Planting Late Spring Vegetables
Do I rototill? Sometimes. There is a lot of research about rototill versus no-till. In my opinion, rototilling is a good path of least resistance; no spading and no turning over the mulch that has been decomposing over the winter. I only rototill every few years though. The years I don’t rototill, I move all the mulch to the side and dig my holes.
Time to plant the tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and bok choi.
This year I grew my tried-and-true heirloom tomatoes (Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Purple Cherokee and Big Rainbow) and I also always grow Super Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. This year I am trying Giant Pink Belgium heirloom and Midnight Snack. My Victory Garden partner also likes non-heirlooms so I grew Super Beefsteak , Porterhouse and SteakHouse. I grew eggplants (Black Beauty and Chinese Long Purple), peppers (Green California Wonder, Mixed Colors, Augilio Thin Skin Red Italian, King of the North Red, Ancho Giantea, and Early Jalepeno). So you are saying to yourself, my goodness why are you planting so many varieties? Well, I went to our library in February, and they had a seed swap. AWESOME! So I swapped some tomato seeds for peppers that seemed interesting. After all, somebody in my town must like them. Don’t you just love rural America?
I hardened off my plants and planted them the same way as I did with my early spring crop (see my Planting Early Spring Vegetables post). But for these larger vegetables I harden them off in plastic milk crate types of containers. This helps protect them from the wind and won’t fall over. They are also easier to water mid-day so the crate is dry when I move it inside every night.
I planted tomatoes in my dedicated tomato bed as well as in The Victory Garden. My tomato bed does not have a fence so it is not protected from deer, rabbits, chipmunks and other critters. Deer usually eat some flowers and sometimes eat the top third of the plant, but tomatoes really want to grow and so they grow anyways. The deer seem to ignore the tomatoes in mid-June (thank goodness). To help provide some protection against the deer, I sprinkle milorganite around the base of each plant and then water it well. What is that stuff? Well, unless you live in an area with deer, hold on to your hat, it is an organic fertilizer produced from human sewage! It doesn’t smell nearly as badly as it sounds. How did I hear of such a product? One of my friends is a Master Gardener (I should take those classes!) and she uses it on all kinds of plants and flowers and her property always looks fabulous despite the hungry deer.
Just like years ago, my daughter helped me plant tomatoes. After all, she was home for the summer. (My other daughter was at work.) We had a great time together in the sunshine and as always, we dreamed of bruschetta, BLTs, salsa, tomato soup and any other tomato recipe from our favorite magazines.
My neighbor has a short fence between our properties which is perfectly fine for some protection against critters eating too many of my beloved tomatoes. There is a gap with no fence, however, and I didn’t want critters to have free range with my tomatoes. Before we listed our home for sale last fall, I put my white peonies in a pot and moved them to WI. Of course the ground had already frozen in WI, but I hoped they would last the winter in my garage. They did. I love these peonies because they are from the Roosevelt Fountain from Brookfield Zoo where we had been members and took our children ALL the time. One year, members were allowed to help split perennials around the fountain and take one home. So, these peonies are extra special to me. I decided to plant them in the gap. In colonial America, most people used their gardens to grow vegetables and not flowers. It was considered a luxury to “waste space” this way. I decided it was worth it to add a little Chicago nostalgia and extra beauty to my garden. Before my tomatoes are ready to pick, I will be able to pick peonies!
What is next for me to do in the garden? Well, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the carrots I sowed in early April germinate and then I will have to thin them (uggghhh) and sow baby scallions. I should have sowed them when I sowed my carrots, but seeds are now on sale at my grocery store and I just couldn’t help myself. I am also going to start my basil and microgreens inside. My scrapbooking and crochet projects will have to wait until after my garden is planted! And housework can always wait!