What Did You Do In The Garden?

This morning between showers, I harvest a bowl of green beans, pulled a med size zucchini and picked some kale for the chickens.

Maybe it's a good year for containers?

Mine are all doing great after two days of sunshine all in containers
I have no plant in the ground

You know those Fortex beans that don't hardly germinate? We got a little rain this weekend, the first we've had since I planted those beans in my dry little garden and didn't bother to water them after the planting. Well, those Fortex jumped up like they were planted on springs and now stand 4-5 in. tall on the strongest stalks I've ever seen on a bean seedling! Two days ago, not a one breaking the ground...two days later and they are 4-5 in. tall with leaves and a huge bean sitting on their heads like a funny hat.

So far I'm impressed. Never saw a half runner germinate and grow that strongly and quickly in my life! Every single bean I planted germinated.

Here are a few of the vigorous Fortex beans, making their first appearance...sure hope they grow as well the rest of the season!

I re-weeded the blueberries yesterday, they're loaded with blooms , hope to have enough to freeze this year.

This afternoon when I got home I got my tomatoes in. Buffalo Steak, Carmello and Legend.
I also finally got the potatoes in, I didn't plant many this year, a double row 16' long. Nothing interesting this year either. The last potato growing I did 2 years ago was so underwhelming, between the deer, the gophers and scab, that I wasn't about to be a potato snob and get exotic, so I just bought what they had at the feed store. Red Norland Purple Viking and Yukon Gold. But I had them well chitted with big fat short green sprouts. (think I can squeeze another adjective in there?) so I'm hoping for a nice harvest.

I'm with you, Thistle...nothing fancy on taters, just Red Pontiacs. Last year all my potatoes were all vine and no taters, except a few scabby ones not worth taking in the house.

This year they look to be normal, healthy potatoes, though I didn't plant any in the garden...just planted them in the compost rings around the apple tree saplings. Some of those taters now have blooms on them! Not a one bloomed last year, so I'm hopeful for getting a normal, though small, crop of spuds. I need to throw some straw/hay into those rings this week.

Here's a few of the sapling rings loaded up with taters....the larger plants in the back two rings were planted a few weeks prior to those in the foreground and those are the plants with bloom showing up.

The tomatoes went in, yesterday.

Today, planted the celeriac and some zinnias. After that began the fight with the irrigation system. Heavy pipes to carry, turn it on, turn it off - clean out the dead grass ... turn it on, turn it off - clean out the dead grass ... turn it on, turn it off - clean out the dead grass ... turn it on, turn it off - clean out the dead grass.

I think that there might be several drowned mice in all that pipe! They won't be floating on beds of grass.

Steve

I am trying to at least do something so I planted 6 tomatoes. DH is to be at the hospital on Thursday for brain surgery again. The same surgery site will be opened. Tumor and blood will be taken out. All tumors bled from the blood thinner he was on and they put in a filter and stopped the blood thinner. Tomorrow is exactly 2 years ago he went to the ER and got all the bad news. A neurosurgeon agreed to do the surgery and is supposed to be very good. The oncologist said if he did not have this surgery he would only have weeks to live and the surgery will only add maybe months, so Dr. DOOM has pretty much depressed me, but I am still trucking on and hardening off the plants and DS is wanting me to be happy and DD I am worried about, so stressed with wedding, health and now this and maybe her dad not walking her down the aisle. The neurosurgeon seemed fairly confident this would help him get back to where he was a few weeks ago. I have a lot of tomato and pepper plants hardening off. I don't think I am going to plant as many as I first thought, but I am going to work a little each day so I get something done. It may go really well but really I do not think I am going to have the time or energy to take care of the garden I usually have, but I know I feel so good outside working and relaxed, and I want the fresh food.

I wish I could carry some of that load for you, Rabbits. You may find, in the coming weeks, that the garden is a burden or it could become a place where you go to sort out your feelings while you tend to it.

I pray for you and your family, Rabbits.