The sunflowers are doing really well, except they still wouldn’t stand without a stake.
These tomatoes are shooting up, but have about half of the tomato bunches on them that those in the other bed do. I think that answers the question about where the tomatoes do best. The horseradish on the left is also doing pretty well. No sign of any ginger and forget about those worthless radishes in the front!
These cucumbers and zucchini are doing spectacularly. They are starting to fall over the edge of the bed just like I’d hoped. (Where else are they going to grow?) The peas are happily climbing up the mesh in the back and the eggplant (hidden in the middle of this bed) are slow, but looking okay. The rocket in here is tiny and lying on its side (too hot and they collapse, water them and they collapse). Zero sign of either planting of thyme.
Here’s the bed I call my ginger bed. It’s where I’m trying things to see how they do in the shade. I keep it messy to discourage Tash (which seems to be working).
The cucumber in the front-centre is looking healthy. It’s not as prolific as those in the last bed, but I expect it to start slow but produce more (if the report I read is to be believed).
The rhubarb in the top left is the first planted and doing best. The bottom right isn’t bad. The one up near the strawberry bed (not pictured) is tiny and struggling. Basically their health is directly proportional to how soon they were planted after purchase.
The lettuce in the bottom left isn’t the healthiest nor is it the least healthy I’ve planted. I pick leaves from the bottom and its stalk is just not coping. But I’m harvesting from it so I’m calling it a success.
The horseradish in the top right is oddly producing long stems but no real leaves are unfolding. Compared to the one in the sunflower bed it’s looking stunted. No doubt the lack of sun.
In the front next to the cucumber is a grouping of rocket. It seems to be doing better here in mainly shade than its cousin up in the zucchini bed.
A tiny row of basil is sprouting in the middle of the bed. A worthless row of radishes behind it isn’t doing so well. On the left there may or may not be an eggplant. And along the back there definitely is no sign of ginger (yet).
As for the coriander in the strawberry bed – it wilted in the sun and after watering is pressed to the ground. The tarragon in the basil bed is a no-show. The dill in the basil bed is holding its own. Time will tell how my herbs from seeds experiment really pans out. Besides basil, I’m not loving my success.
Laura Rittenhouse's Gardening Journal 