So Far So Good!

Well I have been busily planting since my last post, and today took an even bigger risk and planted squash. If we get any wet cold weather, I may lose it, but it's easy enough to replant if that happens. If not I am ahead of the game.

Today was very productive. I planted summer squash, cucumbers, pumpkin, ginger, and a ton of tomatoes. I don't generally plant hybrids, but after last season's disaster with blight and blossom rot (everyone in this area struggled with tomatoes last year) followed by a sudden heat wave, I thought I would add some hybrid tomatoes to the mix, planted far enough away from my heirlooms to keep them pure.

With the hybrid tomatoes, I planted the seeds in the bare spots in my over wintered beds. These beds contain a mix of escarole, endive, onions, leeks, arugula and collards. I am hoping that the tomatoes will come up quickly enough to shade some of these winter marvels to slow bolting.

I did the same thing with the greens last Fall, and I am seeing now my planning is paying off. In one of my beds I have spinach interplanted with collards.

Now the collards are growing faster than the spinach, and providing partial shade to the spinach, which prefers cooler temps. Spinach will bolt and get bitter quickly if it's too warm.

I am also thrilled to see my onions doing so well. These guys are planted down the center of my bed, which last fall contained lettuces and mesclun mix. Now I have cabbages and turnips coming up on either side. Onions are a great companion for almost any veggie except things you want to stay sweet tasting.

My beans haven't come up yet, but it's only been a week. My peas are coming up though. I planted Alaska and sugar snap peas. The high sugar content makes these guys tolerant to frost. I will replant the same type again this summer for my Fall harvest.

Next to my peas are more collards. They look different than they did in the Fall. Last Fall they were big and lanky, with enormous leaves. This Spring they are more compact and appear almost to be heading, although this variety is non-heading, a result I suspect of the cold winter.

The taste is quite excellent. The leaves are a bit less smooth than they were in the Fall, and are a bit sturdier. My arugula did the same thing, and both I think are quite improved in taste and texture, even if the leaves are smaller. A few of the collards in this bed are bolting, which is a mixed blessing. I want the seed of these hardy little buggers, but I hate the thought of not having collards again until Fall.

One of the greatest blessings about this lifestyle is I get to work outside and watch everything that happens. I get to listen to the birds, watch the Sandhill Cranes fly north (I can't believe the numbers I've seen this year!) and I get to watch my horses and the cow do what they do. And sometimes they watch me as I bend on sit and scrape and rake and pull and plant and water and spray. It's a glorious life! I am so thankful for the opportunity God has given me to experience the joy of tending His garden.