The Modern Victory Garden

April is coming to a close and I am well into the spring planting up process in the garden.   Most beds are now planted up with the spring and summer crops, with the exception that I have yet to do the cucurbit family plants, beans (pole and bush), corn, peppers, basil, parsnips, and the last big summer patch of carrots.   The peppers, cucurbit plants, and the basil are already started and well grown, so they are just waiting for the right time to go into the ground.   The squash, cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins just recently moved out to the unheated greenhouse to begin the hardening off process.                                      

The peppers are still in the house under the grow lights.   I have to say these are some of the nicest pepper starts I have ever grown. They are just wicked big and believe it or not they are loaded with flowers ….          

…and peppers are forming already!                         

These will end up in the greenhouse planted in containers ultimately - where they will enjoy a warmer more protected environment than the outdoor beds can provide.                          

The tomatoes were planted up last Saturday and a grow tunnel cover was placed over them to provide warmth and protection during this early spring period.   They settled right in, but I was a little worried the past two nights as temps dipped down to 38 and 39 degrees. This evening I did a check on them and they are doing just fine (amazingly enough!).   They were well prepared and hardened off before I planted them out, which is a critical part of why they were fine, plus the tunnel’s passive solar and insulated air space provides just enough protection that the plants can weather through less than ideal conditions.   The plants will be happier when the temps warm back up to normal levels again in the next day or so (forecasted to occur anyway) but they look good.                          

The turnips are up and so are the radishes and the pea patch is getting positively green.                                  

The greens got a shot of energy from the one-day of glorious sunshine we got last Saturday.   Its amazing what just a little warmth and sunshine will do for fast growing greens.   The lettuces are now ready for some harvesting and I am looking forward to more frequent lettuce based salads.   Not to be outshone, the chinese cabbages and pac choi are getting good sized too.                              

Almost immediately after taking that last picture, I harvested some of those pac choi plants for the evening meal prep.                    

My good friend and garden helper (Sidney) is standing guard over the harvest in case some rogue birds or other evil greens stealing demons should storm us for the harvest bounty.   He’s always helping out in his own cat fashion - good fellow that he is!                    

Laura

kitsapfreedomgardener