Ready, Set, Grow!

Operation Garden 2012 is underway, we officially planted on May 6th this year starting mostly from nursery plants like we did last year.  Taking into account some of the lessons I learned last year from my over planting issues we put in far fewer types of plants this year.

Here's a list of what we're growing for 2012:

• Tomatoes - one small beefsteak variety, one Early Girl and three Sun Gold
• Peppers - red pepper
• Zucchini - yes I do eat them!
• Pumpkins - these were from seed like last year
• Broccoli
• Cali-flower
• Brussels Sprouts - no idea why but they seemed interesting 
• Chives
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme
• Yellow Onions
• Cabbage
• Leaf Lettuce
• Peas
• Carrots
• Radishes 
• Sweet Pea Flowers - my favorite
• Pole beans - ** still need to plant these

I took into account plant size and the sun angle this year so everything besides the chives which actually survived the winter in the garden are in new locations this year.  The kids were so excited to help get the garden ready and plant everything.  

The garden with it's winter cover of leaves

30 minutes later the kids were mixing in some new dirt

Later that afternoon everything is planted and ready to grow!

The red covers on the tomatoes and pepper plants came recommended from the nursery as a great way to give them a warmer start despite our cool conditions for late Spring.  So far they look happy and healthy in their covers.  The tomatoes were at the other end of the garden last year but I felt they shaded the other plants too much.  I also had them in two rows of three last year which made harvesting and maintaining the bushes a bit difficult so they are in an 'L' this year with the zucchini and pumpkins in front of them. 

The other big change is pea / bean / sweet pea netting that I put up.  It's hard to see in the picture but there is  a five foot net on the bamboo poles that the plants can climb up.  I didn't provide anything for these plants to climb last year until it was very obvious that they needed something and then they preformed poorly.  

Looking forward to seeing what this years garden will teach us.  Last years garden sure taught me a thing or two.