A spring garden walk with a camera

Yesterday evening I wandered among the beds, stopping to observe a little more than usual; I have to figure out how I’m going to fit everything in when the summer planting cranks up in a few weeks. I added several more beds over the winter but (as usual) am probably more ambitious than I should be with everything I want to get into the ground this year.

Anyway……. I lugged the camera along and this is some of what I found.

A fast growing asparagus forest

Ruby red and Fordhook giant varieties of swiss chard

A peak patch of prolific post-winter lettuce

A border of spinach that was planted last September; this line sprouted but was soon dominated by broccoli plants that robbed it of the last of the autumn sun. I’ve learned spinach is amazingly hardy and extremely patient; given a chance it will rise from the dead.

And a final spring sowing of the same:

In the picture above you can see the sugar snap peas planted under the green wire trellis; if you look closely you’ll notice something with broader leaves that doesn’t belong.

As I rearranged the beds I moved the soil along with the beds. It would appear that along the way a small potato tuber from last summer was missed and has now taken advantage of the opportunity spring is providing. There are a couple in this bed that against my better judgment I will let live to see what comes of them.
The tater invaders:

One of the last clumps of Arugula leftover from fall is going to seed but was sheltering a surprise – a couple of the smaller more delicately flavored variety which I had planted at the same time. If it reminds you of a dandelion it is for good reason; they are of the same family (cousins or something perhaps).

And finally, back in the main “winter covered”, in the middle of what is now a jungle of lettuce, chard and spinach, I discovered that I had missed a couple of the french breakfast radishes. What gave them away were the tall stalks they have developed as they move to seed. The little buggers are usually nice and delicate looking but at this point they appear a little long in the tooth:

And finally, rosemary blooms; they are small and well down the stems in the middle of the plant. Who knew? 😉