May 8, 2014

Lindsay:



Apple Blossoms

We have been busy planting in the garden over the last several weeks. So far its off to a great start! The weather has cooperated quite well. With warm weather for planting, then several days of intermittent rain that soaked the soil and now more sun. Couldn't ask for better!


Rocks painted by Pat and Claire marking the rows



The carrots, beets, radishes, peas, lettuces and turnips have all been direct seeded in the garden and have germinated well. The broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale and chard were started indoors and transplanted out over the last few weeks. The potatoes and onion sets are in the ground as well. And I just saw some potatoes poking through the mulch this morning!


Pat working in the Garden

Clover:A cover crop, living mulch, and delicious animal food!

Crops such as radishes, lettuce and peas we seed in successional plantings, as they grow fast enough that we can get in multiple plantings while the spring rains are still falling.

Just recently seeded are the parsnips and still to come are the mangel and sugar beets. Warm weather crops such as okra and corn have also been seeded. And now that the nights are consistently warm, we've transplanted out the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.

We've planted some of the cherry tomatoes on the pea trellis, thinking that the peas will grow up and be done producing by July when the tomatoes are starting to get big...and that in the mean time they can share a trellis.

As the fertility of the soil in the garden and courtyard increase, the land is growing more and more luscious grasses. So we've started cutting the grasses on the paths to ease walking and using it to mulch in the garden. Its wonderful to be producing our own source of mulch!


Garlic!