What's up in the garden?

Spinach and spring onions

It has been a spotty sort of spring for posting- but my temp job is over now, and I have pictures, taken this morning (5/21.) Most are posted here in Snapfish, since I know there are a few of you out there who have dial-up and may not want to see all the pictures. You know I am all about personal choice!

What's doing well: The spinach, green onions and garlic are looking great. We have been eating spinach salads for a few days. I have not yet pulled any onions, and of course we won't know about the garlic until mid summer, but I am hopeful. Carrots are doing well, too, it seems, although there aren't many. Some seeds washed off, and I suspect a bunny enjoyed some carrot greens. But those that are left are looking good.

carrots

I bought a dozen red cabbage transplants, and they look great; surprisingly the bunnies have either not found them or disdain them, don't know which.

garlic and red cabbage

The potatoes are doing very well, but they always do. Here they are in the cinder block potato bin where Boodles disturbed the baby bunnies a few weeks ago.

What's not doing so well:
Everything I started in the house. Tomatoes- 4 varieties; eggplant, 2 varieties; peppers, 4 varieties; squash, 1 variety. It's not that they are doing poorly, exactly, more like they are in suspended animation. They started off well under the lights, but then just stopped advancing. They have been outside for about a week, and with the exception of the squash, haven't done much out there, either. We have had a cool and rainy spring, so perhaps they are just waiting for the sun. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

tomatoes, started indoors in January

For some reason, the pak choi and the tatsoi have bolted already- again a surprise because it has been such a cool summer. Neither formed a head. I've been pulling them and eating the leaves in salads and as greens, but I am disappointed.

The squash got in a hurry and put on blossoms in the house- I picked them off. Then the leaves and stems turned yellow and I thought the plants were dying. They still may die, but they have put on some new green leaves, so I am not discounting them yet.

Red Kuri squash- started indoors in February

We are experimenting with straw bale gardening this year. You can read more about it here or google it, but basically it is making raised beds out of straw bales. I put squash, eggplant and peppers in, in an attempt to foil the squash bugs and flea beetles. If it is successful, we may do more next year- I really hate the crawling around part of gardening. Later today I will fertilize the straw bales with a dilute fish emulsion. I hope it doesn't draw cats...

Perhaps next year I'll try the asian greens in a bale instead of in the ground.

What's not in the ground yet: Sweet potatoes and beans. They will go in this weekend, perhaps- it has been very chilly up until this week. Black Tuscan Kale, spinach and lettuce will go in August for fall harvest.
Remember to visit Snapfish to see the flowers and herbs. To see the problem with Poppies, go here