It happens every year. I get going on the garden and everything else goes by the wayside. Here's a little update on what's been happening here at The Slice.
Onion plants
After trying to start onion seeds and wasting three packages of seeds in the process, this is what I have. One onion. I hope it gets big enough to eat. I had ordered a bunch of onion plants online, I was sorely disappointed in what I got in the mail. But, I planted them anyway. A lot of them seem to be doing okay in spite of their spindliness at the beginning. Good thing my neighbor gave me the rest of his sweet onion sets. They're growing really well.
Watermelon radishes
Germination was iffy at best for me this spring. Every last one that did start to grow almost immediately bolted and set seed. I will try again in my fall garden.
Cabbages
Holy cow have they been growing like mad! I discovered that one of the cabbages I bought is actually a cauliflower, but what the heck? Let's see how this turns out. The broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts are all doing very well.
Sweet potatoes
Following the disasterous results of the first attempt at growing sweet potato slips, I tried again with a new potato and got some very small slips. They were really tiny so I just planted the whole potato in the pot. We shall see what happens. I also bought a couple plants at a local garden center as well as some mail order slips. I was deeply disappointed in the slips when they arrived. But, I planted them anyway and more than half of them have new growth. If I actually get enough sweet potatoes, I plan to try canning them this fall.
Okra
The okra was a last minute addition to the garden plot this year. I impulse bought a fifty cent pack of seeds at the local dollar store. I think every last one of them came up. I don't even know if I like okra. Guess I'm going to find out.
Chamoe
Chamoe is also called Korean melon. I totally blame Hollis for this one. I ordered the seeds and planted them out about 10 days ago. These are the babies.
Infrastructure
My hubby built a new trellis. By the time it was done, most my vining crops had been planted elsewhere. So I plan to train whatever sweet potato vines I get if I get any at all. I also planted a few Sweet Dumpling squashes in the farthest pot. They will probably climb the trellis all by themselves.
Eggplant
Other than a little flea beetle damage and a healthy coating of weeds, the eggplants seem to be doing just fine. I planted three varieties...maybe four...and they're all growing well and fixin' to flower soon. I tried an eggplant recipe that a friend cooked for me last week and it was edible. It is my goal in life this year is to find an eggplant recipe that I like. We shall see if my hopes are in vain or not.
Tomatoes
My beefsteak plants have set their first greenies. The Homestead plants were first to the mark this year and I noticed some Romas today as well. The plants are looking fabulous. I added some 'Jubilee' tomatoes that I impulse bought. They're orange tomatoes and I love them.
Squashes
I have severely curtailed my squash planting habits this year. I've planted only delitica, sweet dumpling, black beauty zucchini, and yellow crookneck. Above is an image of my delitica seedlings which were ALREADY being menaced by the evil and dastardly squash vine borer just today! Blasted things anyway. My plants are small on purpose to hopefully avoid infestation. We shall see how it goes. I'm hoping to avoid the use of the dreaded garden dust. But, I will if I have to. I've also found a few squash volunteers from last year's plantings. I've decided to let them grow and see what I get. And maybe the vine borers will menace the volunteers instead.
Melons
In addition to the chamoe melons, I have Sugar Baby watermelons and Minnesota Midget cantaloupes. This picture is the watermelons. The cantaloupes have only just sprouted in the last couple days. Hoping for some juicy melons this summer.
Well, that's about it. See you later!
