So, it’s been over a week (almost two) now that I finally got around to planting my vegetable garden. At least I got it in when the temps were cool and it wasn’t blazin’ hot, like it is at the moment. I don’t have my irrigation all set up yet, so I’ve been watering it by hand, but I’m glad to see that things are growing, and thus far there haven’t been any little critters feasting on my plants yet…. YET! *knock on wood please!*
So far I have planted: tomatoes (roma, purple, cherry, pear, big boy), peppers (bell, red, purple, yellow, orange, poblano, anaheim, jalapeno), corn (sweet, blue, red), squash (zucchini, summer squash, crookneck, patty pan), cucumbers (sweet), beans (purple, bush), radishes, beets, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, okra and I think that’s about it at the moment…. All of my plants are from seeds (mostly heirloom) that I planted myself. My garden is all organic.
You may notice all of the stakes and the mylar ribbon — it bird tape to keep the birds from feasting on my seedlings. There are also reflective pinwheels out there, too. Last year, the birds feasted on my seedlings and ate ALL of my corn, radishes, beets, okra, beans, greens and scallions. It was HORRIBLE. 🙁 Combine that with the gophers, deer and the wild turkeys — they did a good job of committing genocide on my garden. Well…. this year, the bird tape seems to be keeping the birds away and soon I will have my automatic deer sprinklers out, which worked well once we got them in last year. The castor oil granules I put down last year seem to be helping in the areas where I spread them to keep gophers away, so I’m thinking that I should definitely get some more. The cats have also been down there regularly, and I hope they are helping out. I am all for natural pest repellants.
And, yes, those are kiddie pools! There work great for planting above ground beds. These are from last year and are still working well now. There are squash in one and melons in the other. I plan to put two more on the other side of the garden with pumpkins and watermelons and such in them. They are great for keeping gophers out, plus the squash do well in them.
Aside from my above ground planters, my garden is planted in rows with furrow irrigation at the moment. When I get my irrigation system set up, it is watered with soaker drip tape on the rows and spot irrigation on the planters. I also have timers which will water it automatically for me twice a day. Right now, I’m out there every morning soaking things with hoses, and so far, nothing has wilted nor died, so I must be doing well so far.
I also have cilantro, basil, romaine, and spinach planted next to my house and just picked up a couple of blueberry plants. Here’s to a prosperous summer time!!!