lettuce old and new

Took all the Bibb Lettuce seedlings out of the crowded tray, and moved them into individual cardboard-tube pots. They are much better formed than the earlier plants that didn't get into the plastic greenhouse right away; these ones hug the ground like they should and have sturdy growth.

Now the coldframe looks full of Lettuce! I have one more tray to divide into individual pots; the Romaine (which didn't sprout much, but it's our least favorite variety so I don't mind).

Also found some of the Lettuces I failed to clear out of the garden in fall, survived the snow and are growing new fresh leaves in the center of the old dead ones.

There is also one lone Spinach plant doing the same. I was really surprised to see that- I didn't even get to eat one last year because what little grew the bugs got first.

Plants that did poorly for me:

Corn- most of them grew, but something ate the young plants (slugs?)
Oregano- grew well, but died when its pot dried out (weekend away)
Watermelon- only one seed germinated, eaten by bugs immediately
Spinach- only a few plants grew, the slugs got 'em
Sweet Peas- a few grew, but never flourished
Cauliflower- planted too late, didn't mature in time
Cabbage- actually one grew into a  huge plant, but no one wanted to eat it! got composted

I am going to grow Oregano again, and try the Cauliflower and Corn simply because I still have seed. The others, not this year.

returning

I expected when we came back from ten days' vacation that most of the garden would be dead but not so. The Lettuce is all thick lush and dark green- growing more vigorously in the plot where old patio came up than in the walled area. The new Green Bean plants are flowering and a few had beans to pick. The older G Bean plants look tattered- and all hung with long, fat pods. Too far grown for eating- we like the beans young and tender- but great to dry for seed. The Beets and Chard are still there, Basil grown wild and thick, and yesterday we ate our first Broccoli head! It had so much flavor. Lots of Tomatoes on the vine (and the ground) even though they look withered. Even the Carrots I planted before we left have begun to sprout, and half a dozen Spinach plants came up, and a dozen Peas. It all looks well. The only thing that really died was the Oregano in a pot on the porch.

tomatoes end

Took out the second plot of Tomatoes today- the cherry tomatoes and another volunteer plant were in that space. The small tomatoes no longer have good flavor but daughter insisted on picked all the green ones to put in the windowsill for ripening. After the vines were all chopped into the compost pile, I turned over the soil with a trowel, picked out all the stones I could find, crumbled the dirt fine and raked in half a bucket of cured compost. I think it's my best compost yet- smelled heavy and sweet. Smoothed and patted the soil down, then made a half dozen furrows with trowel and scattered in what's left of the Carrot seed. (Didn't make strips this time). Then watered with steaming hot. Also planted Spinach (bloomsdale longstanding) in the spot that had cantaloupes before.

Now all I have left for fall planting is peas, garlic and clover to cover crop the bare areas.

lately

Most of the Sunflower seeds in damp paper towel have sprouted! As soon as the rain lets up, going to plant them. Lettuce under kitchen window getting holes eaten in it. Put out beer and caught two fat slugs and some pill bugs. Tons of pill bugs near the Beets drowned in beer. Planted a second bed of Spinach between the Beets and Garlics. First set planted among onions and radishes didn't grow well.

seeds

Planted two Sunflor seeds to replace those that got bitten off by something. Ten of those robust seedlings in the row along fence now. Read in Trowel and Error that hair clippings can deter bugs from young plants, so scattered some around the others. Planted Basil, Green Beans, Cucumber, Marigolds, Sage, Cilantro, Oregano and Chives. Broccoli is sprouting, and Chard, seedlings very small. A few Spinach coming up next to the hearty Radishes.

Marigold- Naughty Marietta (8-14 days)
Cucumber- Bush Champion (7-14 days)
Garden Bean- Tenderpick (7-14 days)
Sage- Broad Leaf (7-10 days)
Cilantro- Corriander (7-10 days)
Oregano- (10-21 days)
Chives- common (7-14 days)
Basil- Sweet (7-14 days)

planting

Today planted the bed under kitchen window:

Cauliflower - Early Snowball A (8-10 days)
Celery - Early Utah #5270R (14-20 days)
Radish - Crimson Giant (4-6 days)
Spinach - Bloomsdale Long-Standing (7-14 days)
Romaine Lettuce - Little Ceasar (7-10 days)
Romanie Lettuce - Paris Island (7-10 days)

We're actually eating out of our garden, now.

Just lettuces, spinach and herbs so far, but it makes every meal taste better. Fresh oregano is great with sauteed mushrooms. And we love pizza with just basil and tomatoes heaped on it. The cucumbers, zucchini and beans are all in flower, and I spotted the first green infant tomato today. My second-planted garden plot is sprouting now, too: small watermelons, more lettuces, lots more herbs and flowers. And the carrots are finally coming up. Maybe we'll get some after all.

But, more exciting: we have a froggie friend. (Or toad?) Twice we've caught him while weeding - he hangs out under the thick plants where the ground is damp. I put him in a jar so Isa can look at him for a while, and then we let him go. He's brown and pretty small, almost the length of my thumb. Here's some pictures:

Oh, and our mantis is thriving. He's shed his skin and doubled in size. He now eats houseflies, and moths, but not spiders. I stuck a firefly in there once and he tried to catch it, bit it, then immediately let go and bit a leaf! They must taste terrible. We don't give him fireflies anymore. I did catch a small brilliant blue dragonfly (or damselfly? I don't remember the difference) once and he caught and ate that. It was nearly as long as the mantis himself.

Irwin has been catching (and leaving on the patio) voles every now and then. And today Asher our supercat caught a bird- I saw him nab it on the lawn. He chewed on and played with it for a while, then I buried it in the garden before Isa could see. That cat was pretty pleased with himself!