Cucumbers were an ongoing challenge, initial germination wasn’t great, plants hit by early wilt (even supposedly-resistant new pickling variety), restarted seed twice indoors, tried planting last seedings in other spots around garden where they avoided wilt, but were planted too late.
Pumpkins – plants were inconsistent, with some producing well and others not.
Watermelons were awesome, 6 beautiful plants produced 6 perfect melons! (Harvested and pulled plants early to access space beside raised bed.)
Winter Squashes had a spotty year, germination was weak (soil not sterilized well enough), needed to protect fruit from critters with mesh bags, Acorn type were hit super hard with squash vine borers in vines and fruit (only harvested 1), Delicata type only had 1 plant (not many seeds left) but did fine, Honeynut plants struggled but produced some good-size and some small fruit, Butternut type did well.
Yellow Summer Squash first planting was all we had this year, plants never thrived and died back early (planted on mounds in a drought year and some borer damage), only produced 6 fruits for the season.
Zucchini first planting never thrived and died back early (planted on mounds in a drought year and some vine borer damage), second planting (3 in a large saucer) did great and produced through late October.
Vermont Field Trip
On the weekend of November 5 & 6, Elisabeth & Alan visited her brother Phil, who gardens a plot in the community garden at the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier.
Mid-Season Transition
The garden has officially begun the mid-season transition. Today we harvested the last of the spring brassicas, and replanted the bed with seedlings for our second crop of cauliflower and zucchini.
Today was also the season’s first tomato harvest, which is always a mid-season milestone. The bush beans, eggplants, peppers, and summer squashes are just coming into season as well.
And today was garlic and fava bean harvest day! We’ve also begun taking regular harvests from the kales and chard. Next week, we’ll pull the peas and replant that bed with pole beans.
Presto, change-o!
First harvest: Garden salad
Our first substantial harvest of the season was all about salad. We harvested arugula, lettuce, radishes and spinach, along with some lovely micro-greens from thinning our beets, bok choy, mustard and Swiss chard. Yum!
Coolest overalls ever!
Thanks to Nicole for brightening the garden.
Our first warm Saturday of the season
Though it’s the middle of May, today felt like summer at the garden. We enjoyed our first harvests of arugula and radishes, which we seeded in the soil last month. Next week, we’re expecting to harvest our first lettuce and spinach, which we started indoors and transplanted as seedlings.
Our new metal pea & pole bean trellis has been fitted out with twine, and looks quite fine! There are seedlings sprouting all over the garden and our warm weather seedlings are beginning their hardening off period before being planted in the soil.
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