Working In The Garden

Taking time off from WORK to work in the garden.  The major crop here at Chez Joanne is the weeds.  I covered one raised bed (5 by 8 feet) with black landscape fabric and cut little squares and planted 20 pepper plants.  Ace and New Ace.  They are your basic green peppers that mature into a nice red pepper.  Like the ones in the center segment of today's picture. I initially bought New Ace but later saw the regular Ace seedlings and got them.  That's why there are 20. I think I like regular old Ace.

I add about a Tablespoon of sulfur, some Epsom salts, some quick to dissolve lime, and Osmocote 6 month granules to each plant.  I also go back and water the transplants with Plant Starter which helps new transplants settle in and make new roots.  I like to transplant at about 4 pm so the new plants don't have to deal with the hot sun until the next day.  Saves them from serious wilting which can be fatal. Plant Starter smells like B vitamins.

My seedlings (I started them myself from seeds) are growing nicely.  Outside under a row cover on nice days and under lights in the house on dark, wet or cold days.  Since we are starved for rain here in Maine--it's usually cold days.

G and I dug around in the garage and found some nice large pieces of black landscape cloth.  I'll be using those pieces when I plant my squashes and cucumber seedlings.  I also want to plant potatoes and green beans.  Then I will be nearly finished.  Still have to replant carrots. I also got about 15 leek seedlings planted in the onion and garlic bed and it looks like a few scallion seedlings are coming up.  My arugula has gone to seed but that's okay with me as I like it sautéed with onion in a frittata-- so old and really strong tasting is okay.

I made a batch of Orangette's Granola #5 this morning.  Do use the entire cup of maple syrup called for in the recipe.  I had a few spoonfuls before heading out to the garden.  It's very good.  I also baked a Rhubarb Custard Pie.  Old fashioned and tart.  But delicious.  I now have three large bags of frozen rhubarb in the freezer and we saw the roadside table set up---I have my cash money and I'll be buying Maine strawberries in the next few days---- to make jam.  Strawberry Rhubarb Jam.  I also need to buy the gigantic bag of sugar for all the jam making in the next month or 2.  Blueberries.  And if there are "too many" blackberries--I'll make jam out of them as well.  But I love blackberries with my yogurt. Too many blackberries is impossible to imagine.

I have only two boxes of TJ's Bran Flakes left.  Which means by the end of June I need to have another breakfast cereal to eat.  Or, since it's summer I could go over to the dark side and have Smoothies.  Easy enough to do since I won't be working in July and August.  Not working at the greenhouse job.  Trial Retirement.  Seeing if I can stay at home and be happy.  Wish me luck.  I think I'm going to like it.........