Mid-May

The Festina beans started coming up yesterday. I had covered them with loose soil after planting in potting soil and watering for a day. Brushed the loose soil away and there they were, about on schedult. Some of the squash seeds also came up. The little stray dog dug a couple of holes in the row. May have lost a couple of plants.

Earlier in the week, I planted into RootTrainers some seeds for fall tomatoes as an experiment. We'll see how it goes.

Wednesday, I planted out my heirloom tomatoes in the side yard: Caspian Pink, Old German, Tomande (actually a hybrid Italian green-shouldered type) and Cherokee Purple. Yesterday, one of the dogs broke off the Old German.

Twice, Troy and Maggie have come to see me as I fed Sparky and Dottie. Maggie behaved herself around Dottie. Troy didn't try to jump the fence. Don't know if Troy unlatched the gate (he used to do this all the time) or if F. left the gate unlatched.

Heat wave predicted for the weekend. F.'s lettuce is bolting. We already have white flies. After blooming all winter, the perennial Scabiosia is setting seed. Time to cut it back. Always a few challenges in the garden.

First harvest, more planting

F. spread unfinished compost under the trees a few months ago, and now we have squash and tomato volunteers. I harvested the first squash yesterday - a sad example of a de-hybridized zucchini. Of course, it was still edible, but it had a yellow/green mottled color, smooth skin (don't think the coloration was due to a virus), and it was tender but a bit pithy.

I also planted Festina beans and summer squashes - Magda (Lebanese-style zucchini - my favorite), a dark look-alike, Burpee's Sweet Zuke (need a knife for harvest), Tigress (virus resistant), Zephyr, Precious II straightneck and Dixie straightneck. Plus Butter Scallop, Peter Pan and a second yellow scallop. And round zucchinis - Eight Ball, Cue Ball and Round (a medium-green heirloom)

Today, the first Romanette and/or Romano Gold which I planted last week broke through the soil.

Also planted tomatoes for David's Mom - day before Mother's Day.

More tomatoes, Seeds for Spring

On the second of May (late here) I planted Romanette and Romano Gold beans. If I don't get some things in the ground, F. will cover the garden with his winter squashes. We can't afford the water, and we would always see him out there fighting with squash bugs.

Orchard Supply had heirloom tomato plants in stock last week. An Anna Russian (oxheart) went to David's parents. I have a Cherokee Purple and a Caspian Pink. I'm going to try grafting in a Big Beef rootstock to see if it makes a difference as far as disease resistancce and vigor. I killed my Porter Dark Pink Cherry somehow.

Today, I sent Mom seeds so that she would be ready to plant after Mother's Day - the typical safe date where she is:

Fortex pole beans

Magda hybrid Lebanese-style Zucchini (bred in France)
Sweet Zuke - a look-alike to the above in dark green - you need a knife for harvest to prevent broken fruits.
Zephyr hybrid - a remarkable summer squash from Johnny's with a little winter squash heritage
Precious II hybrid yellow straightneck squash

Ogen (Ha-Ogen, Israel) melon. I sent some of these seeds to a guy in the Midwest recently. He says that Ha-Ogen is an Israeli Kibbutz. He's been there. He was excited.

Trocadero hybrid Charentais melon

Cool Breeze hybrid gherkin
Diva hybrid cucumber

Both the above cucumbers are "burpless" all-female varieties. If not pollinated, they bear seedless cucumbers. Cool Breeze is a bumpy little European pickling type. Dive is a Middle-Eastern Beit-Alpha type.

Nero di Toscano kale - a tall, dark kale
Piricicaba broccoli - named after a river in Brazil. Heat-tolerant with thin, sweet stems.

I'll have to order some Sweet Success cucumbers for Mom. They're her favorite.

I found a Utah seed supplier with a Utah heirloom tomato called, "Purple Passion". It came from Kayesville. Early for an heirloom beefsteak type. Think I'll order some seeds for next year.