All filled up!

After some hardwork by husband and son, the garden expansion has been filled with dirt!

We went with a 3-way mix of topsoil, compost, and sand.

 

So next is the fun part: planting our warm weather veggies!

I apologize that some of the pictures are of bare ground--the pictures help me remember what I planted where, and I need to get the varieties down before I forget completely!

 

Bottom Terrace

 

 Between the peas and oregano:

Tenderpick green beans (in back along wall)

Royal Burgundy beans (filling in middle)

Basil 'Purple Ruffles' (left front, can barely see it in this photo)

Sweet Basil (right front, next to peas)

 

 



2 new rosemary plants (since the last one bit the dust over the winter):

Left: 'Madalene Hill'

Right: 'Salem'

Yes, they are probably way too close together.

We'll see how they do this winter.

If they're still alive next spring, I'll space them out further.

Tomatoes x 9

Okay, time for True Confessions. You ready?

Confession #1: We had a frost last week, while these were still not planted, and I did not get them covered up.

 

Surprisingly, they may pull through yet. The cherry tomatoes seem to be the strongest, as of right now.

 

Confession #2: They are planted a bit haphazardly. For some reason I was having a hard time keeping track of them all. Just when I thought I had planted all of a certain variety, I would find another, with no space to put it next to its fellows. 

I know, it's only 9 plants. Good thing there weren't any more than that!

 

Without further ado, here are the varieties, starting at bottom left and going around clockwise:

Cougar Red

Cougar Red

[tomatillo, see below]

Sun Sugar

Sun Sugar

Cougar Red

roma (middle)

Oregon Spring

Oregon Spring

Cougar Red

 

The great thing about raised beds with imported soil?

Most of these are planted at least a foot deep, so they should have awesome root systems!

 

Tomatillo

It's my first attempt at growing these, but since I make my own salsa, I thought why not?

This variety is Ground Cherry 'Little Lanterns.'

"Round, golden-orange fruit encased in papery ecru husks. Matures in 70 days."

 

Middle Terrace

Whoa, do you feel like you're tilting sideways when you see this picture? I do. Try not to get seasick.

Far left: Zucchini 'Fordhook', 1 hill: 3 seeds

 

Between zucchini and broccoli: 2 hills cucumbers

'Diva' (in back): 58 days, cukes 6-8"

'Bush Pickle' (front): 48 days, 4" long fruit

 

I hope they actually grow this year!

 

I filled in the rest of the berry patch on the top terrace, too, but that needs its own post.

 

Something that should be fun: our neighbors who share the super long retaining walls along the east side of our house have decided to plant a garden all along their bottom terrace. It's a good amount of space.

So we were out there today helping them, too.

They had enough room for 50 corn plants on one end, and a pumpkin/squash patch on the other end (with a variety of stuff in between.) They also planted 4 cantaloupe.  They have said they expect us to share the harvest with them!

They are the best neighbors ever. Seriously.

We are especially excited for the pumpkin patch. They planted white and orange mini pumpkins, a pie variety, plus a jack-o-lantern variety.  The kids are going to love picking out their own pumpkins this fall! (Assuming we can keep the bunnies away while they sprout.)