More Planting

The garden wasn't as busy this week as last, but there were still several big things going on.

A good looking garden if I do say so myself!

Most importantly I planted and mulched (and then re-mulched) the tomatoes!  At first I had red plastic in solid sheets going down both rows, but after talking with my dad about how he uses the plastic, I went back and cut it into squares to go around each plant.  I think they will get more water this way.

About 40' of tomatoes!

When I planted the tomatoes, I dug a 3-4" deep trench all the way down the row.  I pruned all but the top 3-4 branches, and buried the rest of the plant sideways in the trench.  Tomatoes can grow roots out of their stem, so this way they will have a better root system and be more stable in the wind.  Just before I buried the top of the stem, I wrapped a newspaper "collar" around each plant...this is supposed to keep cutworms away from the stem.  Once they were planted I also sprinkled some crushed eggshells at the base of each plant for added calcium.

Newly planted, mulched, and caged tomato plant.

A couple days later I planted 4 basil plants between the tomatoes.  Basil is supposed to make the tomatoes sweeter.

Tomato and basil plants.

The day after I planted the tomatoes I had something come through the garden and take out a few plants (mostly flowers, but it also got the parsley and a broccoli plant).  Turns out there was a groundhog burrow just inside the garden fence, so my husband set out a trap and we caught the little bugger the next day.  I could've sworn there was more than one groundhog, but that's the only one we've caught, and since then the garden seems *mostly* undisturbed.

Abby is checking out the newly-laid trap.

 Other than planting a few more flowers, the rest of the week was fairly boring.  Everything is growing well (although a bit slowly in my opinion).  I may start watering next week...we're only getting water about once a week right now, and maybe it isn't enough?

My first batch of onions and radishes are doing great!

The potatoes finally sprouted too!

Even my poor chomped broccoli is recovering.

I just set the cucumbers outside to harden off, they will go in the ground next week!  Then the peppers the week after that and I'm done with planting!  I suppose I do have more root veggies to sow...