Veggie Garden Update



Pat plants some Peas

 

No, we are not planting a full garden this year.  Pat did win most of the argument for this year.  He decided to plant peas even though our soil sample wasn't back yet.  Our partial report on the soil fertility appears to indicate a good fertility in our soil.  However, there are deficiencies.  Nevertheless, Pat decided to go with what most experts agree upon and that is all soil is in need of nitrogen.  Planting peas will help nourish the soil with this most important nutrient.


Peas grow despite the shade!


Here is a close-up of the peas growing well.  As of this post, they are about double in size now.   We are not thinning the peas since we want them to be a cover crop.  The plan, as I understand it, will be to harvest this crop and then plant a fall garden.  Once the fall garden is harvested, we'll plant rye (seeds are already purchased) for a winter cover crop.  Then we'll be on our way to a full-producing garden!





Squash and Cucumbers



Squash and cucumbers grow in one row.  I get to prove my point that no matter the condition of the soil...during the first year...we'll have great success.  I've already thinned the plants to about two per mound.  However, on Easter Sunday, Pat declared that they have not been thinned enough.  Little did he know that his mother-in-law already approved the plantings and said that they will bump into each other, but they should be fine.  I don't know.  I think I'll give it a while and decide a little later.  In the meantime, it bothers me that our "full-sun" garden has so much shade during the morning hours.  Hopefully, the afternoon sunshine will be enough to give us a good yield.

Collecting a little rain water!

In the meantime, it is dry...very, very dry.  If I had been a little more knowledgeable about predicting weather, I think I would have accurately predicted a drought.  I have a teacher-friend who claims I am a hopeless optimistic.  I am beginning to believe she's right.  We have fires around Possum Kingdom, extreme drought in most of West Texas, and a severe drought in Central Texas.  The bucket you see in the picture represents less than a quarter inch of rain.  I was able to collect 2 1/2 buckets of rainwater, and I am grateful for that!  Since this collection, I have another 1/2 bucket to crow about!  Saturday, April 31st, Pat and I plan to go to Homestead Heritage to learn more about rainwater collection. 

With the drought were are experiencing and with the dreaded knowledge that we did not get rain in January until the 8th day (August), any rain we are blessed with needs to be harvested.  As of this post, we are expecting a 70% chance of rainfall Sunday, May 1st.  May it happen!! Please Lord, let it be!!