Back in Action

 Last year with the COVID and mom's declining health were not good for garden exploits, I didn't even grow any tomatoes for the first time in... 10 years maybe? But I did get set up for future garden exploits. I bought a load of cement bricks that could, from a distance, in the right light, look like stones. They make much more attractive planters than I could have managed with wood. And they will be there for years to come with little to no maintenance, which is a huge plus. And it was a nice outdoor project for me and the boys.

So now I have 5 stone planters, each about 5' x 3', suitable for raised bed gardening. I'm slowly enriching the soil with compost and leaves stolen from neighbors leaf piles left at the curb for collection. Last years crops were fairly unexciting. Zucchini, another zucchini, Kale, potatoes, and cucumbers. Zucchini did fairly well before it succumbed, as always, to bugs. Potatoes, as usual, was a fairly paltry crop. I need to do more to figure out how to make them happy. Cucumbers were nice, did not get a ton of them, but a nice supply for salads. Kale? OMG. I ate so much kale. A direct seeding of basil utterly failed. Maybe the seeds were old? Not sure where it went wrong.

I did end the season strong though with one planter loaded with garlic planted a week or two into November. They not only survived the winter, they flourished. I put down a little straw to keep the weeds at bay, and I did weed a bit once, but otherwise they are pretty contented.

Garlic looking happy.

The kale not only survived the winter, it seems happier this year. Did my first mini harvest today.

Kale going nuts.

Tomatoes are back this year for another run. They have done VERY well under lights this time around. I didn't even use the fan for airflow, but they aren't leggy. Also growing are some peppers and eggplant. Not growing are some strawberries.

Tomatoes about 45 days old +/- a week

I had enough starts that I risked putting a few out early. Four on the left are Rutgers, back right two are Brandywine, front right two are Cherokee Purple. Of course, I put them out and the weather turned briefly cold, allegedly down into the 30s. But I guess their cozy nook kept them a little protected, they seem fine.

Tomatoes in the flower nooks.

Also have some Black Cherry tomatoes growing and a planter full of basil. My next task is to get some zucchini going, and perhaps get some space cleared out in the front planter for more tomatoes and zucchini.