Bean Identity Quandry

I know I planted limas. However, I did not label them. I've also planted bush green beans. I noticed today that I finally had some beans in the garden - but do not know if they are immature limas - or small green beans... The obvious solution is to just let them keep growing - but I so want to have beans of my own..

I don't think any of the parsnips I planted between the beans have germinated. I know they are supposed to have a long germ time - but I think they might not happen. As the carrots also didn't happen this year - it has me wondering about the middle of my garden.

Smack my head moment.

I went out into the evening heat (and mosquitoes), and tried to reduce the weeds in the veg garden. And as I was pulling the weeds from what was supposed to be the carrot row - a single remaining carrot 6 inches south has me thinking I hoed under the wrong row. Then, again I did let some old carrots go to seed last year. And somehow in my new compost bin there were two healthy tomato plants (that I dug out and planted).

I had no plants in the middle of my pea rows. But lots of ants. Ants that seemed to still be swarming up the weeds to bite...

So I'm thinking of planting my remaining pepper plants there.

I had rotten luck trying to plant my remaining yellow squash seedlings - all 3 stems snapped as I was just picking up the plants (they had gotten tangled on the cucumbers). The cucumbers survived planting.

The lemon balm and tarragon were getting out of control - so I gave both plants a severe haircut - and then discovered the oregano in between will need trimmed tomorrow too.. I think I'm going to look for a dessert recipe for the tarragon (I've tried pork and chicken and don't really like seafood). And try to see if Martha Stewart ever published her lemon balm -ade recipe. As it is I still threw most of the clippings on the compost.

I did try to assemble a "box" to hold in soil around my potatoes, but the rechargeable drill died while drilling the first hole. Hopefully it wasn't charged long enough - because new batteries cost more than a new drill.

Wacky weather...

People have been saying that this spring is the coolest and wettest since the 1920s, but that further south in Indiana they have had it a bit wetter, so we're better off up here...

My peas had really poor germination. Especially since I was using relatively fresh seed. So I've planted a row of limas, and half a row of green beans where there should be peas. I got a packet of innocolant for the first time, and sprinkled the new seeds, just in case. I guess I should be happy, since I'm short on space, but I really like fresh peas so much more than beans... Guess I'll have to try for a fall crop.

I've gotten out the edger, and so far have about 2 sq feet de-sodded. And planted a tomato plant there. And topped it off with a bag of composted manure. (Grow baby, grow)I've got quite a bit more to go. But it's cool at least. I figure I'll stick the shallots I got in the Lowe's 1/2 price bin in the ground next to the onions, and then de-sod until it rains. Need to get more beans in.

Happy Sunday.

The Dangers of Reading Garden Books...

I hit the library shelves, yet again, for my spring fix of gardening books. 635. 715. Some scattered biographies that I haven't yet found... So I found there were few technique books I haven't already read, so I went to the musing gardener books. This is quite dangerous as when the writer waxes on about a plant they love - I start to think maybe I should try that too.. Bitten in the New York Times, led to me planting beets for the first time - though I don' t have any seedlings so perhaps I'll have to try again.

And now a piece waxing on about lima beans of all things has me wondering about growing them. I have old seed, that I got a few years back, but the piece went on about vine limas being superior so I've been taking another look at the seed racks to see if anyone has those. But no limas have yet to be spotted.

Another cart full of daylillies put out by the back fence. Need more mulch, and newspaper, and soil. I have some tame yellow daylillies that I'd like to plop where some of the oranges were - but I think annuals would be more prudent. Easier to tell the difference between them and resurging daylillies. But I do have some yarrow, sedum, and sundrops I could plop in. Who knows - perhaps the sundrops could fight off any comers... :)

Sometimes the plant you want most is the one you can't have.

This year, for my veg garden there are a few musts - zucchini, yellow squash, peas, green beans, and 'Mortgage Lifter' tomatoes. There are a couple things I would still like: ground cherry, and Rosa Bianca eggplant. Unfortunately, the former doesn't seem to be available as a plant locally (and Seed Savers is out), and the latter was sold out at B's. I haven't had much luck with eggplant - last year they didn't even set fruit, and I've not made it in a way that makes me choose it yet. But I've been reading and I had the seeds from a couple years ago... But not a single seedling.

So. I bought another variety, via the hardware store. I'm going to try them in pots - maybe that will help - maybe not.