Patchwork Patio: What, already?

Yes, I am back already.

One of the reasons I like to keep this journal is that I can use it as reference next year. It helps me remember where I planted what, and when I did this or that. It also helps me remember when I planted seeds, to keep track of germination or that sort of thing. Perhaps if I were a more experienced gardener I wouldn't need to do that, but I still consider myself a beginner, and frankly, my mind is a bit like a colander.

Anyway, I'm posting now, because I planted things. There I go again! I can't stop!

What spurred this round of planting was the fact that I pulled one of these and ate it.

A bit small, yes, but delicious!

It was very good. Sweet and earthy, and quite tender. They seem immature, but they've been in the ground more than thirty days. Anyway, the first one was so good that I ended up pulling two more. The second one my husband ate, and he said it was very yummy (or something along those lines). I ate the third, and while it was still yummy and tender, it had a hint of spice. I think they can get spicy if left in the ground too long. They seem pretty small, but I think that might partly be due to the container they were planted in, which is not very deep. I'll probably pull the rest before the end of next week. I'm not sure they all turned out okay--some of them are even smaller. I may have thinned them too late. I didn't realize they were supposed to be thinned immediately so that they grow more root and less top. Anyway, I have that other batch in the foot locker, and they were more carefully thinned, and have deeper soil, so I hope they turn out well.

We're starting to get into the months where weather can be pretty unpredictable. It could get pretty sunny and warm, but it is just as likely to be a repeat of April, which this year would mean more rain. Anyway, I decided to go ahead and sow another "batch" of radishes in the big box. It's just been sitting empty, and I probably won't be using it until the end of May anyway, so I might as well put it to good use.

After planting these, I noticed that my subconscious used the stripes of light shining through the fence boards as row markers. So between each stripe is a row of radishes.

Planting the final row of radishes.

I'm pretty sure we've established my usual mode of operation--that once I start poking holes in the dirt I can't stop. So I thought I'd go ahead and try the thing I've been pondering on lately, which is to plant spinach and lettuce in front of the peas. So I nabbed my seeds and went out to the fence.

Oh. Right. The jungle of weeds and crab grass that is my yard. Oh yeah, moss too. And some other things I have yet to identify.