Around the Garden this Week

The garden seems perpetually covered in rain drops this week. In some ways, I don't mind so much as I think the garden tends to be at its prettiest right after a rain storm. Here's a quick update on how things are looking this week. In no particular order:

On Sunday, I made a pea trellis out of wooden stakes and some leftover wire fencing. I like being able to recycle materials in the garden. Both my shell and snow peas germinated really well this year. In front of them, I sowed bush beans (Contender and Dragon's Tongue) and edamame (Envy) last week. With the cold and wet weather we've had lately, I don't have much hope that they will germinate well.


I also used some dead branches to prop up this planting of shell peas. I used this method last year and it worked out well for me. Plus, I think it looks pretty.


My broccoli and savoy cabbage are starting to really grow now. It always amazes me how certain plants will look for weeks as if they're not growing at all and then suddenly take off.


My overwintered scallions are sending up flower stalks. I'll be interested to see how they look.


My overwintered sage is also flowering at the moment. The beautiful purple flower buds also have an intense sage scent. Maybe I'll make a flavored oil or vinegar out of them.


The beets are growing rather slowly. I'm just glad the garden rodents and bugs are leaving them alone. I'm trying to do successive sowings to maintain a steady supply of beets this year.

Finally, I had planted some Seascape strawberry crowns a few weeks ago. Seascape is a day-neutral variety that should produce fruit all summer and into the fall. The plants are starting to flower already. However, I'll have to pull all of them off for at least the next six weeks so that the plants can put all of their energy into growing healthy roots and leaves.