rake yet, but they’ve popped up through the old leaf layer anyway. Another job still waiting is to rake out my side yard raised beds and plant peas. It’s time. I could have planted peas last week. I don’t think it’ll matter to be a bit late. As I admire the crocuses, I’m thinking that these bright faces are a good sign that its time to plant pea seeds. Sometimes its hard to know when…
plot work – contruction of new raised beds
Saturday was a really nice day for garden work. My husband is working on a set of new raised beds for the garden. He cut and assembled about half of the beds. I’ll need to prepared the soil before I set them in place. At the south end of the garden I need to do some leveling before they go down. Tasks:Finished the fence bottom.More of the rock pile moved to line the fence.Several more loads of compost brought to the plot.Wire compost bin made in back corner.Turned a little…
a discovery – over wintered beets and potatoes!
I was amazed to find a pretty little Chiogga beet and two fingerling potatoes at my plot. They look great after that terrible winter. I’m looking forward to a taste of my garden tomorrow evening! (Maybe with some over wintered kale.) I’ll have to search through the soil for more. I knew there was one end of the potato bed that I didn’t search through good enough last year.
thyme
I planted a variety called German Winter thyme just over a month ago, on Feb 21. I am really pleased with how well its growing. Its is nicely aromatic already. The leaf undersides are deep red and the tops are silvery/blue. I was interested to see the pores in the macro photos, which I can’t see with my eyes. Thyme is such a versatile herb. It goes with every food, I think. And I love the inevitable (and thymely) puns.
scented seedlings
A couple of my seedlings smell great already. The best is the lavender. I only have 4 tiny little plants, growing very slowly, but they have a strong and wonderful scent. Other scented seedlings are basil, thyme and tomatoes. If I move trays of any of these, its like being in the garden and smelling the air and sunlight.
seedlings on the shelf
I have six and a half trays of seedlings growing now. Only four fit under my lights, but the sun’s doing a good job with the others. The lettuce is starting to look pretty with red frilly leaves. The early tomatoes will need bigger pots soon. Onions continue to grow well though I decided not to trim their tops. Broccoli and peppers have their second leaves (1st true leaves) and my surprise seedlings sprouted well are thinking about getting second leaves. I hoping this will give me a clue to…
This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy thinks the garden is his, even though I do all the work. We're located near Boston, in USDA zone 6. I have bees, chickens, fruit trees and berry bushes, too. I use all sustainable organic methods and strive to grow all of my family's vegetables myself. -Kathy
weeks and counting until my last spring frost
My garden this week
Skippy’s vegetable of the month – Egyptian walking onions!
