Spring Veggies

Well, temperatures continue to creep slowly towards the 70 degrees, but continue to elude Seattle. This has been great for the broccoli, spinach and peas, but hinders the summer veggies. The first planting of pre-soaked corn seeds has sprouted, and covering them for the first week with clear plastic appears to have provided enough warmth for growth. In the background (first pic) you can see plastic and remay covering the newly planted bush beans, but no growth yet. Future projects include removing the remaining spinach (looking a bit scraggly) and planting the second crop of corn. Also, I am going to construct a plastic tubing (plumber's pipe) mini hothouse for some bell peppers.
The secondary plot has the peas in full bloom, and the broccoli looks fantastic (no clubroot in this patch of soil). Walla walla onions are struggling along, and I learned that the wind that blows unobstructed on this spot sorely affects warm weather crops. I'll have to keep this in mind for future crops as temperature at the garden will make or break a crop's success.

Spring Veggies Planted

The plot is starting to shape up for this growing season. The peas I planted weeks ago have germinated, although not all of them. On Saturday I replanted some more for the bare spots. I'll have to thin the plants before they get too far along in order to have them spaced far enough apart to grow. Also, I planted celery starts (Fred Meyer seems to be the only place that carries them) and Walla Walla sweet onions. On the down side, the broccoli transplants are not doing very well. Some creature (probably snails or slugs) keeps trimming them and I doubt any of the transplants will reach maturity. The Swanson's-bought broccoli transplants from my neighbor are doing quite well. All in all, the plot is quickly running out of planting space. I still need a spot for green beans in another couple of months.

Ramping up for Spring

It looks like temperatures are steadily climbing (regardless of the brief appearance of snowflakes reported a couple days ago). I've started work in my plot, mostly digging out grape hyacinth and the bastard offspring of older hyacinth bulbs. These bulbs/bulblings multiple like crazy and I never seem to remove them completely in specific spots each year. Also, I find it challenging to carefully dig out deep-seated bulbs that sit on top of or near to established, permanent plants (cyclamen, fuchsia, campanula).

I planted Alderman Peas a couple weeks ago that are about to break ground. I try to get them in as early as possible since they take 120 days to mature. For the last few years I have been harvesting them in early July. But, I've happy with the results as Alderman will climb upwards of eight feet and produce excellent shelling peas.

Finally, I invested in a small hellebore (Ivory Prince) for diagonal placement to my fuchsia. One perennial will be in bloom in Summer while the other in winter. Several--rapidly multiplying-crocuses and irises will be removed in a few weeks to make room for the hellebore. I'm hoping this plant will bloom for the first time this coming December.