Zone 4---where are we at for the end of May?

Add me as another MN gardener to plant my peppers and tomato plants this week. I am a little nervous since the tomato are still on the small side. This is the first year I have started them from seed and I feel rather protective about them LOL! They have made it 24 hours in the "big garden". Now I have the trays to start my sweet corn inside. I am going with a super sweet variety that doesn't germinate unless the soil is 70--80 degrees. Those won't be going into the SFG's though. (500 of them, LOL!!!) I started two full trays tonight so I have 150 started. I will start the rest tomorrow hopefully. I just got my peas planted yesterday so hopefully it isn't too late.

So far I have planted in my SFG's:
1 full bed strawberry (they are full of blooms!!)
2 full beds of 3 pea variety (planted yesterday)
lettuce
spinach --just popping up!
yellow and white onions
green onions (planted today from seed)
13 roma tomato
3 hot pepper
8 bell pepper
2 3x3 potato towers
carrots
broc and cauliflower (have to pick up plants--walmart was out today)

I emptied all my deck boxes that I grow my herbs in out tonight so I can refill them with Mel's Mix this year. I also planted several of my large flower pots and flower beds tonight, also with a watered down version of Mel's Mix (no vermiculite) but with the addition of lots of "black gold" worm poo . I can't wait to see what the boost to the soil does.

Since it is my first year doing the SFG's, my corn, cucs, beans, watermelon, cantelope, pumpkin, squash, and zuchinini (all the large vining items) are going into the old row gardens. All of which still has to be planted. I have been so caught up in getting the SFG's going I haven't had a chance to get the row gardens ready yet. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I can have most of it ready.

We are a family of five that likes to freeze and I will also be canning for the first time this year. And I am planning on canning a TON of salsa Any extra my son gets to set up a vege stand.

What is happening in your gardens???

MJ - have you ever posted pictures of your garden? I really want to see it - I bet it's HUGE!!

Sounds like things are doing well.


My strawberry bed is starting to pop blooms too.
The blueberry plants are producing so many (hundreds!) of tiny flowers I can't believe it. I covered them with bird netting, but that doesn't stop a greedy little finch in the neighborhood. He tries to sneek under there!! I've cought him a few times.....but I just think he's so darn cute anyway. I hope he doesn't get caught in the net!

Let's see.....I have such a small amount of everything, but it's all doing quite well.
Just planted beans yesterday, and this weekend temps in teh 80's so I guess I'll plant my toms and peppers.

I scored a 20' board (2"x8") from a neighbor who was going to throw it out! So next yr I'll build another bed.....yahoo!!

Hope you gardeners are doing good out there.

OOOh! That is an awesome piece of lumber for free!! I posted pictures a while back, but haven't posted current ones yet. Hopefully soon when things calm down in a week.

The pictures show last year after DH used a tractor to til three of the gardens in the spring and how it looked by the end of the season. I am put the raised beds to the right of the arbor. I am not planting to the left of the arbor anymore---that is where the kids pool will go this summer instead of killing the lawn, LOL!

http://photobucket.com/rmb5

I really need to be on the lookout for some good free cedar boards! I want to make some 1x1 boxes to have outside of my fenced in garden area, elsewhere in the yard...maybe I need to check out craigslist!
My sweet mesclun mix, spinach, green onions, radishes and carrots are coming up well. My sugar snap peas that I transplanted to the garden are starting to grow up the trellis. I bought celery, sweet banana peppers, a juliet grape tomato and a zebra stripe tomato plant and those are now in the garden. Today I also got a poblano pepper plant.
I'm worried all the tomatoes I started from seed aren't going to get big enough to ever actually produce fruit! Also, how big should they be before you actually transplant them in to the garden?? I had to start my cucumbers over from seed, and of course found a few more varieties that I "had" to have! Most of those are coming up well and will be transferred to the boxes soon. I also have broccoli, jalapeno and sweet peppers, cilantro, basil, and zucchini started from seeds waiting to grow up enough to get in the boxes!
I have some pics in my personal album, but will take some more this weekend! Happy gardening everyone!!!

Jenny