The status of the veggie gardens

OK, my last post for today. I want to write down what I have done so far this year as far as planting the veggie gardens and what is going where. In the upper raised bed in the back, I have so far planted one wide row of peas (with maybe 2 dozen starts bought at the store). I have also put in two bundles of Walla Walla sweet onion transplants. Some may think that is early, but I'm giving it a go. Today I planted my carrot seeds, using a unique method creating my own paper towel seed tapes. I got this idea from Dick Raymond's book Joy of Gardening (Garden Way Book), which is my veggie gardening bible. (And if anyone knows where to get a hold of his In-Row Weeder tool, please let me know!) In the past, my carrots have always been a magnet to weeds, and by using the seed tapes, they have already sprouted when you plant them, so hopefully they will beet out the weeds, at least some of them! Watch for a more detailed post soon on the process of doing this. I took photo's today and will try and post a how-to guide tomorrow. I also primarily use the wide row method of gardening that Dick Raymond also covers in this book. I cannot recommend this book enough as it covers everything from his favorite varieties of vegetable, to how much to plant per person, to how to design a root cellar and the list goes on.

I have also done the seed tape method for my parsnips, beets, turnips and rutabagas. And will have them all in by weeks end. I also have a few shallots I want to put in this bed and then it will be full for the time being.

The second back veggie bed will have my bush beans, peppers, bunching onions, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, lettuces and greens. None have been planted yet. I tried doing cabbage and brussel sprouts from seed, but am not having much luck with them. I planted them about 2 weeks ago in flats, and only about half, maybe less, actually sprouted, and most have gone leggy and dampened off. I have quite a few starts I bought for cabbage, brussel sprouts and broccoli I need to get in. I also have a few lettuce starts and the leeks. I want to get all this in the ground this week. It's been rainy and in the high 40's this week, so not really tempting me to get out there. Tomorrow and Thursday are supposed to be drier and in the 50's, so hoping to get a lot done.

The front veggie garden. This was planned to put those larger space-taker-upper plants. In Dick Raymond's book, he has three garden plans. A salad garden, a summer garden and a huge Eat and Store Garden. My garden is only about half the size of his Eat and Store Garden, but hopefully it will do. The garden is 25'x70' with a 5' path around it inside the fence. So far, I have only put in one row of asparagus. I have ready to go in some onion sets and potatos. It will have one row of onions, 3 rows of potatos. I will do one row of potatos now for some early ones, and two more rows next month in hopes to be able to put some potatoes away next fall. This garden will also have my vine crops including cucumbers, summer squashes, winter squashes, pumpkins. It will also have my corn, hopefully 12 rows of it! I am hoping to do another row or two of peas as well but I need to get them in yesterday! They can easily go in between the pumpkin rows since they won't take up much space until at least mid-summer. I may also through more beans in as well.

I plan to do tomatoes in pots this year. We have a short cool season, and I have never done well with them. I get some, but never a ton. I remember my grandpa's garden back in Massachusetts gowing up, with the tomatoes lining every horizontal surface and eating them like candy. How I wish! But it's not to be out here in the Pacific Northwest. I hope to have 10-12 pots and will be happy to get what I get.

I think that covers my veggie plans to date. So much to do and so little time!
The goal is to not only feed us while the produce is fresh, but to also put alot away. I'm hoping to get a big upright freezer next month and make my first attempt at canning this summer as well. We have an unfinished walk out basement, and I don't know that we'll get a proper root cellar done this year, but I'd be happy to put some winter squashes and root crops away, even if it just gets us into early winter. Anyway, those are the goals. Wish me well! And don't forget to check out Dick Raymond's book below!