Garden 2011: Planting Corn

Jo planting corn while Rusty watches intently. Dogs believe dog treats are the one and only small items ever contained within small bags. One year we when we weren't paying attention, Rusty dug up and ate several of the green beans Jo had planted. We kept a watchful eye on him this time.

.

Garden 2011: Planting Corn

Garden 2011: Broccoli and More

After transplanting the full row of broccoli, Jo watered them with a fish emulsion mixture. The dogs think fish emulsion smells like something that really needs to be rolled in. (Part #1 of transplanting broccoli into the garden is here.)

Finally Jo covered the newly transplanted veggies -- broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage -- with high-tech mini-greenhouses, otherwise known as cloches, which I photographed the following day. We're not likely to get temperatures cold enough to damage the transplants, but the cloches also help keep them from drying out and protect the tender young plants from being buffeted around in our gusty south wind. (Yes, I really do need to crank up our lawnmower and mow the aisles between garden beds.)

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the garden... While it's not necessary to make an emergency run into town for whipped cream just yet, our strawberries are blooming.

.

Garden 2011: Broccoli and More

Garden 2011: Transplanting Broccoli Into The Garden #1

Broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage sets ready to go into the garden. Jo usually starts our transplants from seeds, but this year she had a problem with the seed company and did not receive seeds soon enough to do that. Instead, she bought the sets at our local feed store.

We'd already prepared the bed, so all Jo had to do was lay out a center line and start digging. She'd purchased the transplants over a week ago, but a new cold front that arrived on Monday caused her to wait until Tuesday to set them out in the garden. Depending upon what kind of weather we were having, the transplants had either been soaking up a few rays under a grow light or setting out on the porch "hardening off".

And another broccoli goes into the ground. There's a hill directly to the west of our place, so sunset in the garden occurs a couple of hours before actual sunset. I thought I might have to start using the camera's flash before Jo finished planting.

Part #2 of "Transplanting Broccoli" will follow soon.

.

Garden 2011: Transplanting Broccoli Into The Garden #1

Garden 2011: Planting Spinach

Measure twice; plant once.

On Tuesday, Jo planted seeds of spinach, lettuce, chard and radishes.

All gardening activities must pass rigorous canine inspection. Rusty is handling that duty as Jo prepares to plant spinach seeds.

Opening the seed packet can be the hardest part of planting.

Spinach seeds.

Dropping spinach seeds into the furrow.

Gently raking soil on top of the newly planted seeds while being careful to not step on Bucket.  Following planting, Jo watered a little.  Now it's the seeds' turn to grow.

.

Garden 2011: Planting Spinach

Busy in the Garden

There's a lot going on and a lot to do out in the garden these days. The broccoli was looking a little wilted during its first full day out from in under the cloches so I decided to do a little watering.

The radishes are up.

Jo's trying to get our green beans planted before it gets dark.

The cauliflower is next on my to be mulched list.

Busy in the Garden

Lettuce Planted

Photo by Marvin April 18, 2007

Jo set out some transplants for our first crop of lettuce. She also planted some lettuce seeds into the garden for the second. Rusty supervised.

Lettuce Planted

Transplants In Garden

Photo by Marvin April 16, 2007

Finally we have something planted in the garden besides strawberries! Jo got the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage seedlings she'd started transplanted into the garden while I mowed the garden area trying to cut down on the ticks, chiggers and snakes she had to deal with while planting.

Yes, we are running behind schedule, but that's normal for us. Besides, had we gotten everything planted, we would have probably lost most of it the the hard freeze we experience a little over a week ago.

Transplants In Garden