So How Does YOUR Garden Grow?

KimB

Well it's that time of year again: tweeting birds, sun, rain, heat and the smell of compost in the air.

This week I made my way out to the garden pots and took stock of what was there and what I wanted to do with it all.

The winter planted carrots are still going strong. It's getting very hot here so they will bolt soon but I picked another dozen or so nice ones.

We checked on the garlic but it's way too soon yet but there was hope and we took out a smaller plant to check: it's still a baby garlic bulb but it will taste great.

The beets were not that successful, like the turnips I didn't plant them deep enough and they mostly laid on the surface. I saved 2 nice beets and a half dozen small specimens and the rest hit the compost bin.

My re-planted and new strategy for getting taters is working! I have about 15 or 20 tater plants popping up in their bucket. I gave them some organic plant food and this year I'm hoping for something better than a few marbles. I put in a big mix of taters: reds, yellows, whites and Russian fingerlings.

After taking stock of what was still there I headed down to the local nursery and picked up 2 new pots and some tomatoes and seed packets. I picked out a Better Boy tomato for sandwiches and Sweet Million cherry tomatoes to make the summer tomato and basil salad that Allen likes. I also picked up a packet of bush beans and will see how they do in the pots too.

But this year I am going to be “adventurous” and “daring” and take on a “big challenge”. I am planting watermelons in a pot. Yeah... I know... not likely but I have a “plan”. The plan is: put the seeds in the pot and let the vines trail over the edge and they can sprawl all around one end of the side yard on top of the gravel. I picked the baby round watermelon type so I hope we get something tasty in a bit.

Between the taters and the watermelon it will be a challenging season!