Tuesday, May 5, 2009

2009 Spring Garden Update

Early May, 2009
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I've had a slow start this year in the garden. I think it's because I'm lacking structure (employment-free as I am).

There are salad greens and potherbs in about half the pots along the ledge. I'll finish planting those in the next day or two. Once it gets too hot for greens on the ledge, I switch those pots over to flowers- or as I think of them, flags for the bees.

We've had another long, cool spring this year, so I don't feel too far behind if I use weather as a marker.
At any rate, here are some baby plants:

Tomato teens, potted up one size from starts. Kellogg's Breakfast, Paul Robeson, Stupice, Crnkovic Yugoslavian, and Hillbilly Potato Leaf. All seeds are from Seed Saver's Exchange, except for the Paul Robesons, which are from Tomatofest. I like to repot my tomatoes at least 3 times before final transplant- it seems to create stronger root structures.
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Sunny Supersett crookneck from Renee's Garden- the best variety of yellow crookneck, ever.
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Arugula, the bacon of vegetables.
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Climbing French beans from Seed Saver's Exchange. These are intended for spicy dilly bean pickles, but we'll probably eat some fresh, too.
---And it will all look like this come high summer. Here's my beautiful urban vegetable jungle, last year in July.

11 comments:

chaiselongue said...

It all looks great! I think everyone has had a slow spring this year, but you've got lots of potential here. It's my favourite time of year ... everything starting and the weather getting warmer.

Buckindail said...

I was referred to this blog by my friend. We were talking last night about small changes people are making to live more sustainably, eat more healthfully, and even to save on the food budget. I'm actually working on a newspaper article and I heard you had spoken to the media before. Would you be interested in speaking about what you're doing in your home? If not, perhaps you know some other people doing similar things? Feel free to send me an e-mail at mjackman at metrotimes dot com.

Powell River Books said...

What an amazing garden! You gave me lots of good ideas for my gardening in pots. - Margy

Carolyn said...

looking good. I used your dirt recipe this year!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

An inspiration!

PJ said...

I don't speak Seed Saver's but I would like to learn. Finally, I'll be bilingual.

RG said...

Your fame is spreading. You ought to let those long beans hang down over the edge and feed the neighbors below!

PS ... send some of that last year's basil ... yummmmm .. THAT is the bacon of vegetables if you ask me (or a yellow pepper)

TeresaNoelleRoberts said...

OK, I'll bite. I don't eat bacon, but I sure do eat arugula. Why is it like bacon? Must be because it's good with everything except chocolate, because it's not salty and crunchy and slightly smoky, which I understand are important parts of the bacon experience.

ilex said...

Teresa, it just makes every savory dish better. I'm taking some poetic license here. Holy crap, a BLT with arugula instead of lettuce- you'd die of happiness. Or not, non-bacon-eater that you are. But everyone should grow a flowerbox full of the stuff. It's nutrient-dense, grows most of the year, and grows like a weed. And it's freaking delicious.

Bonus, it pisses off the conservatives. "A box of arugula on every porch, two tomato plants in every yard!" When I run for office, that'll be my campaign slogan. Heh.

Maggie said...

These pictures are really quite inspiring. It looks like you are gearing up for quite a bounty!

Anonymous said...

Hi, visiting from kitchen gardeners! Great garden! I am in the 'burbs but still container gardening, so I like seeing your progress!