I planted the 4 summer dance cucumbers below the trellis in the mint garden. Then I planted 3 mustard plants behind the eggplants. I topped off the four remaining pots in the container garden with compost and planted one with genovese basil seeds, and another with slow bolting cilantro. I’ll plant the other two in a month or so, I’m not quite sure of the timing yet.

I have a couple of 1 1/2 inch Early Girl II tomatoes in the container garden which means ripe tomatoes in early June. I have a Melrose pepper that is about 1 1/2 inches long, so we will be having early peppers as well.

The only major task left is to rototill and put the trellises in for the new cucumber garden and plant the seeds. I hope to get that wrapped up this week. Then, weeding, watering, picking, and cooking.

This is probably the earliest I’ve ever had a finished garden!

I’ve been dragging a little getting the last of the plants in, but I’m where I wanted to be. On Saturday, I planted and staked 15 LaRoma plants from Goebbert’s in the second half of the bed next to the firepit. Sunday, I planted and staked 6 King Arthur green peppers and 12 Lady Bell peppers in the first half of the bed nearest the blackberries. I then put my new bottomless pots around them as rabbit protection.

Next, I repaired the fence and put a 1X6 across the front of the fenced area to keep the rabbits from going under the fence. Then I planted 6 poblano peppers, 3 Valencia peppers, 6 poblano peppers, and 3 Hot Hungarian peppers. I need to go to Home Depot and get some stakes.

I did some weeding and cleanup today, but ran out of time. I did get the pot of Malabar spinach dug into the ground about 8 inches. This should protect it from blowing over in the wind as it did last year.We got about 3/4 inches of rain this evening. I am almost done except for cucumbers and those should get in over the next couple of days.

One of my goals has been to make better use of what’s growing in the garden. So I came up with this sheet that I will post on the refrigerator each week or so to remind me of what is currently available in the garden.

It is the middle of May and here’s what is already ready to pick. I used the first of the Bok Choy and some of the green onions in fried rice this week.

I am hoping that this lets us make better use of our fresh produce.

I bought 70 geraniums from Jewel this year at $1.99 each. I needed 60 and that covered the front and back pots. I planted the remaining 10 in the mint garden. I put pansies in several of the large pots on the deck which explains why I only needed 60.

After I got the tomatoes in, I planted the 12 okra plants. They are in the reddish pots in the third bed. Rabbits love okra and they need the protection of the pots.

I was outside a little after 9:00 AM and pulled out the tomato cages, rototilled, raked and planted the the tomatoes today before the rain. As far as varieties, I got everything I wanted, but Countryside had no Oxhearts. I substituted Black from Tula.

I also tilled up the bed for the tomatillos and planted those. I had a little time left before exercise , so I planted the Okra, I chased out the rabbit who was eating all of my Romaine. Wascally Wabbit!

I seem to be a couple weeks ahead in my planting this year. The container garden is essentially done, I need to plant basil and cilantro seeds, but I’ll wait until the weather dries out a little.

I drove up to Countryside today and got the last tomato plant for the container garden, a yellow grape tomato. I also got a dozen Okra plants. They are very small and I likely won’t plant them until next week, after the rain is over. I also picked up three zucchini.

I planted the eggplant over the past weekend and installed the rabbit protection immediately. The eggplant was from Goebbert’s as were all of the peppers. I put the peppers in today. Three banana peppers and a dozen Shishitos fill the second bed from the front. The third bed has three Melrose peppers, and three Gypsy peppers. The Okra will fill out the rest of that bed.

I planted the three Zucchini in the furthest bed at the south end. Rain is in the forecast for every day until Friday. I’ll plant the Lady Bell peppers that I already bought at Goebbert’s then, and try to get the tomatoes in. I am happy with my progress so far.

I made another Goebbert’s run and got the rest of the spring vegetables. Today I planted the parsley, rosemary, spinach, and broccoli. I didn’t get the beets in, but that can wait.

There has been lots of rain in the forecast, but most of it missed us. We’ve had some frost and a frost and freeze are predicted for the next few days. It will be a week or two before I can get to tomatoes and peppers. I need to be sure that the danger of frost is over.

Goebbert’s opened on last Friday, April 12th. Natalie and I stopped in and I was able to get all of my spring greens; 9 Romaine, 6 Bok Choy. and 6 Chinese cabbage. I also picked up a Purple Sage, a flat of Pansies, a couple packets of Italian Parsley seed, and two packets of Genovese Basil seeds. We had a nice conversation with Lee Goebbert.

I planted the spring greens on Monday, in 75° weather. RT showed up around 10:30 and I was able to get him to rototill the bed for the greens. as well as the two beds next to the firepit. In addition to the spring greens I planted peas from some old seeds. I planted them quite densely in case the germination rate is low and will then them, once they germinate. I weeded that bed and it is ready for 8 Broccoli plants. I am hoping I can get them in the morning before the rain starts, assuming they are available at Goebbert’s. I also seeded the herb garden with Italian Parsley.

We have many rabbits in the yard, so I hope my greens survive. Natalie picked up some Irish Spring soap which we can shave into the garden. It is supposed to repel rabbits.

Natalie and I cleaned up the deck yesterday, and I filled the pots with pansies. We were able to have dinner on the deck after I finished planting. The yard is looking good since RT picked up and mowed the lawn.

We have had an unusually warm winter. There has been no snow in over a month. I picked my first chives a week ago, they were at 6 inches already. The thyme stayed green all winter, and I have picked that several times.

I’ve been busy on home projects, getting my studio and workshops back in order, so I haven’t thought much about the garden. It is almost time to plant peas and parsley, so I decided I had better order the rest of the seeds for the year so that they are here when I need them.

Here is my 2024 order:

3 – Slow Bolting Cilantro
1 – Lazy Housewife Pole beans
2 – Cocozelle Zucchini
1 – True Lemon Cucumber
1 – Crystal Apple Cucumber
1 – Cucamelon/Mouse

I Plan on planting the Cilantro in succession pots on the lower deck where it will be out of the hot sun. Hoping that will work. I will add more cucumber trellises along the south side of the yard in front of the mock orange.

I didn’t do any fall clean-up or prep, so I have my work cut out for me.