planting

Yesterday I planted a good part of the garden.

Lettuces have done really poorly for me this year. I think perhaps my seed packets are finally too old.

I planted out these puny ones and sowed more seed in the ground, finishing off the packets. If I get any decent plants will save seed anew, but probably have to buy more next season. I've got a bit of simpson, some romaine and cesar. Didn't bother planting the bibb lettuce this year- it's just not a favorite.

Also sowed direct three varieties of beets, two of carrots, arugula and some swiss chard. I planted out seedlings from pots into the garden: leeks, marigolds, two kinds of broccoli, and five kinds of tomatoes.

Funny thing about my broccolis- I grew from a new seed packet this year and the seedlings look different in color and leaf shape

than ones from the older package. Both are Di Cicco variety, just from different seed companies.

Yes, I put in tomatoes and marigolds a month before the frost date. It just feels so mild. There is only one night of temps predicted to drop below 40° this week and I am putting plastic cloches over them overnight for protection. If they do get hurt by a frost, there's extras to replace with- I still have six marigolds and two of each tomato type still in pots.

The tomatoes are growing so fast.

I made a mistake, though. I meant to put carrots in one of the more established beds, which has deeper, richer soil built up- and to put lettuces in the new bed- their roots don't go as deep (and the cardboard I smothered grass with is probably still mostly intact under there). I forgot when I was busy working, and put the lettuces where I meant to do carrots, vice versa. Too late now. Will just have to see how they do. Also I meant to plant newer green onions next to the one survivor in the herb part of the bed- but they look just like the baby leeks. Green onions are still in the coldframe- they need more warmth- but when I was setting out the leeks I forgot and put them in right next to the one mature green onion. Oops.

Extra bit: my thyme looks just fantastic. It's in the first picture- the green mound in the background (top just left of center). Here's a closeup. I'm really hoping I can detect whitefly or whatever pest shows up earlier this year and keep them at bay.