planting

A few days ago I set out into the garden some of my greens.

The ones that can stand the cold nights- tokyo bekana, collards, mizuna, kale.

They look small in the bed, but already since this photo the leaves of collards have doubled in size. Going to interspace lettuces, which will come out again before june or july when they bolt, leaving room for the collards to grow full size. At least, that's the plan.

Here's some closeups- them sitting in place, then planted in. Mizuna

Tokyo bekana

'Green glaze' and yellow collards

This tuesday I also planted (direct sown) into two different beds sugar snap peas, three kinds of beets, turnips and swiss chard. Started in trays indoors summer savory, four kinds of peppers, more sweet peas and wormwood (a restart, since the first tray of that I sowed never germinated).

I'm pleased with the state of the garden beds- in the fall I had layered compost on top and then a blanket of leaf litter. Some with cardboard chips mixed in, too. Pulling off all the leaf mulch, the soil underneath is dark, crumbly soft and rich-looking. Rake it smooth, ready to plant. Going to repeat the same method this year- minus the cardboard chips though- those didn't break down but matted up instead. Straight to the worm bin or compost pile for them. Holding off turning over my compost pile until the first lot of vegetables needs a feeding, which will be several weeks out.