Garden Growth

I have kale in my garden!  I didn't realize until this week that some of the radishes are actually kale.

I love it!  It is bringing me garden joy!!!

And we cleared the rest of the mini-plot of as many rocks, added some bags of soil, and planted some seeds.  We're claiming the rest of the garden now!  No more waiting for rocks to be cleared and leaving it to the weeds--we'll plant and claim it, and just have paltry yield until we get more rocks out.

Thank the Lord for our D.R. garden!

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy . . .

. . . until its place is needed for food production.

I thought I'd take you all through the grim steps of removing my butterfly bush (which my neighbors pointed out did attract a lot of butterflies) to make room for a fig tree, which I will be purchasing later this week.

First I chopped off the branches.

Then I dug all around the roots.

This job was complicated by the little rhubarb stalks coming up--this is our second plant we're attempting to establish for our rhubarb supply; I was praying that I wouldn't knock off the stalks while digging.

Viola!  Mission accomplished!

And then there was none (though there was still rhubarb!).

Raised Beds . . . HOORAY!

This narrow bed in the backyard will leave the kids' playspace intact but allow for peas, beans, or other taller crops.

I am overwhelmingly, ridiculously, in fact, pleased to announce that I have installed raised beds.  Not single-handedly--let credit be given where credit is due!  

Groupon (online local business specials) had a $50 gift card on sale to Primex (garden supply store) for $25.  I told Owen we should buy it and he naively said, "Well, we wouldn't be able to spend $50."  I assured him that we most certainly could, since I wanted to buy edgers and install raised beds (what can I say, everyone else is doing it!).  So Groupon in hand, Owen's parents (who were visiting, and who wonderfully drove their pick-up in order to support their crazy Yankee daughter-in-law's gardening mania) assisting with the three kids in tow, Owen and I set about collecting for our garden needs.

I must confess to a rush that addictive shoppers must experience when I walked in there.  I felt, "Ooo, I must have all of this.  And then I will be a Gardener with Accessories and Bountiful Harvest!!"  I did not buy it all, but I did manage to spend three times the amount of the Groupon.  Gloves that fit like a second skin, hoses that do not leech phthalates into the water, edgers, onion sets, complimentary pansies, seedling trays!  Ah, bliss!  

Our free pansies, next to our new raised bed in front of our porch.

 Our next stop was compost collection.  Thank you, Rachel, for directing us to some!  We took Owen's parents' pick-up and loaded up (two trips) on enough compost to fill raised beds in the front and back of my house.  Now if we could just make one more trip . . .

My transplants aren't looking so good, but I added seeds also--and some of them should make it, especially with rain all next week.

Owen's dad helped me wrestle the edging into the ground (after watching me fight with the roll of it in a comical, cartoon-like fashion as it coiled up after me around the yard), and then I stayed outside until night fell.  The next morning, dressed in my snowpants against the 30 degree weather, I finished spreading all of the compost in time for Owen and I to go get our second load.  My seedlings are worse for the wear, but will no doubt be happier in their new raised quarters.

With the raised beds ready, planting was a snap this week.  

I planted all of my early spring crops (shell peas were February):

• kale
• swiss chard
• pieracicaba non-heading broccoli (rabe)
• snow peas
• pac choi
• mesclun mix
• tatsoi
• onion sets
• cilantro
• three varieties of head lettuce
• parsley
• raddichio

Strawberries have multiplied beyond my wildest dreams in my side garden.

I planted seeds, pruned my raspberries, wrote down all of my plantings and seed types in my gardening book (and drew in where I placed each variety on a garden map).  Now I just need to start my tomato, zucchini, and cucumber seeds indoors . . . and then I'll get to take a rest, which, quite frankly, I need.

Seedlings

Kale, swiss chard, cilantro, raddichio, leeks, purple scallions, celery

I am relieved to report that I have seedlings underway for mid-March.  Last year, what with pregnancy and nausea, I didn't set up the growlights.  But this February I set them up and got some seedlings started.  In a few weeks I'll get these into the ground and start on my next round of seedlings (tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers).  The cilantro we'll just eat.  I have been unsuccessful growing it outside the past few years, so I figure I'll grow some inside next to my seedlings.  Maybe I'll try some outside in pots this summer . . . if I'm feeling brave.

Sad Seedlings

Guess which flat I bought and which one I started from seed myself?

So I tried starting tomatoes and squash and cucumbers from seed.  I guess the window I had them in wasn't bright enough, I should have set up my grow light.  Anyway, I went away for the weekend and didn't leave the window blinds up again and when I returned, all the seedlings had sprouted up spindly and pathetic. 

While I was gone I bought the second flat of plants.  At least those plants look like they have a chance.  Aye me, what a lot of trouble to start from seeds just to create such sad seedlings!

PEA PLANTING TIME!

Now I obviously have no idea if this is true, but today my mom's neighbor told her:

"It's the fifth warm day of March in a row, today's the day to plant peas."

My mom told me this news this evening.

Coincidentally, I had planted my first round of peas today.  The ground was moist but not mucky and it was lovely outside.  The weeds and rocks were less than lovely, but you'll have this. 

Since I really have no idea what I'm doing and just realized, "Oh dear!  Peas are supposed to go in early!" I'm really quite reassured to know that this was the day my mom's neighbor felt peas should be planted.  It's nice to happen to align with someone's schedule.

Here's hoping he knows what he's talking about!