How My Garden Grows

I have decided it would be useful to keep a running log of how my garden grows this year. Last year I planted my first garden in our new place without much forethought. I didn't have time to think through things. I just needed to get it done. Judging by the photos I took, it appears I didn't even begin planting until May 31st. Remembering back, I was a bit worried I was beginning too late. Like most worries, I shouldn't have wasted the energy. We ended up with more than enough tomatoes and veggies to keep us satisfied.

This year I decided to begin from seed and planted the first batch last weekend on April 11th. I have one container of 36 tomato plants and another tray of 72 filled with a mix of lettuce, kale, cucumber, eggplant, green peas, string beans, and broccoli. I just realized I do not have zucchini. I also don't have carrots or peppers. I will fix that soon.

Here's what it looks like so far:

Tomato Tray
I like a variety of tomatoes. My least favorite are the big fat boys and my favorites are the yellow pears. P likes the fat boys so I am giving him some space in the garden which means the peaceful art of gardening has now turned into competitive sport. I have the home court advantage.

Mixed Veggie Tray

I was surprised how quickly all my seeds sprouted up. I am trying to decide when it will be safe to move them outdoors but right now everything is small enough to stay indoors. I also have two herb beds and I will see what pops back up in those then plant some new stuff if I feel up to it. Last year I had chives, cilantro, basil, oregano, mint, peppermint, and some sort of wild celery. I didn't think I would care much for the herbs but I was wrong. They were easy and added plenty of zest to everything I cooked all summer long.

I also have two garden beds in the yard. One on the north side of the house and the other on the east side of the house. This year I am going to add compost and some additional soil to rejuvenate them. I also want to experiment with some interesting watering methods I found on Pinterest.

Here's what my two beds look like today:

Tomato Bed on North Side

Mixed Veggies on East Side

Here's what my tomato bed looked like last year:

The east side bed did not do as well. The broccoli, lettuce, and peppers did okay but all the squashes had trouble with some sort of fungus/mold as did the cucumbers. I need to work on that issue this year.

Now the trick will be remembering to document it all: soil prep, weather patterns, planting, blooming, harvesting, pests, and so forth. Then I can come back to see how to improve the next time around. Also, if I don't try potatoes this year I will be extremely disappointed in myself.

It's an absolutely gorgeous day today - it's reading 52 degrees on Google but 64 degrees on my front deck thermometer.

I think I will spend the entire day out here on my deck and in my yard if at all possible. Tomorrow is the Boston Marathon and I hear the weather is supposed to change up dramatically. I want to enjoy every moment of this glorious sunshine while it lasts.