This week I finished the front yard plantings, putting geraniums into the pot in front of the lilacs. I went to Jewel a couple of days ago and bought another 30 geraniums and 8 Broccoli plants of the variety “Destiny.” The deck plantings are complete. I bought two hanging baskets at Goebbert’s for $39.99 each. Ouch! But they are the purple and white petunias that I love. I also put geraniums in the pot by the cooking deck.

I bought three more Shishito peppers and six Gypsy peppers to complete the raised planters. The arugula and radish seeds are up at least 1/2-inch and it’s been less than a week since planting.

I drilled drainage holes in two of the large pots I bought at Costco and transferred the soil from last year’s hanging baskets and the old deck rail basket into them. Then I emptied the soil into them from the two cherry tomato pots by the deck. That got them only a little over half full – they are enormous. I put the remaining half-bags of potting soil into one and almost a whole bag into the other. I planted two large cherry tomato plants in one and two grape tomato plants into the other and put the decorative cages into the new pots. I topped off the other pots and cleaned up the lower deck.

Today I weeded the enclosed trellised area where I plant peas. It was loaded with Dandelions and thistle. I got peas planted as well as the eight “Destiny” Broccoli plants. That was as far as I got today as the rain was starting.

Thursday and Friday will be rainy, and then warm and dry for the weekend and into next week. This will be the push to rebuild the wood beds and assemble and install the steel beds. I need to purchase four more of the steel planters. If the weather holds, I can get the bins installed next week and have RT move the compost/topsoil mix in the following weekend.

This weekend, I’ll get the container garden planted and also rebuild the herb garden to prevent soil loss.