Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Veggies lovin the heat

It’s been 3 weeks since planting the veggies and things are coming along nicely! The top picture sends me to the kitchen to grab a bottle of salad dressing and a fork!

The peas are starting to climb the trellis, and yes, they need to be thinned. It is such a leap of faith for me to think all the seeds I plant are actually going to sprout, I couldn’t help but plant too many. Non-veggie alert- the square planter on the right with the sempervivum has a canna in it – nothing happening there yet, I hope the heat will get things moving. On the left is a colocasia that I had almost given up on but it looks like it’s making a come back.
The corn (in the black, center, planter) is coming along and the tomatoes are really responding very well to their little water filled greenhouses.
A warning if you are using these covers for the first time, like me. When you take them off the plant is going to flop over like a wet noodle, the stem has completely lost its rigidity. Luckily I had a tomato cage near by; this really is a 2 person job! My neighbor is going to leave her covers on all summer but I want to see the tomato plants, not plastic, plus I need the soil around the tomatoes to plant basil, currently there are just a few radishes mixed in.
It’s almost time for the peppers to come out of their green house too, and look there is already a yellow pepper!
The tiny arugula tastes peppery already; I’ve been thinning and eating every time I go in an out of the backdoor. I really need move the planter to a shadier area though. Maybe I should get another small planter to go here and plant more basil since it’s a sunny spot. I've pinched the mint back twice, since I didn't have mojito fixings on hand (why not!?!) I cut it up and made mint ice cubes, for when I do have the fixins!I planted more mesclun mix and arugula around the base of the bamboo in the driveway stock tank; I don’t think you can have enough of this tasty lettuce mix.
There are mini carrots in the round planter in front. Can you can see the 3 little cucumber dicots at the edge of the stock tank (below)? I hope that they will flow over the edge of the tank and co-exist with the bamboo. We'll see!

6 comments:

  1. Interesting tips. I love the different kind of pots and boxes you use to grow plants... A real diversity!! ~ bangchik

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  2. Wow! even your vegetables get to grow in nice planters. Another reason whey they love your garden very much he he he :-) I like the 'hydro wrap' solution that you have gotten for your plants. Very good and clever job!

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  3. You're going to be eating some good veggies and drinking yummy mojitos! Good to know about the support thing with the tomato warmers.

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  4. Could you maybe stake the tomatoes before you remove the covers? I know, one more thing. Anyway, great going, I really wish I'd planted more before the sun arrived to stay (?!) but oh well. Hope to get the just-sprouted bush beans in this weekend and maybe some more seeds too. So curious to see whether the corn works! Yes, I'd thin the peas. Always the hardest job, choosing who lives and who doesn't! I suck at that, which usually results in overcrowding in my garden. Bamboo underplanted with mesclun - brilliant! I'm so glad I found your blog via Megan's - it's really one of my all-time favs!

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  5. I kept thinking it was too late to try some vegetables. Well NOW it's too late. I never would have thought to plant around the base of the bamboo. And mint ice cubes, yum. Hmm, more ideas to steal.

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  6. Thanks Bangchik, funny my husband thinks that the containers are not diverse enough!

    I hope the veggies see it that way Stephanie! I'm afraid they will feel cheated that they have to grow in containers and not the ground.

    Are you growing any veggies Jane? Oh I like the phrase "tomato warmers"! Reminds me of those hideous leg warmers of the '80's!

    Duh! That is a great idea Karen! Simple enough to do too. Doesn't it really feel like the sun is here to stay? This doesn't usually happen until after July 4th! I am practising slow thinning...every time I walk buy I make myself pull a couple. It's not so painful that way. Thank you for the kind words!

    There are sun/heat loving veggies Megan! Garden Fever still has a few tomatoes to chose from. Yummy fresh warm tomatoes with basil and a little mozzarella! I just hope I don't end up regretting the planting around the bamboo...

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