The Modern Victory Garden

I got started late yesterday afternoon and wrapped up this morning with prepping the beds in the newest section of the garden.   All the beds not planted up already were loosened and aerated using the broad fork and then lightly cultivated and raked.   Two of the beds are destined to be the 2010 tomato patch and cucumber bed.   I wanted to get these covered with red plastic mulch so that the soil would have a chance to really warm up before I plant them up mid April.   

You might have noticed in the second photo that my cat Sid was performing his usual and customary role of supervising the work being done in the garden!   He is a cherished companion and is always close at hand when I am outside working in the garden.                                               

Lots of things are emerging from the earliest of the spring plantings.   The spinach patch was planted using my planting jig for the first time.   The plants are getting their first true leaves and are getting easier to see in photos now.                    

The planting jig worked beautifully.   The plants are well spaced and there is only a few gaps where some seeds did not germinate.   I also used the planting jig to direct seed the pea patch as well.   The peas are now emerging and look like they too are going to be nicely spaced in the bed.   I think I can safely say that the planting jig design is performing well.         

The Cascadia sugar snap peas I transplanted out a week ago are thriving.   They seemed to particularly enjoy the bright sunshine we had today.

Sid was enjoying the sun too.   He was sticking close to me in the garden but taking every opportunity to soak up sun himself.                    

The swiss chard I transplanted earlier in the week all seem to be doing quite well too.                                            

Not much work to be done in the garden at the moment because I have now completed all of the spring bed prep and the planting out process will be spread out over the course of many weeks.   It’s a great time to just stroll through the garden and enjoy the new growth and take in the start of the spring bloom cycle.   Our property has quite a few really beautiful specimen sized rhododendron trees and azalea bushes.   Most of them bloom in April and May but we have a few early ones too.   Here’s the first azalea bush to bloom for 2010.                         

The first rhodie to bloom each year is really a beauty - tucked into the edge of my vegetable garden area but largely hidden by other trees and bushes.   

Sid convinced me that the rest of the afternoon should be spent sitting on the deck soaking up sunshine and admiring the blooming rhodie at the gardens edge.   Wise cat!