Getting The Garden In

Here in Missouri, it's planting time. Sebastian had done such a wonderful job of getting the raised beds ready for vegetables that it has been a breeze to plant. We spent all of Tuesday morning putting in little plants. There are a few things we are starting from seed (carrots, radishes, corn, okra), but primarily, we are setting plants. Even with the loss of some plants on the west side of the greenhouse due to excessive spring heat, we have enough onion and tomato plants for three gardens, so we took some of the excess to Sandy and John down the road.

Here's a list of what's in so far: several varieties of tomatoes, two kinds of bell peppers, jalepenos, watermelon, radishes, corn, carrots, okra, eggplant, lettuce, collard greens, yellow squash, zuchini, dill, broccoli, swiss chard, lemon cucumbers, cabbage, peas, white onions, vidalia onions, and red onions. We still have two empty beds to fill, and I think those are going to be beets and black eyed peas.

Even with the loss of some plants on the west side of the greenhouse due to excessive spring heat, we have enough onion and tomato plants for three gardens, so we took some of the excess to Sandy and John down the road.

There are seven of the new thornless blackberry plants, but they won't bear this year. I hope there is enough rain to help out the wild berries this year. It's very, very dry here. We also have one rhubarb plant.

Yesterday, I got the herb bed going. Dill, oregano, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, lavender, and basil. The thyme plant survived the winter and is growing energetically already.

The flower bed around the bird baths is filled with coleus, amaranth, cockscomb, and the two hostas that made it through the winter. The small flower bed by the driveway fence has mint coming up, and that's where I'll put the flowers for cutting. I also got some mammoth sunflower seeds, and they are going in the middle of the tomato cages. It'll look funny to have a 7 foot tall sunflower growing out of the top of the tomatoes.

Yesterday, I spent part of the morning at the Cabin in the Woods, rebuilding Dan's fire pit and beginning the process of clearing the yard of rocks. Although Sebastian's maze of stones in the yard looks interesting, it made the yard impossible to maintain. Creative, but not realistic at all. It may take me a month of hauling rocks each morning to clear it. Good exercise!!