good night and good luck

We had to cover our plants tonight. It's going to be 29 degrees.

it's all in...for now

I think we're done planting. There was a bunch of space we couldn't use because of tree roots. As a result, the placement of stuff is pretty scattered. Whatever, it'll still grow. Here's a list of what's in there. Photos to come as soon as the sun comes out again.

Asian greens: mizuna and pak choi
asparagus
salsify
zucchini
acorn squash
delicata squash
carrots they say could grow in the middle of the road
cilantro
basil
dill
parsley
thyme
mint
rainbow chard
4 types of tomatoes
4 types of peppers
salsify
4 types of potatoes
12 kale plants
collards
3 lettuces
arugula
beets
radishes
onions
garlic
peas
wax beans
scallions
broccoli
cauliflower
cucumbers
celery

We also have rhubarb, 2 blueberry bushes, loads of strawberries and a pear tree

Almost done!

Today we planted 4 types of peppers (2 bells, jalapeno, cubanelle), 3 types of squash (zucchini, delicata, acorn), rainbow chard, more kale, cucumbers, yellow wax beans. Yesterday: 4 types of tomatoes (Oregon spring, big boy, San Marzano, sun gold) and basil. My beet transplants didn't work. They never do.
Here are some photos. The irises are beautiful.

Growth Spurts

Blueberry and strawberry blossoms are showing. Lilacs are at their peak. Asparagi have popped up. We're making progress. Most of our plants look healthy. Although it seems some seeds aren't going to work (parsnips), others that seemed doubtful might do OK (peas, salsify). Some of our troubles can be linked to a lack of rain and invasive weeds, but it will still be a bountiful summer.

We planted potatoes last weekend in part of a plot that we thought we might not be able to use. This weekend we're planning to get the remainder of our crops in the ground, including cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, beans, peppers, lemongrass, basils, cilantro and dill. We can't wait to have some homegrown lunches in our yard.

We should also give a shout to the plants that came before us. The previous property owners did some great landscaping. We've seen daffodils, tulips, azaleas, many unidentifiable flowers (gardenias?), and we're going to see some irises soon. And we can't forget the thyme, mint, oregano and sage that came back again. The mint just keeps coming.

Weeds, seeds and experimentation

There's some forceful and well-established grass monster in one of our plots. We're afraid it might overtake or interrupt some of our seeds, but we're trying to eradicate the weeds altogether. We'll see.

We've decided this will be a year of experimentation, though we have faith we'll have some crops to show for our efforts. As with any gardening (and in most areas of life), we're dealing with many variables, including soil, sunlight, rainfall, tree cover, root systems and animal encroachment. I'm sure I'm forgetting some other factors. Certainly, we can both say it hasn't been as simple as expected, and we've experienced some letdowns. But we shall overcome and try to have fun doing it. Full-time farming is not being romanticized in our house as once it was.