March 31:

We have started the garden in earnest now; this year, we jumped on an early start.  We put our first two tomato plants in pots on March 3rd; we planted our first four tomatoes in the earth on March 16th.  After a let-down season last year, I changed my planting: this year, I dug the hole for each plant with a post hole digger, down 18 inches, and filled the hole with some sand, and a lot of good soil; I also put blood meal at the bottom of each hole. While digging, I finally realized what people mean by San Carlos clay – just under the good soil I had turned in for several years, the earth became hard-packed and barely penetrable.  It also makes sense now why, for the last couple of years, I have had a great start, and then the plants have petered out.

I also put in a raised bed today, and will post the details when I figure out what I will be putting in it…

April 23:

The edible garden is truly taking shape. I mentioned earlier the raised beds; I now have dedicated both of them: one has two tomato plants, the other has two ground-vines: one cantaloup melon, and one zucchini.

We also have pots with basil and cilantro; so, we now have: 8 tomatoes, two vines, cilantro, basil, oregano, and two kinds of parsley. Next: peppers…

April 28:

Of my experiments this year, I have decided that the standard tomato cages are a bad thing: they confine the plants into tight circles early on, and in the process, light and air-flow cannot benefit the center of the plant. So far, it looks as though the plants are loving the new approach. I will now use several old lattices I have around to make simple ‘cage’ structures for the plants. Will post photos when I have them in place.

June 2:

The edible garden is doing very well.  My experiments with the tomatoes are working. First, the hole depth: I have six tomato plants in the ground; for the “main four” – the plants in the cage, I dug to a depth of about 20″ and put sand and blood meal at the bottom of each hole. Second, I assembled frames for the plants out of old trellises that allow for light and air at the base of the plants. They seem to love the changes.

The Zucchini: wow: planted in a raised bed, with a mix of free compost from Recology, and soil from Lyngso; am blown away at the growth rate.

Cilantro: Finally! I seem to have a formula: pots; not too much sun exposure- good midday sun, but also some shade time; soak and let dry – also, I put sand at the base of each pot for   drainage.

June 9:

We have started eating the early harvest; we have had a few tomatoes from one plant, and last night: zucchini. We harvested six individual  zucchini from our one plant and cooked them with a little turmeric (the recipe is under ‘vegetables’). Was fantastic.

The garden is doing excellently so far.  The beds with the free compost, mixed with some purchased compost from Lyngso, are doing incredibly well; the plants seem to love the combination.

The picture above was taken June 6

The picture below was taken June 9

Above: The cage tomatoes, June 9. The plants average about 4.5 feet tall, and 3 feet wide.