2022 Garden check-in #1: delayed ambition.

 Time to document this year's garden debacle in progress. I have added two new gardens - 1 4x4 box and 1 8x4 section - and I rebuilt another 4x4 box. That means this year's disappointments will be bigger than ever!

There were a number of delays - a flu delay, and then a covid delay. Also a US Postal Service delayed delivery, resulting in, well, not a good delivery result:

The seed company, Seed Savers Exchange of Decorah, IA, was great about replacing the seeds. I use them because I figure if I am going to fail, I should fail at something different from what I would get at the Hy-Vee garden center. Fun "heirloom" varieties.

Here is you can see all the gardens.

Going east to west: 

Carrots, with a mint plant. I experimented here by covering part of the garden with a cheap bedsheet from the Salvation Army store. The carrots germinated where I had the cover, and not otherwise, so I replanted and covered the part that didn't grow. Garden carrots are the best.

Next garden I just finished and filled with dirt and planted beans and sweet peas this weekend. It still looks like dirt, so no picture.

Then comes a 4x4 square of Okra and Cucumbers. I will add a trellis for the cukes.

Then comes the lettuce garden, with radishes, spinach and basil. The leaf lettuce is doing well, the red iceberg lettuce is struggling. Radishes and basil are OK, but I fear the spinach may have to start over.

Tomatoes are doing fine. Also have a bit of dill growing in a corner.

Finally, I set up a new 8x4 garden on the west side of the backyard, where I had some extra dirt. First try I didn't fence it off and the Des Moines acorn squash got demolished by critters. Now I have fenced it off and replanted, and while I haven't entirely banished the vermin, I am having better luck, so far. We'll see. 

Because I got a late start, most of the crop, should it survive, will come in starting in mid-August. Lettuce and radishes should be ready in 2 or three weeks. Wish me luck, I need it badly.