Garden log: Star date June 29, 2013

Same plot.  Different faces.

---Disclaimer---
I would barely make a callous on the tip of a really good gardener's pinkie finger.  I am pretty good at taking pictures and typing.  I am really not as good as this blog makes me look.
---End Disclaimer---

Two of the of the tricks of making a garden productive are

• Pay attention to your plants and make adjustments when things are not right.
• Have a plan of succession and act on it

Pay attention:

Most years the adjustments involve watering.  This year the rains have been very good to us.

I was walking by the barn orchard (note to gentle reader, we have many plantings or orchards on the estate) and the peaches did not look happy.  They showed the symptoms of Nitrogen deficiency.  Pale green color: Check.  Wimpy shoot extension: Check.  Heavy sod around base: Check.  The boss forgot to fertilize the peach trees in this orchard:  Check.

Shoot extension should be at least 12", leaves should be darker green and the leaves larger.  White bucket in background contains urea, 46% N.  Two "handfuls" were broadcast within 3 feet of base of the peach trees.

Succession plan:

In a typical year, a good succession plan would involve plantings that overlapping like shingles on a roof.  The mature vegetables would be harvested and...behold, the next generation would be in place with a substantial canopy.  They would be productively photosynthesizing most of the sun falling on the garden row and have a massive head start on the weeds.

This season has not been typical.  I am getting back into the game and the season feels like it is half over.

Most casual gardeners are one-and-done...a bit like half the teams that go to the NCAA Basketball tournament.  The dynasty programs have a plan of succession.  Not just game-to-game, but also season-to-season.  Strive to be a dynasty program.

The next generation:

Happy Rich Cut-and-come-again Broccoli.  Incredible plant.  Bees adore the flowers.  If given fertilizer and water it keeps throwing mini-broccoli heads, and more heads, and more heads.  Similar cultivars are Apollo, Green Lance and Endeavour.

Improved Dwarf Siberian Kale

Winterbor Kale.  Expensive seed.  The others were broadcast in the flats.  Winterbor was individually planted.

Deer casing the joint.  Next to Jade green bean seedling.  Trouble is a-brewing in Mudville.

A close up of how rough the seed bed is for the Super Sugarsnap peas.  Big seeds can blast through rough seed beds.  Wimpy seeds (like carrots) need fine seed beds.

My wife loves Sugar Snap peas.  I love my wife.  This will be her row.  It has easy access and will be trained up snow/construction fence to lift it up to an ergonomically correct height for picking.

Good luck.

-Joe