There is much joy in the garden this week – an amazing onset of Nice Weather – just right for crops to be set out and all that dirt swimming associated with the process! Although there is a New Bad Pest problem. For the first time in known history the suddenly nice weather caused all the over-wintering yellow jackets and wasps to emerge what seems all at once. There were 6 cans of yellow jacket spray expended here today in the pursuit of queens looking to start new nests – if even a tenth of them make it there will be continued problems with them all summer… Our local hardware emporium fortunately had a “two-fer-$7” special, which was exploited.
Meanwhile, a lot of motion and no really new and different things ripe this week. The Mustard is turning into a jungle, the Chard is trying to double in size, and the cabbage heads are still a bit soft as of Wednesday. The Cegolaine is looking grand, and the new Kale is getting excited about the idea of growing up. It has been cool for the outside crops literally up until today (Wednesday) so things like the new beets are still emerging blinking to the light of day – and not worthy of consideration.
It was important to open the end doors of the greenhouse though – it was 95F in there at 10AM, which (especially) the red cabbage does not like at all. Opening the doors make everything happier. It is with great struggle that you don’t get yet another cabbage picture this week. Is there something a bit off kilter about someone who things cabbage is pretty?
Over the next two weeks about half these beds will be getting plants set out. In addition, the geraniums and cut flowers are going in. Gardners spend a lot of time on their knees during these set-out times. In fact, it is possible with the heat this week that beans and corn seeding could happen. That would be so absolutely stellar!
Without further ado, here is the list:
| Lettuce | Cegolaine is primary, and odd scraps of Winter Density or Red Iceberg. Once again, there be aphids there, be warned. |
| Brassicas | Cabbage is sorta ready. Some softer heads went out to a chosen few last week, obviously there will be more likelihood this week… |
| Roots | All out for now… check back in main season. There was a sighting of first leaf beets though. That means only 6 weeks till baby beet greens… |
| Greens | Arugula, Wasabi mustard, Spinach. There is a small quantity of Parsley, probably not ready this week. Is that a green? |
| Herbs | Chives are great; Celery leaves are small but available (ask, in case it gets forgotten). Everything else is just thinking about being available. There are teeny tine sage plants. And Thyme. but something that small isn’t real. The Basil is setting a second leaf, Mint is also showing but not to the second leaf stage. |
| Misc | …TBD when it happens… Watch this space… Asparagus poke up a couple of test shoots, and Rhubarb has stems about 4″ long… |
Farmcraft… well, there are a few really nice Geraniums that could be bought…
Time to start thinking about Main Season…
