Yard Work and More

This past week I spent several days working in the gardens. I used the shovel to turn them over (after having used the roto-tiller on them) and marveled at the number of earthworms each shovelful of dirt exposed. Maybe I should have gone fishing?

I made a mix of potting soil and sand and used it to fill planters for things like marigolds, beets, carrots, and radishes. I also did two planters for morning glories because, well, why not. The rest I used to top dress several of the raised beds and then planted string bean seeds in one and cucumber and zucchini seeds in another. I still have lettuce seeds to put in and then will have to go shopping for tomato and pepper plants. I think we're past the last frost.

The Bean Bed

There's a row of beans on either side of the 8' cedar poles in the far end of this bed. Beans, surprisingly didn't do well here last year for some reason. In years past we were able to eat string beans twice a week (or more) and still put some in the freezer. Hopefully we'll get yields like that again this year. The near right corner will be our lettuce bed. 

 

Zukes and Cukes

This bed held cukes and zukes last year and did pretty well. I switched ends on them this year and hope for a repeat. The planter in the foreground has carrot seeds.

Radishes, Marigolds and Beets

The planters are extensions of the garden that I'm trying this year. The Marigolds are there for their color as well as their reputed repellent qualities.

Morning Glory

 Morning Glories like to climb so I put the two planters like this one at the base of the two (unused) telephone poles. Should they start to grow well--and the deer don't eat them, I'll run some cord up the poles to help them climb. 

I also decided to turnover a small bed I haven't used in a couple of years. The weeds had taken over and it just looked very unsightly. Initially I was going to plant some perennial seeds in there but, after finally reading the directions on the packets ("start seeds indoors 10 weeks before last frost") I changed my mind. I've some acorn and butternut squash and some pumpkin seeds I put in there and they can go vine all over.

Acorn and Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Patch

 

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Terry has been getting ready for her big adventure: cruising Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. She's (finally) going to get on the water but with her sister instead of me. The vascular surgeon put enough fear in me so that I didn't feel comfortable going on a cruise. He didn't actually say I shouldn't go, but when I told him of my concern, he didn't say I should go.

Her bags are nearly packed with only a few things currently in the wash to go. She's planning on flying out of Newark (NJ) on Sunday early in the morning. To make it easier, she'll drive into the Linden are on Saturday afternoon and stay overnight. Same on the way home. Her flight comes in late at night so she'll stay either at one of the airport hotels or somewhere in the Linden area again.