May's Garden (2018)

Where is May's garden?  There is not much to see other than plowed soil because the garden is still sitting on the front porch.

Everything is waiting for me to plant it.  

The month of May has been difficult, very difficult.  Bill could not get the garden plowed until the second week because the weather was too cold and wet.  Never have we been that late plowing.  It was also peak season for my job and I needed to work long hours.  Running out to water seedlings before the sun rises as I leave or after midnight when I return home was impossible. 

Today is my first day off of work in...forever? (it feels like forever), so I slipped out early this morning (in the pouring rain) to take pictures.  This is not a complaint about the rain, just an explanation as to why the pictures are gray.

Bill did the plowing, installing the trellises and spreading the grass clippings. He still has more plowing to do when the ground dries.  I hardly managed to get a few things thrown in the ground.  However, I have decided to be positive.  Perhaps the garden will do better planted later.  We shall see.

This is what we have so far.  Yard-long green beans and tomato plants are planted together to go over this trellis.  Gardening books always say not to plant beans and tomatoes together.  I don't know why but it has always worked for me.  Under the arch on either side is a pepper plant and carrots are planted in the extra space around them.  

On the back side of the arch is a fence with cucumber seedlings sprouting.  The plan is for the cucumbers to grow up the south facing fence toward the sun.  If I have timed it correctly, they will probably be finished before the green beans shade them too much overhead.  It sounds crowded but it really won't be.  The tomatoes will grow up the pole about 3 feet then stop.  I will pull the lower leaves off of the bean vine so it will not shade the tomato plants.  The bell peppers will spread out so the carrots closest to them will be harvested first.  The cucumbers will become crowded but they always die after producing heavily.  These are to be pickled so I want them to produce all at once.  By the time they are finished, the beans overhead will begin to form a deep shade and I will put a comfortable chair in the cleared cucumber spot.  It will be hot summer by then and a shady spot is always welcome.

The empty rows behind the arch will have different types of bush beans and the row on the right beside the yard will have sweet potatoes.  Last year planting sweet potatoes beside the yard worked perfectly.  When Bill mowed the grass it would be thrown on the plants and it kept them mulched.  It looks like the same spot as last year but it isn't since this garden is smaller.

At the end of the bean rows is another tall arch.  It has pole lima beans planted to go over the top.  I am undecided about what to put under it.  Dustin suggested another chair.

Behind the arch is the area where the collard greens were planted for the past two years.  A few of last year's plants are still alive and I continue to pick a few leaves.  They are bolting, look ratty, but taste fine.  In front is some metal conduit laying on top of a pile of grass.  Potatoes have been planted there and the poles mark the spot so no one will think it is a walking path.

Behind the collard greens will be watermelons and cantaloupes. They too will grow toward the sun and should fill up this whole area. The plants are ready to be transplanted from the porch but this area must be plowed again.

To the left of the beans is a row of tomatoes with carrots planted between each one.  This year I will also can carrots, instead of only eating them fresh, so I have planted more than usual.  To the left are the strawberry plants. Right now they are producing heavily and need to be picked every other day.  For me harvesting always takes precedence over planting.

The row in the center was this past winter's hoop house spot.  It is needing to be plowed but will be the spot for okra and herbs.  The area to the far left will be this coming winter's hoop houses.  I learned a long time ago to choose the spot early.  It will hold the Chinese vegetables, broccoli, cabbages and all of the cool weather vegetables which should have been planted in March.  They are still on the front porch.  Am I too late for spring vegetables, or too early for winter vegetables?  I don't know, can't figure it out, but am planting anyway.

This is the remaining few vegetables from last winter's hoop houses.  Some are still alive but it has been overharvested.  Soon I will be collecting seeds then this area will lie fallow for a while. There is a silver lining to all of the winter vegetables being picked, we have not seen imported cabbage moths in the garden. WooHoo! We do see them flying around in the field and the woods behind our house but there is nothing in the garden to entice them.  I am trying hard to be positive although being happy because you have nothing to steal is odd.

"It is too quiet around the house when Mom works long hours," sighed Scooter.  "If I look pitiful enough, maybe she will feel guilty and buy me something delicious when she cashes her big paychecks."

I miss you when you are gone.

Links mentioned above:

My Job, An Introduction

Last Month's April Garden (2018)

Next Month's June Garden (2018)

Last year's May Garden (2017)