10th Seeding

Usually by this seeding, I begin to wonder if there will be room for it all in the potager, gardens and borders;  partly because the outdoor bench area and greenhouse are full, dozens of flats sit on un-planted raised beds, and partly because the potager’s beds, borders and the other gardens are beginning to look fuller with emerging plants and expanding perennials.   This photo of the Deck Garden (a bit fuzzy because the strong winds were making everything sway) illustrates how the irises, daylilies, phlox, etc. are beginning to fill the space.  It is at this point that I always question if there should even BE seedings 10, 11 and 12!   However, there always seems to be space enough and with all the losses over the winter this year, space shouldn’t be a problem.  I think; I hope.

At this stage, the stored pile of flats and four-packs has dwindled to almost nothing as well, so it was fortunate that the weather magically cooperated.  Four-packs of “Little Gem” lettuce were set into the edges of the new strawberry bed, freeing up flats and packs, plus saving space, as originally the lettuces were destined for another bed.  In all that careful winter planning, I’d not anticipated that the strawberry bed would have lots of “wasted” space for several weeks.  It won’t be wasted now!

  In case you can’t really see the, here’s a close-up……and I swear the lettuces have already doubled in size since yesterday!

The first of the broccoli plants and cabbage transplants were were transplanted into the potager beds necessitating the moving of lots of flats into other still empty beds, but it was surprising how warm and moist the soil was underneath those flats.  The edging of violas is now in place in the potager’s two main paths and another row of lettuce was planted between the edging tulips and the garlic, thus freeing up several more flats that could be cleaned and used for this 10th seeding, which included five colors of tall zinnias, gomphrena, cosmos and the new apricot aster for the Cutting Garden.  Seeds of various summer squashes, “Minnesota Midget” cantaloupe and “Parisian” cucumbers were put directly into individual 3″ pots.  A a variety of “fancy” lettuces, the second crop of broccoli (this time “Green Magic”) and two colors of nasturtiums were seeded directly into four-packs.  Total varieties planted indoors to date:  119

Hopefully the good planting weather will continue, so more flats will be emptied, cleaned, and available for the next seeding and transplanting round.  I’ll be pulling lots of individual pots from the pole barn to use for volunteers in paths (mostly chamomile, apple mint and valerian) and excess seedlings this coming week for the garden club plant sale.  And if fortune smiles, the truck will be repaired so mulch hauling can begin if it doesn’t rain!  Hurrah!  Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the variety of daffodils, the miniature irises, and seeing all the rows of green in the potager growing a bit every day.  Hope your gardens and plants are thriving.

 

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