June 19th

A little over a month since I got everything in. At this point we can't keep up with the lettuce or spinach. The peas are blooming, the potatoes will bloom any minute, the carrots are getting big as are the beets, the corn and beans are up, and the cucumbers and zuchini are doing battle with the slugs. (The cucumber is fairing worse than the zuchini but still making it). My tomatoes are getting short and stout. They don't seem to be doing much growing up. That and (I haven't done my research yet) they seem to have something going on with the leaves. Maybe a disease with all the moisture we've had? I've never had to deal with that as I've always had disease resistant hybrids and this year I'm doing heirlooms. I guess there is something to be said for the hybrids. I just hope everyone performs well this year.

We've gotten one strawberry so far. More will follow soon if we get some sunshine. The currant bush is loaded this year and it looks like the apples and italian prunes are too. I know I'm missing some here. Cabbage and brussels sprouts are up and doing well. They were an experiment. Started by direct seeding them even though everything talks about starting with transplants started much earlier inside. I have lots of random lettuce in places. Along with some random bachelor button flowers and what I assume is either a cabbage or brussels sprout since it is around where I had those last year. Again I have some random squash too. Maybe pumpkin? I composted the Halloween pumpkins last fall and the seeds didn't get broken down over the winter. Maybe we'll get a pumpkin or two this year?

As far as herbs go... I bought some local dill last year for something and ended up drying it. This spring I just shook the seeds out in a couple of places before composting the rest of the plant. They seem to have taken off just fine. The seeds I planted out of a packet last year didn't do anything. I have lemon balm coming up voluntarily. I put out cilantro and parsley plants. I planted lots of other seeds in a new raised bed but they sure are slow to come up and I didn't keep track of what went in. Besides, Bear and dogs haven't helped any. They like to tromp through the raised beds. Oh well, we'll see.

A bit more...The garlic and onions are doing well. The spearmint is up along the north foundation. Tom's flower bed is sprouting pretty well, and this year's lavender seems to like the new location. Maybe I can get it to winter over. Oh, I found comfrey in the yard too.

Well, I hear Bear starting to wiggle. I'll try to get a current picture of the garden on here sometime this weekend as well. It is supposed to be sunny enough to try it.