phototropic seedlings

This is a Russian Mammoth seedling that's only days old and already
following the sun. Cool.

garden fence 2010

So after much research (on both animal behavior and material costs) we
made our decision. Last year we used 6 foot wooden posts and 6 foot
mesh that is sold as "deer fencing". The post broke easy and the mesh
was easily torn by accidental encounters with the weed-wacker. Our
goal was something affordable that may actually last a winter or two.
This is what we decided on: fence supports are 6 foot steel T-posts
driven 1 foot into the ground. They run about $7 a piece but of course
my uncle had a pile of them and generously donated what we needed. For
the fence we used 100ft of "welded wire" that is 4 feet tall. It was
only $67 for a 100ft roll. We decide that this is tall enough to keep
out cats and bunnies and although deer could absolutely get in if they
wanted to, I'm betting on the fact that it may not be worth it for
them to risk getting into my precarious raised beds for the small
amount of food. There are a lot of huge vegetable fields around us
with no protection that they'll hopefully prefer.

We secured the fence to the posts with bailing wire. For the entrance
we left a 3 ft gap and secured up another loose panel of fencing at
the "hinge" side. For the side that swings open we wrapped the panel
end around a thin piece of wooden support and attach that to the main
fence with an old leash lock to shut it.

Spinach harvest

Tonight I picked my first big bowl of spinach. We had it with pasta.
The spinach has been doing really well this year. It hasn't bolted in
the heat, and whatever little bugs were chowing on the bok choy
haven't touched it.

first potato of 2010

The compulsive early digging has begun. A little Red Pontiac planted
April 1st. That's 56 days to spudsville. I boiled it up and we ate it
with butter and salt. Happy!

*this picture's misleading since the potato came from my front garden.
But my new awesome fence is visible here.

weekend work

This was a busy weekend but I managed to get some things done on my
mini-farm. I set out all my zucchini and summer squash in the raised
bed garden - 6 of each. In the front garden I made mounds and planted
my 2 Howden pumpkin plants, 1 Crimson Sweet watermelon, 1 Charentais
melon, and 5 Waltham butternuts. Obviously, I'm hoping for a lot of
butternut squash! I also stuck some Alaska nasturtium seeds between
the mounds.

Finally, I put my peppers in their large pots that they'll live in on
the porch, as well as my biggest cotton plant. Tomorrow I'm hoping to
get my manure turned into the tomato bed so I can set them out, too.

Tomato flowers!

Hopefully the nights are warm from now on because these babies need to
go out! The Cherokee Purples and Box Car Willie's have flowers and the
pumkins are about to!

I harvested all of the bok choy to make room for the zucchini. Some
insect pest was eating lots of holes in it and then it started bolting
in this heat. I probably won't grow it again. It was incredibly
delicious but we don't eat that much bok choy.

I also planted half of the sunflower seeds. A dozen Russian Mamoth, a
dozen Goldy Honey Bear, and a half dozen Elve's Blend.

My husband and I both hate weed-wacking around the beds so I decided
to put straw down hoping it would keep out the weeds.

first harvest - radishes!

Yesterday I picked a couple dozen 'easter egg radishes'. They
probably could have stayed in the ground another week but I needed the
space to plant some green beans. My daughter helped me lovingly pick
them all, saving the big guys and washing them off in the sink. They
were all different colors and really beautiful. Too bad we both hate
radishes! I only grow them because they're always the first thing
ready and it's instant gratification. Luckily my mom likes them or
they would have all gone to waste.

I also got my hands on some sweet corn seeds and decided I should
plant a few since they're Beverly's absolute favorite. I germinated
them indoors and then set out the promising ones. They're all coming
up nicely! I planted about 14 butter and sugar variety in the back
beds that I've put pole beans at the base of. Then I put about 6 of a
bicolor variety called Quickie in the front patch.

Indoors the tomato plants and squashes are getting huge and
spending most of their time on the deck (along with my cotton, melon,
and peppers). The nights are supposed to get down in the 40s this
weekend so I'll have to wait a bit more to set them out.