the garden, part two

We now have most of the garden planted; the dad spent several hours each day over the long weekend getting as much in the ground as he could. And with any luck, the heavy downpours that we have had every day since hasn’t washed away all of the seed.

Fortunately he likes this part of gardening. The part where we slack off a bit is the fine art of maintenance. We’re not big on keeping it beautiful. At the beginning of the season we do a little hoeing and weeding, but we slack off rather quickly. The garden is planted far enough away and out of sight of visiting eyes that we don’t have to keep it beautiful. We plant in quantity and plant hoping to have good results, but really don’t do it out of love of gardening. We just like the food. We don’t have beautiful climbing spots for the cucumbers or cages for the tomatoes. We are definitely low maintenance gardeners.

Just to add to my list of seeds, I have a list of purchased seedlings for us to refer back to for next year’s effort. The dad planted 25 lbs of  red and white seed potatoes (Kenebec red and unknown white variety) and has saved 25 lbs more to plant later (to keep up a steady supply of small new potatoes). He also planted Dutch and multiplier onions and shallots. And then there are the others:

Tomatoes:

• Beefsteak
• Roma
• San Marzano
• Tiny Tim
• Sweet 100 Cherry
• Jet Star

Peppers:

• California Green Pepper
• Early Red Pepper
• Yellow Belle
• Long Slim Cayenne
• Ring of Fire

Raspberries:

• Tulamen
• Boyne

signs of spring

Our bulbs have all come out – hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, and some other things whose name only my mother-in-law (the serious gardener) knows.

Asparagus from a neighbour’s garden on the grill (no, I didn’t pinch it under cover of darkness – it was a nice present).

And finally, the dad, out cultivating the vegetable patch at 8 o’clock at night. He has been itching to get it planted.

seed order

We made it through an emotional weekend. After the Tribute of Life on Saturday there was a dinner and get-together at our house for 50 or so family and friends. It was a good opportunity for locals and out-of-towners to visit and reminisce and have some food. A few good friends stayed the night and helped tuck the dad into bed later – it had been an emotional day for him, complete with a speech in front of more than 250 people, so he needed a little unwinding time.

Today we cleaned up, the kids did a complete clean out of the barn and there was even a chance for a nap. I sorted through the seed order and am going to use this space to write them down. Last year I neglected to record anything and lost the packing slip, so I am leaving myself a list here where I can find it again when ordering time comes around next year. I am pretty good at keeping records, but lousy at remembering where I put them.

We’ll still have to purchase our seed potatoes, green pepper and hot pepper plants, tomatoes in several varieties and some onion sets, but this will be a good start. Next weekend we’ll start planting some seed.

2013 William Dam Seed Order:

Basil – Italian Large Leaf Organic / Sweet Basil

Beans (bush) – Provider

Brussels Sprouts – Jade Cross Hybrid

Carrots – Nelson Hybrid / Baltimore Hybrid

Cucumber – Eureka Hybrid & Sweet Success Hybrid

Dill – Bouquet

Lettuce – Great Lakes 659 / Buttercrunch / Bon Vivant Salad Mix / Pinares

Melons – Diplomat Hybrid / Halona Hybrid

Onions – Ramrod / Camelot Hybrid

Parsley – Green Pearl Organic

Peas – Lincoln

Pumpkins – Dill’s Atlantic Giant / Mustang Hybrid / Spooktacular Hybrid

Radish – Raxe

Rosemary

Sage

Spinach – Space Hybrid

Sunflower (Helianthus) – Mammoth Russian

Watermelon – Jade Star Hybrid, Full Lucky Hybrid

Zucchini – Spineless Beauty Hybrid

Leek – Jolant