Only a couple more days left in May. The long awaited last frost date is about to arrive. In anticipation I planted cucumber, winter squash, and sunflower seeds today. I also planted almost all of the remainder of my seedlings, including the melons. The few seedlings I have left are backups for those planted, just in case there is a really bad frost or other disaster that befalls those seedlings already planted. If all goes well by next weekend the backup seedlings will be planted as well.
I would like to have tilled up a couple more new beds but things have gone slower than I had expected this spring. Other things seem to be getting in the way of my gardening efforts, gotta do something about that. I will get those two more garden beds done by this fall so that they can be included in my crop rotation and help to increase the produce grown.
If I get the two beds done that I want to over the summer, that will give me a total of seven. Then adding two more next spring will get me to the nine that I need to allow me to rotate three beds of potatoes in a three year rotation. With the other beds being used as follows: one for garlic, one for onions and leeks, one for cucumber, one for squash, one for melons, and one for corn.
From time to time I might also rotate these beds with those in the main garden where the broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, salad greens (kale, chard, lettuce, chives, parsley, etc.), carrots, and other miscellaneous vegetables are grown.
We also mowed almost our entire acre this weekend, no easy task with just two push type power mowers. This is the first time in the three years that we have been here that so much has been mowed at one time but with the garden expanding and the beginnings of a small fruit and nut orchard being put in place the tall grass and scrub brush is getting more in the way.
It seems like after this long a time things should be more organized with better records kept, but alas these things will have to wait and come later if they ever come at all.
I am still having trouble with oregano, my seedlings died again. Last year I tried unsuccessfully to get it to grow three times now this year my first attempt has failed again. I’ll try again with some seed sown directly in a planter outdoors. My seedlings started indoors seemed to be doing fairly well, not great. I nursed them along until one day they just seemed to give up the ghost. The thyme, parsley, marjoram, cilantro, sage, and caraway have all been transplanted to the garden and are doing fine. Go figure.
We got a fantastic and much needed rain today. Three separate thunder storms went through within a few hours with periods of bright sunshine between them. Not something you see very often around here.
So the grass is mowed the garden is watered and all is right with the world, at least for today.
Originally posted: May 29th, 2007