Watered, trimmed and planted!

South bed after smoothing

(Formatting is being funky again due to so many pictures)

 Nothing like a warm winter day to get out and plant some seeds! First I noticed a distinct smell when I was inspecting the beds and noticed another divot in the dirt (not in the beds). So yes, it was a cat or multiple cats making the divots. 

I first smoothed out the south bed, then re-cultivated the north bed because the dirt likes to compact. Broke up some of the small clods because I was going to plant carrots and radishes and beans.

Foot print confirms, cat

North bed before smoothing

Because I am a doofus and always rush into things I didn't bring markers or even sticks. So I used the dried flower stem from the aloe and marked where I planted two groups of 3 beans. Now I said that it was technically too early but that spot is getting sun consistently so it is warmer than the other areas. Worth a shot. Since the previous attempt at beans was definitely too early and in the shade and weren't soaked I think I'm good.

The shade line is where I planted Little Finger carrots and in front I planted Cherry Belle radishes.

Red Devil Radishes?

Little Finger Carrots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least I made a trough for the carrot seeds first, the radishes I just sprinkled out there since they were smaller. Was I supposed to look up spacing and depth? Yes indeed, but did I? Nope. I picked out any remnants of weedlings (my new word for weed seedlings) and crumbled any small clods, cleared any leaf bits and sticks. Seeds are very sahnsitive to obstructions.

Got them planted and covered then went to water and discovered my sprayer wasn't fitting the threads on the hose..wth?  Looked at the hose and discovered what looked like cement. The hose was also in an odd spot so it wasn't  until my sweetie came to rescue me with his knife I put the puzzle together. They're renovating an apartment and that may well be grout, spackle or something that got in there when they were washing out a bucket. Problem fixed and I was able to water.

Watered both beds well, starting with a mist then used standard spray but lightly and moving constantly. Then, since I had my tool basket, trimmed back the tomato and discovered another little fruit! So two of them on there now and trimmed back the branches that were hanging out.

I was walking away and decided to plant some of the Easter Egg radishes in front of the tomato. The ground was nice and freshly wet so just tucked a sprinkle of them in there and covered them up. All good, all pretty.

Tomorrow will be peas in the other bed and have to hold off on the red onions due to their specific needs for sun and pH. See below for onion trivia.

Trivia: Onions (and most alliums) do best with a slightly acidic soil and plenty of sun. Think of the sweet onion varieties, Walla Walla, Maui and Vidalia. Where do those names come from?

Walla Walla.... Washington (PNW), Maui.... Hawaii, Vidalia's are named for their origin in Georgia. So all those places have acidic soil in common. The higher pH gives you a more pungent and less sweet onion. My soil is very alkaline to maybe neutral and not very organic so will have to wait on those but they have a long window for planting where I am.

So seeds are in and cat deterrents in place. Radishes will be the first to come up.

Cat deterrents

Easter Egg Blend radishes.