So much planting and transplanting!

My first artichoke is developing nicely and I could probably pick it and eat it any time now. Another smaller one is also on the way.

On May 6 I transplanted two Cal Wonder and one of the varieties in the sweet pepper mix into pots. I planted French breakfast radishes in circles near rim of pots where I will plant squashes tomorrow. I also planted a few green onions next to the Roma by the fence.

On May 8 I transplanted the best of my Gourmet Eggplants into a pot. I also planted a few cilantro and Gold Rush Asylum near the irises, which aren't too far from the black walnut tree. I planted a couple more borage in the garden -- one by the fence tomatoes and one by the Roma.

When I got to the other house I moved the pellet seedlings of basil, carnations, and Gold Rush Asylum into cups, since they were getting too big to stand much longer in only the pellets. I brought most of them home to start hardening them off in the cold frame, since it's still in the mid-forties at night.

I did learn today that one has to be very careful when using newspaper to block weeds. If it isn't weighted down well, it blows away and can cover new seedlings. And in even one day of being covered by a wandering paper, the sowbugs will finish eating a very small seedling. I discovered this had happened to my only Stupice and one Brandywine today. They were very tiny. And now there is nothing left of them at all.

It's been a very busy week in the garden.

I have made new beds on the level land at the top of the slope and planted cosmos, chamomile, green onions and Oriental greens. I doubt if any will come up, since the three days of sudden hot weather made it almost impossible to keep the seeds moist at all times. And the seeds weren't new either. The idea was to throw the seeds away somewhere and let God decide if they should grow.

I also planted some spinach and lettuce in my chard / artichoke bed, and that did sprout. You can see the small rows between the chard and lemon balm in the middle. The small rows of rocks separate the spouted spinach from the sprouted lettuce. The chard appears to be about to reseed. If you look very closely you will see a few of its children from last year. The tiny ones are between the lemon balm and the red pot. There are also a couple tucked on either side of the large artichoke. But they are hard to see.

I also transplanted a few of my baby tomatoes into their permanent homes in the raised beds and tonight I transplanted a few flowers at the other house. It remains to see how these baby plants will grow in their new homes.