New Sprouters!

Jersey Devil Tomato
Golden Treasure Sweet Pepper
Pingtung Long Eggplant
Gypsy Tsygan Tomato
Hatch Chile BTW, this Hatch Chile was started from seeds I shook out of the bottom of a bag of dried red chiles I bought in Hatch on our New Mexico travel adventure. Rock!
Italian Sweet Red Pepper
Pineapple Tomato

More Tomatoes! And Artichoke!

Romanesco Artichoke
Schimmeig Creg Tomato
Sandul Moldovan Tomato

Catchin Up

Well, wow, was I sick! I had a mysterious stomach thing that first instantly laid me out (as in, one minute I was putting on my overalls to go and plant peas and the next minute I was curled up in bed practically unable to move)and then morphed into this weird alien presence in the abdomen causing all sorts of intestinal distress as well as the most incredible churning and gurgling. I swear, it sounded like there was a creature living in there and trying to fight its way out. It was miserable and nasty, and it took almost 5 full days to feel completely rid of it. I feel pretty normal now, finally, thank the heavens. I don't want to go through anything like that any time soon. Ever.
So, while I was at death's door, upstairs plant babies were springing to life. We had massive gains in the onion and tomato world, and even the first two eggplants have showed their cute little green heads! I tried to take some pictures of the actual sprouts but my camera was dying and they came out really purple---I'll try again later. For now, meet:
Amish Paste Tomato
Bedfordshire Onion
Listada De Gandia Eggplant
Purplette Onion
Ringmaster Onion



and
Hillbilly Tomato
Hahnstown Yellow Tomato
Cherokee Purple Tomato
Cannibal Tomato Eggplant

and

Walla Walla Sweet Onion
Martino's Roma Tomato

But wait, there's more!

Live Seedling Blogging

some times I find myself staring at them so intently and closely that I feel I must be embarrassing them.
But the few moments every morning and every evening that I spend with them make me feel immediately at peace.

An Exciting Development in the Tomato World

Costoluto Genovese Tomato
Just look at that thing. I love its ruffled shape. It is apparently a very, very rich tasting Italian heirloom. I can't wait.

By the end of today I think I will have some more onion news, as well as possible parsley and perhaps more tomatoes. Still nothing on the eggplant and pepper front, but that's okay. They have time.
I am driving myself crazy trying to decide if I should start any of the vining guys (cukes, squash, melons) inside. All their seed packets say "not recommended", but I did start my squashes indoors last year. Also, I think maybe if I get them going indoors it will give me more time for succession planting the cukes. As in, the cukes will take over the vine spot where the peas are going in (TODAY!!!) on a trellis in the middle of the biggest raised bed. If I start the plants indoors, I can let my peas go longer before I need to pull them up to make room.....Thoughts?
I'm committed to planting the corn, beans and squash in Three Sisters formation in hills around the garden. (not in the raised beds) I am hoping to alternate them with potato tires for a kind of vegetative/rubber fence effect. I watched a video on three sisters planting just the other day in which the woman did it super intensively (like 4 corn plants, 4 bean plants and 4 squash plants per hill) in a raised bed. I am totally down with that, but I wonder how necessary it is to start corn, beans and squash inside? Like I said before, I could spend all day puzzling over these things. And I've got work to do.
Today is a beautiful high in the sixties day after a rainy dreary yesterday. I think it is the perfect time to get in some peas, radishes, spinach, and salad greens. Whoop whoop!

The Reds Come In To Their Own

After an early start by the purple vegetables, today's sprouters are a couple of reds.

Red Burgundy Okra
and finally! the first onion!

Long Red Florence Onion. I am so psyched about this onion because the long shape of it makes sense to me as a cook.
Oh! Speaking of onions, we seem to have a few still in the garden from the sets I planted last year. I am tempted to buy some more sets and stick them all around so that there is a somewhat steady supply of onions. They also might help to keep the neighborhood cats from using the garden as a potty.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have Tomato

I am in absolute awe of

Black Krim Tomato! Jumpin off after just three days! Way to go, bud!

Also making their first appearance today are the kohlrabis

I've got a mixed packet of purple and white kohlrabi seeds so hopefully I'll have both. The purple ones look SOOOOOOO freaky! Can't wait. What nice pickles you will make.....