Pretty Flowers, Sad Radishes

It's so good to see flowers from last year reappearing in the front garden. The pansies I started from seed last year didn't seem to do too well last summer. But here they are making a nice show and surprising me with their presence. The blue ground cover is Lithodora "Grace Ward." I picked it up at Carpenito's last spring because everyone else in the neighborhood has it and it seems to do really well. I think it got a bit of frost bite so I trimmed it up and it's starting to spread nicely. In the background is some Pink Creeping Phlox.

These bluebells might be weeds to some; they spread so easily. But they put on an easy show early on, so I think I'll keep them around. I found a patch of them by a bush when we first moved here, and a few years later, I dug some bulbs up and spread them along the borders of the front flower garden. They spread quickly but they are done by the end of May, so I'll be pulling up their greenery soon and you won't know they were ever there, until next year when they come again. Those are forget-me-nots up behind the blue-bells. Those spread really quickly. I love the flowers but I think it's time to start keeping them in check.

Also reappearing are dwarf dahlias that I started from seed last year. Wasn't sure if they'd make it since I didn't dig up the tubers for winter. I love surprises! Especially the non-weed kind.

Out in the vegetable garden, I dug up more radishes only to find almost all have been eaten or picked at by something. Lots of holes and trails around the outside. I salvaged what I could. I wonder what got to them? I was going to seed more carrots in that patch, but I think I'll try a different spot.

Went on a shopping trip with the babies and got some Ozark Beauty strawberry plants. I'll put them in containers. Also got a parsley plant since mine aren't growing.

I have 6 spaghetti squash starts inside. Probably more than I'll need. Seeded some cucumbers and beans out by the trellis fence in the veggie garden. The lettuce is looking really good out there, and the peas are starting to grab on to the cages. Still lots more I wish I could do but I guess I'm keeping busy enough. Gave away lots of tomato plants and now have two Romas and four Sweet 100 cherries. Bought canning supplies last week so I plan to can any extras this year!

Leggy Seedlings

Leggy Red Sails Lettuce

There are some vegetables that I don't remember ever seeing in a garden before. I've only seen them cut up at the grocery store or on my plate. Lettuce is one of those, as is broccoli. So I start my lettuce seed inside and, not knowing what the plant should look like, don't think anything is wrong when they are all falling over. That must just be how lettuce is, right? Hmmm so then I do a little Google search for advice about growing lettuce, and I find out that fallen over lettuce is called "leggy." Same goes for broccoli. I have leggy lettuce and leggy broccoli. Well I'm giving them a chance. They are all out there in the garden. Leggy lettuce has been out for a couple of weeks; broccoli for several days. The lettuce seems to be getting stronger. Some of the broccoli stems broke in a heavy rain. I'm seeding directly into the garden in case the first don't make it.

I'm always learning!

Year's first harvest!

I tried one radish on Sunday. Still a bit too small, but at least it tasted like a radish. I'll let them grow another week and then try another one. It's pretty exciting to try something from the garden already!

Setting Out

Some of the seedlings have moved outside! The lettuce is all out in the garden. But this week I read that lettuce doesn't like being transplanted. You're supposed to seed it where it will be. So now we will see. The seed pack SAID I could start it early indoors. I also put some lettuce seed out in the garden for a later crop, or in case the first set doesn't make it. The green onion starts are out along with a few more seeds for those. I think I should start even more. We really like green onions. It would be so great to not have to buy them at the market.

I moved all the tomato and broccoli starts into 4 inch pots with Black Gold potting soil. They've been spending their days outside but I bring them in for the evening. I hope they've been enjoying the sun as much as I have.

Today I moved the chive starts into the outdoor pot with last year's parsley and chive plant. It'll be so nice to have an abundance of chives to throw in to pasta or potatoes.

Also moved the basil starts into bigger containers. Hope they all start to grow. Last year I learned the hard way that you really cannot leave basil outside until the temperature really warms up. I lost all of my basil plants over one night last June. So these basil plants will be spending the nights indoors along with the tomatoes and peppers probably through mid-June or later. I'll probably pot some of the basil with tomatoes when they get to their final pots. That way I can bring them all in together if there is a frosty night in the forecast.

Another thing I have learned is that you can sow carrot and radish seeds together in a row. Supposedly, since the radishes grow faster than carrots, they can mark the rows so you know where to weed. And the radishes will be ready to harvest before the carrots, so they won't compete for space. So this week, I planted three rows of a mix of radish and carrot seed. This is because my four rows of carrots planted about a month ago are showing nothing but weeds at this point. I wish I'd done the mixed sowing in the first place. I hope the carrots do start to grow. I have heard that they can "sit in the ground a while."

I am scheduled to check on the first set of radishes tomorrow, but I think they had a slow start so I don't expect they are quite ready for harvest.

Out front, the bluebells are starting to put on their show along with the forget-me-nots. The cornflower will be soon. It's a mostly blue garden right now but there is some pink rock cress and phlox. Oh how I like perennials and self-sowers! Less work for me. They just grow themselves.

Almost fenced in!

We've been pretty busy around here. Husband is working feverishly to finish fencing in the rest of the back yard. It will be so great when it is done because then I can be outside with my toddler and she won't be able to escape! I haven't had much time for outside work lately since I'm with the kids from wake to sleep while their daddy is working on that fence. So I'm just checking in with some updates on my seedlings.

Outside:

The peas have not been doing too well. I only have 3 or 4 sprouts. Maybe some of the seed rotted in the ground. I will seed them again and also plan to start some indoors in peat pots which I can then transplant directly to the ground. I will also experiment with pre-soaking the seeds. We have a HUGE slug population and I was a little late with the bait. Hopefully things get better.

No carrots to be seen yet. There are some radish tops though. I'll dig one up in a couple weeks to see how big they are getting.

Inside with the little greenhouse domes, things are going great! The seedlings are in a very sunny south facing window. I am very happy to list what has started growing:

1. Miniature red peppers!!!! Now if I can just keep them alive.
2. Roma and Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes
3. Broccoli
4. Chives
5. Green onions
6. Basil
7. Oregano
8. Alpine strawberries
9. Lots of lettuce

Most of these I will transfer to nursery pots to let them grow bigger before they get in the ground. I need them to be big enough to have a fighting chance against the slugs and the elements.

I've been happy with our new Earth Machine composter. All the fruit and veggie peels are being put to work out there, but I guess it won't be till next year when I can reap the benefits.

We have sprouts!

Beautiful weather this weekend! Makes me think I could get anything to grow. Almost bought some watermelon seed. (But didn't).

The lettuce is sprouting in all 12 cells in the seedling tray. All of the parsley has sprouted up as well. It's so good to see something starting to grow so soon.

On Saturday I planted 4 half-rows each of "Little Finger" carrots and "Easter Egg II" radishes out in the garden. Last year I planted the same carrots but didn't harvest them until months later, and they were too big and misshapen. They are supposed to be ready in 65 days; I assume that means after they begin to sprout up, which could take some time. I plan to start another couple rows of carrots in about 3 weeks. The radishes should be ready in about a month!

Got a couple more trays of seeds started indoors this weekend. "Sweet 100" cherry tomatoes, red miniature bell peppers, and alpine strawberries. The way the weather has been around here, I know it is a bit ambitious to try peppers, but since they are miniature they should be ready faster-the package says about 55 days to maturity after they get in the ground. I'll probably keep the tomatoes and peppers inside through mid-June if this year is like the last.

Hopefully most of the seeds are good and we will see everything starting to grow soon. I might have some extras to give away if all goes well. I started more than I will need in case there is a low germination rate.

Peas are in!

Good news. The peas are in the ground! This year I am trying a new one: Sugar Lace bush snap peas. The package says 68 days to maturity. I can't wait!. I did put up some tomato cages for them even though the package says they are self-supporting. Having them climb a bit seems more orderly. The slug bait will have to be put out soon. So I have two tomato cages for the peas and I planted the seeds about 2 inches apart. I might plant another set in a few weeks.

Other news this week. I've started some seeds in my little indoor greenhouses. Here is what I've started so far:
1. Lettuce Gourmet Blend-a mix of Buttercrunch, Grand Rapids, Red Sails, and Parris Island Romaine
2. Jalapeno Early Pepper
3. Italian Parsley
4. Roma VF Tomato
5. White Lisbon Bunching Onion
6. Greek Oregano
7. Chives
8. Italian Large Leaf Basil
9. Broccoli Waltham 29

Just glad to have a start on planting this year! This weekend if it stays dry I plan to get the radish and carrot seeds in the ground.

The hydrangeas got pruned on Monday. I just cut off the old flowers and stems that didn't have any new growth, and pruned it down so there are a couple spots of new growth on the stems that I left. It looks neater at least and I think I left enough green for some flowers to grow on this year. Time will tell.