Wow, has it really been nearly a month since I updated? Shame on me!  The garden is slowly coming to life a bit at a time.  The weather kind of foiled us here as the temperatures have been inconsistent, and the wind has really been something this year.  I’ve been trying to harden off my tomatoes and peppers for several weeks now, and every time I get a few hours of sunlight in, the next day the wind is just way beyond what my tender plants can handle.  The hardening process is not going so well this year… I’ve sunburned a few leaves here and there, and my plants are just ready to be in the ground size-wise, so I’m really having to stay on top of keeping them watered.  If all goes according to plan, Thursday I’ll get some of these plants actually in the dirt. Here are some of the plants, the rest are on the balcony upstairs- which is a great unused space, so it’s perfect for the plants right now.

Let’s see, the spinach has come up, and while we could certainly pick and eat it right now, I’m letting it get just a little larger before we start indulging- we can’t wait for fresh spinach.  I’m trying to figure out where I can start a second succession of seeds.  I just don’t have enough room! Oh- the spinach I did in rows here, and I think if I figured it out, I have more spinach plants than if I’d done them in squares.  Go figure.  I had planned the first two feet for spinach, but then when I actually measured after planting, discovered I barely used one foot- so just behind the spinach is this year’s chard, which is slow to grow.  I can’t wait for that either!

My sage plant is taking over! It’s full of flowers too, which concerned me at first, but I guess it will be okay to use, even though it’s flowering.  The thyme is flowering too.   I may have to trim back the sage  a bit though, it’s really expanding into the surrounding squares.

Beans are up.  I decided on bush beans this year, and I’ve also got a few varieties that are meant for drying.  I’m very curious if we have enough warm weather here to dry beans.  I only planted a few of those ones.  Along the trellis here are the winter squash- I’m planning on training them up the trellis, we’ll see how they do there.  This morning I was pleased to see the first squash sprout digging out from the dirt.  I haven’t had luck yet with winter squash- but I sure am hoping this works this year!

The peas are still growing steadily… I guess there’s not much more to say about them.  Except you’ll notice all the weeds in front of them.  I have about 12 squares in the whole garden that are not planted or designated for tomatoes.  Yikes.  I am going to have to squish and squeeze and see just how many peppers, eggplants, and celery plants will fit.   Again, if the plan holds, this will be done Thursday morning.

Ah, my pride and joy so far.  THIS is the way to do the cole crops.  I started them way early- some as early as February, and they are loving this weather.  The kale could be picked as young kale, and I’m seriously regretting not planting more.  The cabbages are curling up beautifully, the broccoli look like they are going to start putting up heads any day now, and the brussels sprouts are growing like gangbusters.  The cauliflower doesn’t look near as robust, but I have hopes.  I’m really hoping most of these will be ready before the cabbage moths are out in full force- I’d love to be able to avoid the row cover if at all possible.

And that’s about it so far.  This barrel below is where I am trying some container zucchini.  I just don’t have room in the beds for it- but I would like to have just a few to make ratatouille and zucchini bread with.  I’ve also seeded in the lettuces and the asian greens.  I have to say- starting lettuce in the house just was a waste of time.  I may try again next year as a windowsill garden for cutting and eating, but starting the seeds indoors…. just didn’t work so well.

I’m slowly nurturing the herbs.  My chive pot of seven years is empty this year, sadly.  There is one lonely shoot- despite the mass quantity of flowers I had last year.  All the herbs I’ve started have me disappointed so far, and I’m contemplating just heading to the garden center next week and starting over with larger, established plants.

And that’s it to date, I think.  My succession planted cilantro in the windowsill is still going too… two weeks wasn’t enough time between starts though- next time I think four weeks would be better.  The first pot is going to seed and the second one isn’t far behind it.  Overall though, I think I may just try to keep a few going this summer to see if I can keep fresh cilantro on hand.