A little jealous of being able to plant already- I am at least 2 weeks away.
Garden is progressing nicely…
I took my old TP rolls and transplanted my marigolds into them, hopefully it will make it easier to transplant them all around the tomatoes in a couple weeks.
Bought some 14 gauge wire last weekend at Home depot. Sledged some stakes into the ground near the grape vines and ran the wire so the vines aren’t hanging all over the ground. My grapes are coming in nicely.
Rain the last few days in SoCal so I put all my timers on rain mode.
Here’s a couple recent pics of the garden. Things are really picking up after last week’s warm weather!
Joel and Larry, things arenlooking good! Marigolds to keep out rabbits, Joel? We have a skunk and maybe a raccoon in the garden area at night. DH installed a motion activated camera and is looking for varmints!
So strange to have real rain in May that followed an early 90+ degree heat spell, but our tomatoes shot up a couple inches and the zucchini is growing well.
Artichokes look good Larry, just green globe or any others?
Thanks Tyler. After 7 years our green globe production really fell off, so we replanted last Fall. I thought we were replanting with the same but not so - some are Big Heart and others grow purple, probably looks closest to this Baby Anzio:
We harvested a dozen babies last weekend and made a Baby Artichoke & Parmesan Risotto ![[thumbs-up.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/f84c5acc11486ee4baba6dee6cf61dbd133abb18.gif "[thumbs-up.gif]"){kind=small}
One month later the heat spikes and surprising May rain have bode well for our tomato plants.
We added a yellow pear, two Stupice heirloom (oops, meant to get Sweet 100 cherry plants) and a German Queen to the original German Johnson and San Marzano planted a month ago. Holding at 12 tomato plants this year.
Looking good. So much fun and hope…
We cut down and only put in seven plants this year. The last couple of years have been spotty as the weather at the beach just never really warmed up. This year, the plants appear to be off to a really good start…they are really growing well as we have had some warmer weather. Definitely looks promising !
Cheers! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Marshall
That’s funny because mine seemed to do much better than yours last year, and yours sound like they’re doing better than ours this year. I planted about 20 days ago. There was a real spike just after I planted and it seemed like it might have nuked the plants and hindered their running start. Then, with all this coast-like morning haze, we’ve had a bunch of days with them getting less than 4 hours of good sun. A few of mine might even need to be replaced, and the best couple have only grown 6" in 20 days.
I’m not real experienced at this and pretty much gave up on the heirlooms in favor of hybrids. My hybrids did much better than the heirlooms last year.
Finally confident in the weather and planted my 7 varieties this week. Glad I didn’t jump the gun, we had frost last weekend!
Dang. My tomato plants look anemic compared to that.
The weather in Socal is cooperating well so far. The dreaded June Gloom approaches (we are only 3mi inland). However, for now the plants are staying low and sturdy, with thick verticals and good fruit set. Might even have to prune a little.
Joel’s plants are awesome. I have a few plants that have yellow leaves despite fertilizer and irrigation. Crazy cool weather followed by heat spikes. Blooms and fruit show promise.
If the heirlooms don’t do well, I can get good local hybrid and heirloom tomatoes at the local farmers’ market. Growing something rare or old school is rewarding.
Love the challenge and reward model.
Do you compost? Since switching over to a blend of homemade compost and a nice loamy soil blend I no longer get yellow leaves. On straight miracle-gro I would. All potted plants.
BY the way… I was looking at my plants this morning and realized that I never ever thin out my tomatoes, prune them and get rid of the suckers, etc.
I might take some time to do (if I can find time) this week. I already have a TON of fruit growing in and I want to do all I can to ensure a good crop this year.
p.s. The Cucumbers and starting to grow like crazy. I have just a bunch of those on the vines. Time to head over to the spice store to get ready. There are going to be tons of Farm’s Spicy Pickles this season.
p.p.s To piggy back on Kenny. I also compost a lot. Any grass clippings & Leaves from the trees (and there’s a lot, we have a 60+ foot ash tree in the front yard), I throw out in the garden all year long. I even run the leaves through my blower vac to mulch them up a bit and help them break down. It keeps the weeds down where I’m not planting and it helps the soil so much where I am. Nancy, they might be getting too much water. We always have to watch for that here in SoCal in March and June when we get the gloomy patches in weather.
I just want you to know that I hate all of you. Tomatoes don’t look like that in Seattle…
And this is no way to ingratiate the possibility Mr. LeVine! 
Just when you think it’s safe…here in the Windy City- 88 on Tuesday- 55 today and down to 40 tonight…might have to cover my plants!!
freeze / frost warning tonight here in west WI 