"enigma" wrote

the creek has lots of room yet before it floods.

The water was about a foot higher the day prior while it was raining. I'm
not concerned so much about water rising over the banks as I am the rocks
washing away. Those are now larger rocks than those from the year before,
they seem to be holding, and greenery has already begun to grow in between
which will further act to stabilize.

are you starting any seeds yet, or do you buy started plants? what
are you putting in the garden this year?
lee

I mostly sow vegetable seeds directly into the garden. I also buy some few
flats of plants like herbs and others that I don't want to grow too many,
like cabbage. I start very few seeds for transplant. I've found that seeds
sown directly into the ground catch up with, surpass, and are healthier than
those that are sown in pots and transplanted.... transplanting often causes
shock and weakens vegetable plants making them suseptible to disease... some
never recover and soon the growing season ends so they produce little to
nothing.

I plant mostly the same crops each year, just different varieties; tomatoes,
cukes, peppers (sweet and hot), summer squash, winter squash, lettuces,
cabbage, green beans, snow/sugar peas, okra, various greens, and others that
I'll decide last minute. Each year I'll try a few vegetables I haven't
planted in a while; last year it was celery, beets, turnips, and bulb
fennel... once more none were worth the trouble so I won't try those again.
I also trade with my neighbor, he plants tons of garlic, onions, and
potatoes... he also puts in a a huge pumpkin/gourd patch for all the
nieces/nephews, so I get a few of those too. I'm thinking of putting in
four more fruit trees, 2 pear, 2 nectarine... just have to choose the spot
and consider it's four more to fence and mow around.