As of tonight, we have six rows of Bodacious sweet corn, 14 tomato seedlings and 1 'Northstar' bell pepper seedling planted. We still have two varieties each of broccoli and cauliflower seedlings, green beans (pole) seeds, radish and beet seeds, zucchini and three varieties of winter squash (spaghetti, an acorn and butternut) to get in the ground. Before we can do that, though, we have to finish weeding! (Now that's embarrassing!)
The thing is, we're not worried. Last year's garden was amazing, and that was due to our application of mushroom compost. This year the soil looks even more wonderful, and if the number of big, fat, juicy earthworms is any indication, it truly is as good as it looks. We can't control the weather and have no idea how the summer growing season will shape up, but are pretty certain that planting earlier than we are would have only resulted in stunted and/or rotten seeds and seedlings.
This year is a bit of vegetable experimentation for me, too. I've never grown spaghetti or butternut squashes and plan to trellis one of the two varieties up a rickety, unsafe-for-human-use wooden ladder in a raised bed, just for fun. I'm also trying out several different varieties of tomatoes I've never even tasted, including 'Black', 'Willamette' (an early ripening, determinate variety developed in Oregon) and 'Red Plum'. (I'm also planting 4 'Oregon Spring' seedlings, another early determinate variety developed in Oregon that blew my socks off last year with its huge, tasty fruits.) Oh, and I can't forget the 'Graffiti' cauliflower, a huge hit from last year, to go with new-to-us 'Green' cauliflower!
I am confident we'll have everything tucked in by the weekend. After that, it's weed and wait, hopeful we'll have a nice bounty!
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Thank you for this post. You have given me hope for my late garden.
ReplyDeleteMy danged #%*%g!! knee has slowed me to a crawl, and this past week-end a halt. But as it pours today, I am going to get the seeds ready to sow as soon as we re till those weeds that grew SO WELL!!!
Black tomatoes? Green cauliflower? Bodacious corn? Are you growing some wacky weed too? LOL Love/miss you!
ReplyDelete@Deeredriver - Happy to help! Gardening is nothing if not a grand experiement, right?
ReplyDelete@Amber Lena - LOL, you know me! I like to try the "weird" stuff! WE did the purple cauliflower last year and loved it. Most of the tomatoes this year are heirlooms and are supposed to be quite tasty. Hopefully I'll have some to share the next time you guys visit!