The Vegetable Garden Beds Planted - Finally!

This last week AJ and I finally planted up the six raised garden beds at Vicki's. We got in about 13 tomatoes and three jalapeno peppers and Vicki put in cuke seed, lettuces and spinach. Unfortunately the plants Vicki put in had LOTS of age on them and were in the process of bolting. But, she has gotten a small harvest before we pull the lettuces and start again. AJ and I put in a variety of herbs into one bed, zucchini and melon in the back bed and we seeded some spinach and mesclun. Trying some varieties that are new to me this year - shallots and bulbing fennel. I watch the food network so much and the chefs on it are always using both of these so I thought I'd give them a try.
 

AJ working in the herb bed. Since the beds are raised about 6-8 inches it is a bit easier on the back working in them.

Wild Arugula - has a great nutty flavor but I find it is more persistent in the garden - almost a perennial.

The lettuce bed, you can see a couple in the back are bolting. Broccoli is lined down the center.

The finished herb bed. The "blank" area is where the shallots are planted.

A view of the beds from the greenhouse door. The back ones don't get much sun, but I'm hoping we'll get something out of them.

One of the tomato beds. These plants are all staked now but I've got to tie them up and start some sucker pruning.

More tomatoes and one Huckleberry - an annual fruiting plant related to the tomato supposedly can make a good jam or sauce if cooked up.












Today I went up to Fenton to Paul's farm and took him some plants. We're trying to strike a deal. He'll grow produce if I sell it. I'm also trying to talk him into growing cut flowers. Seems to be a great cash crop at Oakland County. Took him my miscellaneous tomatoes and some peppers, flowers for drying - celosia, strawflower, statice and an amaranth. Plus I also gave him the last of the spring broccoli crop and a flat of mixed herbs. He was very happy for the gift. Saw his seed stash that he just purchased and am hoping he'll get this stuff in and have a great garden this year. Going to take him all the leftover sweet williams and I might take him the peonies as well. Got to move out some of this older stock. May take him a few asparagus plants too.