Of Seeds, Weeds, Concrete, and Compost

post from fauren on 16 May 2008 03:53:00 PM. © fauren

So I already owe an update on what I'm about to post since this happened nearly three weeks ago, but I can't let it go unmentioned that Eric's backyard garden has officially been planted with the first of lots of delicious things, which promise to make this summer's barbecues all the better.

I took the day off on Friday a few weeks back and headed over to help do some planting, not realizing at all that the list of things a person can plant in one afternoon is actually quite long. After maybe 3 hours, during which Eric took on the unenviable task of digging out foot-long rhizomes of Japanese Knotweed from the end of his yard, I'd planted oregano, dill, three kinds of basil, Chioggia beets, Forellenschluss lettuce, Amish snap peas, black beauty and golden zucchini squash, and swiss chard.

The bonus was seeing all the sprouts from the seeds Eric had planted a couple weeks before that; they were springing up all over the place.

Bull's blood beets

Forellenschluss lettuce

Amish snap peas

The trellis for the peas

Eric's built four raised beds this spring (one with the trellis), and I planted all the herbs in sunken containers and cinder blocks bordering his patio. Yep, this backyard is something to envy. And since I was last there, the garden's also acquired a three-stage composter and sawdust donated from a local hardware store.

The week after I planted all those seeds, we got torrential rain here in New York, which seems to have taken a toll on the zucchini seeds (it was either that or the stray cats). Luckily it's not too late to replant if need be... plus it builds character, right? If all the seeds I planted in my first attempt at vegetable gardening were successful, I'd probably just go getting big head about it.

Here's to spring and a hopeful harvest. Updates to come.