Cucumbers starting

[Pulsegleaner]

eventually, but the space we are putting it in is a little small for a 2x4 (the tree is supposed to fill in holes in our treeline caused by the loss of hemlocks. We're talking about a tree the diameter of a pencil when it starts.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

6/7

More planting today. With seed supplies so low, I had to dig into my sucess boxes (where I store seed I have actually grown myself, as opposed to buying). Planted a mess of rice beans and cow peas, as well as (from a bought box) that Korean mountain garlic I got in the spring (it withered up a LOT in storage, maybe it isn't meant to be stored outside the soil) and some nodding onions.

Now if I could only work out the corn.....

 

[Pulsegleaner]

6/8

CORN IN!

I went with two patches, each from my mini corn supply. One of dent (mixed, possibly compression dent) and one of mottled (including a few mottled floury). If I could turn over the vegetable garden by myself, I could plant a lot more but can't. Now it's up to fate.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

8;24PM

And there's ALREADY trouble!

When I went out after lunch to put a little more corn in, I found a squirrel chowing down on what I had planted this morning! I planted a little deeper this time. But as soon as the weekend comes and Dad can help me, I'm putting up the fencing. Hopefully they'll still be seed down then by then.

 

[flowerbug]

little wascals! we already have the chipmunks raiding the strawberries. you may need to put some netting over the garden until then. i've never had good luck with any planting once a critter knows it is there and they can get at it.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

6/12

Planted some full sized corn today

May do another patch later. Haven't decided if it's better to plant the next patch directly or do it in plugs (corn does better directly planted, but doing it in plugs would let me know if the seed it actually any good or if I am wasting my time with dead seed.)

 

[Zeedman]

Gourd-family transplants, ready for the rural garden:

Left to right: "Borries Yellow" watermelon, Chinese bitter melon (de-hybridization project)

Left to right: "Liso Calcutta" gherkin, Cyclanthera explodens, "WI 5207" cucumber

All looking a little yellow, they've weathered several thunderstorms & will be further subjected to several nights in the mid-40's starting tonight. Squash (Australian Blue & Zucchetta Rampcante) not pictured. Various beans & limas in the background, also waiting to get planted. Based upon the forecast, we could begin planting the rural plot in a few days.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

I'll have to remember, next time I am de-stashing my seed basket, to dig out the seed for that giant bitter melon I found in Chinatown (the one the size of a baseball bat)

My watermelon plans are probably kaput for this year. I only have one Yamato Silver seed left, and it isn't true to type (or true to majority type) so I think it is a cross (and Baker creek has been out of Yamato Silver seed for ages, so no ordering more.)

 

[Zeedman]

My watermelon plans are probably kaput for this year. I only have one Yamato Silver seed left, and it isn't true to type (or true to majority type) so I think it is a cross (and Baker creek has been out of Yamato Silver seed for ages, so no ordering more.)

My watermelon plans may be kaput too, unless I get the plants in the ground this week.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

6/17

Good news and bad news

In bad news it looks like my rice beans and cow peas will come to naught. When they couldn't get THROUGH the wire cages some chipmunk went UNDER them, and dug out the seed from underground. There's a big hole right in the middle of the ground under each cage.

Looks like all of that corn may be gone too. the ground under patches 1-3 looks pretty much like it did, but 4 has little pockmarks all over it, consistent with critters digging up each seed in turn.

In better news, it looks like my wild pigeon peas have come up, as has the sesbania. Guess those seeds were more resilient than most of the ones in the weed box.

And it turns out that mystery legume in with the conehead thyme really is just a rabbit's foot clover.

Today I planted patch 5 of corn (In the back, with a cage over it) Some of the seed I pre-germinated so I at least know it is fertile.