Hands in the Dirt

I just returned from my little garden plot--first visit of the year!  The gardens officially opened on April 22, but I (lazily) didn't feel like braving some of the chilly and rainy weather this week.  Today was in the high 60s, so I spent as much time as possible outside, running errands all over the neighborhood.  I capped off the day with the garden visit.

When I got to the garden, I decided not to disturb the dirt in the plot at all; I just laid a few inches of compost on top.  The dirt felt crumbly and not as packed as I thought it might be.  I then restrung my twine through last year's eyebolts, so that my square feet are clearly delineated.  I planted:

-Two broccoli sprouts, one each to a square.  I didn't harden them off first, so there's a chance they won't make it.  I saved some sprouts just in case.
-Parsnips and radishes in two squares.  I sowed them in furrows together, four furrows in each square.  They should be spaced 1/2" apart, but I just kind of eyeballed.  They'll figure it out.  This is my first time planting either, but I've read that they grow well together.  The radishes are ready in 30 days, and their little bulbs help the parsnips space out a little better.  Once you pull the radishes, the parsnips continue for another 90 days.  Theoretically, you can overwinter parsnips and carrots--just pull the suckers out of the ground when you are ready to eat them--but our gardens close in November.  Also, I was suprised by the way parsnip seeds look--like flat, papery pumpkins.  Seeing a seed and knowing what kind of plant it creates is rather mind-boggling.  Unless it's a bean or pea, there's often little relation.
-Carrots in two squares.  I made four furrows and lightly sowed these.  Carrot seeds are tiny!
-Sugar snap peas in two squares.  I made three furrows in each square, and placed four peas in each furrow.
-Shelling peas. Same as above.

I forgot to bring the borage sprouts with me, but they are ready for transplant as well.  Next visit!

Next up:  beans go in the ground around May 1.  I just picked up some soil and jiffy pots today, so I'll be up-planting my tomatoes and eggplants shortly.  The hot crops (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers) will be ready to go in the ground May 15 in these parts, but they need an interim, larger container before transplanting.  I will also be filling my salad bowl and sowing soon.  I want to put a kale plant in the middle, three chard in a triangle around that, spinach in a circle around that, and lettuce around the outside.  Hopefully it will produce nicely.  I will be putting this bown in my lower deck area, where there is more shade.  I am beginning to suspect that my windowbox is actually ill-placed (no shade) for lettuce, even at the beginning of the season.  I'll see if I can get some container plants--squash and tomatoes--in there instead, and some herbs that will love the sun.

As for my other plants, the basil is beginning to look like basil and the spinach is starting to look like spinach!  Which means they are growing a second set of leaves, or "true" leaves.  Everything else seems pretty healthy.  It's all growing along.

Happy gardening!