I like imagining my garden (or as is the case here in Alexandria, gardens) is a sort of empire and I need to keep track of the many, various, diverse plants and their situations.\u00a0 In that light, here is a partial list of plants I’ve grown or am growing this year with a word or two about how they’re doing.<\/p>\n
Radishes<\/strong> – Beautiful to watch them grow, red globes peeking above the ground, they grew well then turned woody, equally fast.\u00a0 Wish I liked them. To Be Continued<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I like imagining my garden (or as is the case here in Alexandria, gardens) is a sort of empire and I need to keep track of the many, various, diverse plants and their situations.\u00a0 In that light, here is a … Continue reading
\nSpinach<\/strong> – A decent crop but not quite as much as last year. Planted three times as much but got equal or less than last year.\u00a0 What I planted last fall did the best.\u00a0 Loved eating it for Saturday breakfast with eggs and bacon.
\nChard<\/strong> – It appears as if something is eating it, but just nibbling.\u00a0 Maybe a deer?\u00a0 We’ve had a few messes so far.
\nLettuce<\/strong> – Just finishing the last of it, a good long productive season.\u00a0 Wish I’d planted more; we never got tired of eating it.\u00a0 Odd-looking, green and red mottled Speckled Trout Romaine did well.\u00a0 Red leaf was very vigorous.\u00a0 Stumbled on a very nice curly green leaf variety that stayed tasty and didn’t bolt, until just about now, later June.
\nGarlic<\/strong> – Tops are starting to die back now but they grew extremely well.\u00a0 Hoping the cool, wet spring encouraged large bulbs, that the bottoms will be as glorious as the tops.\u00a0\u00a0
\nOnions<\/strong> – Didn’t plant Walla Walla seeds nor purple sets early enough.\u00a0 Next year, plant in early spring with lettuce.\u00a0 Enjoyed some green onions.\u00a0 Hope to get some dried.\u00a0 Egyptian (Walking) Onions struttin’ their stuff all over the place.\u00a0 So pretty to watch them form their aerial bulbs, then lower them gracefully onto the soil to form a new colony.
\nLeeks<\/strong> – Started from seeds, they’re doing well.\u00a0 Not sure I started them early enough either.\u00a0 Or maybe they take months?\u00a0 Possibly should plant in the fall.
\nBok Choi<\/strong> – Planted three remaining seeds from a packet I bought two years ago.\u00a0 Produced three plants precisely.\u00a0 Did I say coles were tough for me?\u00a0 Not Bok Choi.
\nBroccoli<\/strong> – One of the pleasant surprises of the spring, my Piracicaba<\/a> broccoli did beautifully.\u00a0 I’m going to pull it soon since it isn’t producing much any more and because evil bugs I don’t know how to battle have arrived, but I don’t care.\u00a0 We ate a lot of broccoli, far more than I ever imagined.\u00a0 Tremendous fun watching it go from tiny pin-head seed to two foot plant with foot-long, dusky green leaves.
\nBeans<\/strong> – Healthy green bush bean plants are beginning to form buds.\u00a0 Planted one green and one wax variety, Dragon’s Tongue.\u00a0 Some volunteer pole beans are growing in Smith, a fun and amazing thing.\u00a0 Didn’t plant beans there this year because of a really bad bean beetle problem last year.\u00a0 I’m letting the vigorous vines grow, propping them on a tomato cage, a pole I stuck in the ground, and a couple are growing on a sunflower plant and a stalk of corn.\u00a0 We’ll see.
\nCucumbers<\/strong> – Starting to flower.\u00a0 A few plants in Smith developing wilt.\u00a0 Need to find an organic cure for that.\u00a0 The Muncher variety in the Lorelei look lovely.\u00a0 May plant a bush variety at the base of okra I intend to plant where the broccoli is now.
\nCorn<\/strong> – I’ve gardened since I was 15 (I’m nearly 52 now) and I’ve never, ever grown corn.\u00a0 Shame on me.\u00a0 Three staggered plantings, all doing well.\u00a0 The first is thigh high.\u00a0 Stunning how fast it grows.\u00a0 Corn stalks have a presence.<\/p>\n