Correction and phase one.

 I wasn't looking at the cucumber description close enough and my friend had substituted Spacemaster Bush cucumbers for the gherkins of the original picture she sent me. 

Today was also Day 2 of tree trimming at the complex. These guys are doing it right, despite the appearance of the Jacaranda that's been 'hacked' outside my window. They are thinning and on the larger trees,trimming the lower branches. We were woken by the truck backing up and around the corner of our building at 8:30 this morning. It's another warm and breezy day, emphasis on the warm.

Poor scared Rocky

As for my garden, due to all that and running some errands, it was too warm to do much when I had the chance. I got out and dug the fence bed and discovered two potatoes that were missed the first time, the third and smallest potato is the one I replanted. Not a single root or sprout showing so out it comes. Unfortunately the largest one I had cut with the shovel but it may still be edible.

At first  I was only going to use the hoe to weed the bed but then just kept going and decided to get the shovel and dig.So much for 'not doing much'. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amending my original plan, that fence bed will get all beans, the south bed and north bed will be getting cucumbers. Three plantings of each which is a good balance along with the flowers. Light watering due to having a coughing fit from the dust kicked up from the chipper and it being too hot. I will try and get out tonight before it gets dark to try and plant but it may be postponed so I can get a bag of soil tomorrow.

I am excited about new stuff happening in the garden though (it would be more surprising if I wasn't right?). I was looking at the timing for all the seeds and most will be coming up at the latest in two weeks. I also need some markers so I know where and what I planted because despite having photos... brain not work so good at remembering.

One thing that is frustrating having a small garden is directions for planting seeds in rows or hills a certain distance apart. Guys I don't have enough room for that. I think I have enough room for two hills of cucumbers or beans in the Fence bed if I go by their directions (I remembered writing down dimensions of the beds lucky me).

Here is something that doesn't make sense for the beans:

" Plant 1-2 seeds every 3 inches. When seedlings have 4 leaves, thin to 1 plant every 3 inches."  Ummm....What if you only put one seed there.... are you sure you want a plant that gets 18" wide to be planted every 3 inches? 

They also assume you have enough room to plant more seeds every two weeks until 2 months before frost. ::insert whine about wanting a real garden:: 

Idea for the fence bed is plant them around the edge and sunflowers in the middle. Planting tight I could get 12 seeds around the edge, bringing them in closer to the middle, maybe 8 or 10. It's hard to get to the back of the bed so I may well just do a horseshoe of beans with the sunflowers and zinnias in the middle. That way don't have to worry about trying to reach. Best idea I think. The sunflowers say to plant 18-24 inches apart. Right. That takes the sunflowers in that bed down to 3 along the back with maybe four zinnias in between them and the beans because those get spread 18 inches. The only other information about the sunflowers is, "Needs lots of water." Great.

Good thing I'm in the habit of going down and watering every day.

Now for the other beds, with stuff already planted it's going to be a bit trickier.

Cucumbers need a lot more room like their cousin the zucchini so this may change things a bit. 

"Sow 4-5 seeds over a 12 inch tall and 2 feet across hill. When 6 inches tall, thin to 3 per hill." 

Right, they still need a lot more room. Looks like that fence bed is going to be two hills of cucumbers and the other beds get the beans. ::sigh:: I still don't have enough soil to make hills that big. That would be 1 hill since the fence bed is 2x4 feet. I could make one hill in the south bed but still have soil issues and that bed gets shaded later on close to fall. If not for the peppers in the other bed, that would be the spot for the cucumbers.  I am reluctant to move those peppers :again: since they're only now taking off.

Do I really need to plant cucumbers on a hill? All the sources say they need drainage a hill provides so water doesn't settle at the crown of the plant. Most of them say minimum 18" high but one said a few inches. To give you an idea using the picture for reference, 18 inches is taller than the collar of the shovel where it meets the wood handle. It's the spread of the plant as well that is an issue.

Now as I have noted about my soil, it is mostly clay, grit/rocks and sand, not a good combination but it also drains really well.  Gardening is all about experimenting with the parameters of your situation. Given the situation I have, I am thinking I will have better luck with the beans than the cucumbers. I have an image in my head of a small cucumber on a vine shriveling at the blossom end. Or maybe that was the zucchini.

Decisions will be made this evening or tomorrow depending on when I get out there.