Background Check

Seeing as this is our first vegetable garden,  we obviously rushed into it. After the fact, I thought I better do a background check if we plan on keeping these plants alive. Turns out, we are going to have to make some changes. Here we go:

Carrots: Grows in partial shade but prefers full sun. Carrots prefer cooler garden zones and do not grow well next to dill plants. Seedlings should be thinned out when 2" high and again when 6" high. Loose soil with good drainge is also important. Only small amounts of water are needed, as too much water will cause the roots to crack. Harvesting is based on size preference. So, these veggies are going to be relocated.

Zucchini: Grows best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade. Leave 3ft of space between mounds: 3 plants per mound. Watering should be up to the plant but NOT directly on the stems or foliage: avoid handling when wet (this will help prevent  powdery mildew and bacterial wilt). Harvesting begins when the Zucc is 4" long and when the skin is still tender. Again, these veggies will be relocated.

Broccoli: Grows in full sun and prefers beds that are well drained. Plant in beds 20" apart. Water constantly to keep soil moist because plants grow quickly. Harvest when buds are large and firm but not yet flowering. Cut the large central bud leaving 6" of stalk attached and any small branches alone. Smaller branches will produce smaller harvests throught the season. We did okay, Broc can stay close to home.

Tomatoes: A warm weather crop that grows in full sun. When plants are 10" tall they can be transplants to an open garden, but also grow well in containers. Water regularly to keep the soil moist and avoid un evenwatering that can cause blossom-end rot. Pick when ripe on the vine but tomatoes will also ripen indoors. These veggies are staying put for now, atleast until they get a little bigger.

The plan is to transplant some of the vegetables into the larger garden in the backyard (see below). I was nervous about this to begin with. Out of sight, out of mind-ya know? Well, here goes nothing- you gotta do what ya gotta do.

But first, there is a farmer's market tomorrow and I'm excited to see what this saturday will offer.