April 30, 2012

Bush cherries are ripening already.

The week began with a fost advisory and ended with highs in the 80's F.  Planting weather turned on like a switch Thursday, and that's the day we got 60 ft.  (2 varieties) of green beans, 2 wells of zucchini,  5 wells of honeydew melon, 5 wells of cantaloupe melon, and a row of pickling cucumbers planted; all before a humongous thunderstorm came right over our heads and watered in everything we had just planted.  We love it when that happens!

Herbs thyme, tarragon, oregano, sage, lemon

verbena, and rosemary all grow with roses. 

This critter is eyeing our garden hungrily.

We're enjoying spinach, swiss chard, radishes, and green onions right now, but we will be clearing the greens to make room for pumpkins in May.  Lettuce is just taking off, and we sowed more seed to extend the harvest.  Peas look fantastic; we added bone meal and scratched it in lightly to encourage them to flower and set pods. 

Garlic scapes are forming, meaning stir-fries will take on a new flair; before long we will harvest garlic bulbs that have formed underneath the soil.  Tomato plants started from seed in March are more than a foot high, as are bell peppers, and broccoli plants are setting little button heads.

Early summer fruits have set - raspberries, blueberries, and bush cherries. The cherries are already ripening along with local strawberries.  Our own strawberries are busy setting leaves and runners with an occasional flower; we are picking off the runners and flowers until July.

The big task this week is planting sweet corn.  We divide our 20 x 25 ft. block in half (20 x 12.5) and plant six 20-ft. rows every two feet apart.  This will ensure sufficient pollination when plants mature.  The second half will be planted up to one month later to extend the harvest.  What do we grow in the extra foot of space?  We traditionally line the corn patch with sunflowers.

The vegetable garden.