Summer Veggie Gardening

I haven't been very active in my garden of late, mostly just maintenance -- lawn-mowing because we got so much rain, weed-pulling because we got so much rain, vine- and hedge-hacking because we got so much rain -- but I have started getting some of my summer veggie garden planted.

So far, I have planted:

• Zucchini -- I planted dark green and yellow, two of each, which are already putting on abundant growth. I planted 4 seeds from last year's seeds and all 4 came up.
• Tomato -- I have seeded (a little late) some Super Sweet 100 (cherry-type), plus I have a donated Brandywine. The Brandywine is already transplanted into one of those upside-down hanging planters. The SS100 will be transplanted into another style of upside-down hanging planter as soon as it's ready for transplant.
• Beans -- This year I found a source for pole-type wax beans. These are just like the Kentucky Wonder (green) pole beans except that the pods are yellow (and much easier to find on the stem).
• Cucumber -- The seeds are a little old (from 2008), so I've sown them rather thickly. But I'll have to be diligent in thinning them out. Last year's harvest of two 6-packs planted in root-knot nematode soil was WAY more than any three people could handle. 

Maybe today I'll get out there and plant some Tall Top Beets for the beet greens this summer.

Spring At Last!

Today it finally feels like Spring outside. Yesterday was pretty good, too, but today you can sit in the shade and not feel like the breeze was just verging on chilly. Perfect weather. Not too hot to do a little work in the sun, not too cool to sit in the shade.

Mom came by today to hack on some overgrown vines with me while we chat. She mentioned that there was a California Poppy trying to climb up through the Western Redbud and Blue Elderberry out front.

When I went out to snap this photo, I noticed that the Clarkia were also going berzerk.

How berzerk are they? This is how tall they are (next to a 5' 6" Mom).

On the way back into the house I noticed that the Sulfur Buckwheat is also quite happy.

Finally! A wonderful Spring day!

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, 15 May 2010

Here it is again, another Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Here's what's blooming in my yard today.

Seep Monkeyflower & Penstemon Hybrid

• California Poppies of all sorts!
• Clarkia
• Penstemon 'Margarita BOP'
• Sticky Monkeyflower
• Blue Elderberry
• White-Flowering Potato Vine
• Geraniums, regular and vining
• Nasturtium
• Columbine, hybrids
• Roses
• Impatiens
• Coral Bells
• Seep Monkeyflower
• Penstemon, unknown hybrid
• Lobelia, unknown hybrid
• Prunus ilicifolia (Holly-Leafed Cherry)
• Calendula
• Western Columbine
• Hummingbird Sage
• Purple Potato Plant
• Sulfur Buckwheat
• Some purple-flowered shrub that came with the house