Just doing a quick check in on the seedlings that were transplanted out on March 31st and I have to say — things are looking really good out here!
Starting over by the compost bin with my sweet peas. If you’ve been following along you know that my first round of sweet peas did not make it. I had started them, put them outside to begin hardening off, forgot them out there, and it was still cold. They did not recover. So I started another round from seed and they did well. This time I dug a little trench, filled it with some compost, and planted them directly in the cardboard rolls — either toilet paper or paper towel rolls — just put the whole thing right in the ground. They were transplanted out on March 31st and they are doing well!
Next up are my tomato seedlings. I have the indeterminate variety which means there’s really no telling how tall they’ll get. Last growing season mine went up about eight feet and I’m expecting the same from these. So instead of using tomato cages this time I’m growing them along a ladder mesh trellis that I picked up from Home Depot — about $5 per piece. I have two pieces and a tomato seedling at each end. The goal is to train them to grow up and arch over the trellis. We’ll see how it goes but they are looking good so far!
My tomatillos, purple and green tomatoes, and pepper plants were all transplanted on the 31st as well and they are doing good. And can we talk about these overwintered snapdragons for a second? I just left them in the beds, never pulled them, and they are looking so beautiful right now. I was a little concerned about them at one point but they pulled through!
I also spotted one of those orb weaver spiders on one of my seedlings. They’re supposed to be good for the garden so I’m leaving it alone — I just ask that it stays somewhere I don’t have to move it out of my way! 😄
My strawberries that I picked up from Lowe’s already have little strawberries forming which is so exciting. The one thing I’m missing is straw around them to help keep the soil moist. I need to get on that.
Now the bachelor buttons — in a prior video I mentioned I probably wouldn’t grow them again because they grew so slow. But now that I’m seeing these pops of blue in the garden I may have to change my mind about that. They are really adding something out here.
And my ranunculus — we have our first bloom and she is a beauty! This was my first time growing them from corms and I am so happy with how they turned out. There is a prior video where I go into more detail about starting them if you want to check that out.
The scarlet runner bean is looking so much happier now that it’s out of the cell tray and in its container. I do need to add a little more soil but my main goal at the time was just to get it transplanted because it was looking so sad inside. The plan is still to get a cattle panel in place for it to vine up and over.
My pansies have taken a little hit and definitely need some water. And a few other things have gone to seed but that’s okay — there is still beauty in all of this!
The lettuce has bolted but I have my harvesting basket out here today so I am finally going to get to that. I’ve mentioned it in too many videos now to not follow through! 😄
As always, we are learning as we grow. Chat with you soon! 🌱