Haley's Comet News and Views: The Garden Chronicles May 30, 2011

Memorial Day weekend, although wet and rainy, stayed dry enough for planting the garden. The Brussels sprouts, cabbages, and ground cherries are now in the ground after their 8-week start in the hot house. The tomato plants continue to thrive, and the squash and cucumber plants continue to struggle. I planted the rest of the seeds directly in the ground to ensure that something comes of the squash and cucumbers this summer. This plot now has been seeded with carrots, kale, kohlrabi, and leaf lettuce.

Tomatoes look great!

The lettuce planted a month ago is just about ready to harvest. This 30-day variety is perfect for starting the season early.

The rhubarb expanded this spring and is very early. I will harvest some tomorrow for a friend whose wife bakes pies.

Black currants are starting to form. All three currant bushes look great. We will have an abundance of currants in June/July (black, red, and champagne).

The lily of the valley is so fragrant. They expanded into areas of the garden where they are a potential lawn replacement, and we need to decide whether to let it go or beat it back.

These are tiny apricots starting to form. We will have an abundant harvest of apricots again this summer.

These onions are starting to look like Egyptian onions after all. Very easy to grow, and they are perennials.

This plot is now planted with bush beans, Swiss chard, dill, and cilantro. Left some space for the sweet potatoes that should be arriving by mail in the next few days. Behind the vegetable plot, the strawberries are flowering and forming fruit. They should be ready to eat in a few weeks.

In the front yard, a border of black raspberries is doing remarkably well. Planted last summer, these are now forming flower buds and starting to spread. We can just taste sweet black raspberry jam!