Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The big project to date (almost)

The "almost" is because Jenny Lind heritage melons were planted after this photo to the left of the corn. The things not in the boxes are planned succession crops for lettuce, radish, and broccoli areas plus more basil to inter-crop with peas and an oregano that needs to go in at a path end.
Actual garden
 

The graphic plan below
 
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CROPS
sugar snap peas (horizontal trellis working moderately well)
lettuce several types from purchased starts and seed
misc mustard like greens from a spicy mescaline mix purchased start
brussel sprouts
fava beans
My Aunt Laura's Shucky Beans (heritage)
spinach (poor crop, not thinned enough, bolted very early)
onions multiple types
carrots 2 types (poor crop, may plant more seeds soon)
radishes
potatoes 2 types
tomatoes 4 heritage indeterminate on trellis types 1 hybrid determinate in cage
fenugreek
cucumbers
zucchini (first crop killed by 40 degree weather, 2nd doing well...one blooming)
yellow crock neck squash (also killed off as above)
okra
nasturtiums (only 2 most accidentally "weeded" out)
broccoli about to be replace with eggplant and collards
strawberries here and there
garlic chives
soon to be planted oregano
basil
dill
cilantro
parsley
beans
edamame
kale
corn
raspberries
Fig tree
already there thyme 2 types, rosemary, sage, borage
edibles elsewhere in yard ... bronze fennel, quince tree, oregano, chocolate mint, chives and rhubarb and sickly Myer Lemon and baby Thai Lime
2 Potted blueberries and I'm worried about cross pollination needs not being met as they bloom at different times...we shall see (need to get into ground in fall)
14 by 17 feet remain unplanted
Critter report
Many swallowtail larvae and eggs on dill and bronze fennel ++
Temporary chicken wire has kept out bunnies
no ground hogs or deer seen this year
squirrels ate a few corn seeds
aphids attacked fava beans and controlled with soapy water and plain water sprays
1 huge flock of unknown mating frenzy insects in and around upper areas of shed reduced with hand picking and seem to have moved elsewhere
1 huge flock of unknown mating frenzy insect in mulch and base of shed reduced considerably with mini dragon flame thrower when mulch was wet after 3 days of rain
slugs are small but present and small at the moment
cabbage worm moths are around but so far no caterpillars on the veggies
Neighbor's dogs were obeying their invisible fence and not becoming a problem until tonight when one walked right over and peed on my fence, lol.
Weed report
I love my new "toy" a propane torch called the "mini dragon" from flameengineering.com. I will do a better post on it later.
I do use some round up but rarely for things like thistle
mostly hand weed
do tons of mulch with grass clippings, commercial bulk mulch and leaves to control weeds
NEVER let any weed go to seed. NEVER!!! I'm still paying for that mistake with poke weed and sweet annie from many years ago
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3 comments:

doyle said...

Beautiful.....

momomom said...

Hi Mike,

Delicious too...my current source of food, exercise, entertainment, fantasy and hope.

doyle said...

Ah, sounds like life.

The unusual amount or rain has lead to an army of slugs--my garden is getting clobbered.

Except for the Brussels sprouts.

Go sprouts!