The Tomatoes Are Sprouting! Well, some of them...

So it looks like I'm having a dramatic demonstration of germination rates declining as your seeds age. I have some quite old seed packets - 5 yrs, maybe? - and some of them haven't come up at all. Others are starting to germinate. Sungolds, Yellow Pear, and Amish Paste are up. No sign of Red Cherry Large Fruited. Today I planted San Marzano, Rutgers, Brandywine, and 4th of July. Also Ping Tung Long eggplant and Husk Cherries.

Hello Sungold!

Eggplant Emergence

The Pingtung Long eggplant is starting to, well, elongate. Based on my last experience with eggplant (something like 4 measly eggplant from 5 plants) I wasn't optimistic. But these guys are already way ahead of the last attempt. Here's one of them:

Pingtung Long Eggplant

Yes, I need to weed a bit...

The purple basil the Mrs. planted is looking great.

Purple Basil

And a shot of the pattypan summer squash Bennings Green Tint.

Bennings Green Tint

Everything else is doing ok. Something (I assume deer) got at some of the zucchini and pumpkins I planted outside the fence on the back side. I didn't think they ate that stuff. Well, as a safety measure I draped some chicken wire over them. I'll use some of the old boards from last year's tomato prison to make a crude protective structure this weekend.