Suburban Vegetable Gardener

This rocks.  It’s exactly what I hope more people will do…look into creative ways of growing your own food no matter where you are.

I bought some new beanpole towers from Burpee that were a lot of fun to set up.
I have peas planted at the moment (Oregan snappy, I think), and I planted peas, potatoes, and shallots in the compost along the fence. I did cover the up with some top soil.

It took them a little bit but they popped up.  What’s driving me insane are the squirrels & blue jays love to dig up the seeds & repot them.  One squirrel was taking a dirt bath in the mount.  Sigh.

As much as I love container gardening, every year, I seem to push the boundaries just for fun.  Last year was planting asparagus crowns, and this year, I’m expanding the beans.
I also removed the artichokes from the self watering containers. Why? I wanted more tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers this summer.  I’m not sure where I’ll put the melons.  I’ve had OK luck with them, but not great luck.  However, the melons that have produced were the best tasting melons I’d ever had.

Here’s an interesting brief article on making your own self-watering containers:  http://lifehacker.com/5190496/turn-storage-containers-into-self-watering-tomato-planters

More soon

Finally!  Things are sprouting outside.  The inside brassicas and tomatoes are going like gangbusters.  The peppers, well, are not.  I had bought Ortega chilis last year, and have been wholly unsuccessful in getting them to sprout  I have high hopes for this year.  I’m keeping them moist and warm.  Fingers crossed.

So, here’s the radishes:

I love watching new seeds sprout.  I can’t explain why, but it’s thrilling to see new life push up through the soil.

So, the brussels sprout has one on it, and the broccoli formed a head.  Hooray!  The question will be when to harvest.

Oh and I was so angry.  I think the gardeners knocked over some of the asparagus.  Ok, I don’t know it was them.  It could have been the neighbors cat, the local possums or the local raccoons.  Or the rats.  But I was sad to see that there were two stalks knocked over.  It’s my second year with the asparagus, and I’ve been trying to be very very very careful not to overdo it.  And then I wonder.  Does it matter.  Really.  The books say it does.  And even dear husband was impressed by how GREAT the fresh asparagus was.  It definitely tasted more….well, asparagus’ey.  It will make marvelous soup.

I just had to share.  The seedlings I planted on Saturday have sprouted!  Ok, just the indoor ones, and only some of them.   I’m still waiting to see the outdoor ones pop their smiling faces out of the soil.

I love seeing them sprout.  Of course I get sad when I have to thin them down   I use small snips and just cut it at the base rather then pulling it out.  It is easier on the root system for the survivor.