Garden Helpers

I am happy to report that one of my garden beds is now sown. We had so much fun! Daniel and his friend JT were amazing help with the planting. You can see them covering the row of peas with dirt after they put each seed carefully into place. I was impressed at the care that each of them took to give their seed a cozy spot in the row making sure that there was just enough space in between.

I ended up planting cabbage, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, onions, arugula, spinach, mustard, turnips, rutabagas, and peas. In a few weeks I'll be sowing the other bed with green beans, more peas, squash, radishes, cucumbers, and maybe some melons. Cantelope and watermelon are my kid's favorites. I'm looking forward to enjoying fresh produce from the convenience of my backyard.

You probably noticed my shabby little cabbage transplants at the bottom of the picture. I think they will be alright after a few days basking in the warm sunlight and soaking up the replenishing rain which we're expecting tomorrow. Honestly, we had a pretty severe cold front come through a couple weeks ago, just before I was ready to plant them. I had forgotten that I left them on our back patio exposed to the frost. It is hard for me to imagine now that two weeks ago we had temperatures in the 20's... I'm grateful for this February thaw!

My favorite snack lately? Cottage cheese and fruit. Any fruit. Today it was mandarin oranges, but pineapple is especially delicious, too. And I can hardly wait until my berry plants begin producing! Fresh blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries will be on the menu soon. I also have some grape transplants to place in my little garden. I just have to figure out what kind of trellis to build before they will inhabit their new home. Any suggestions?