The garden is planted (well, nearly - I've got a few more bales in preparation that will be planted mid next week). What a relief...I will feel better on our short upcoming trip knowing that a huge piece of work is behind me. The transition will now be from planting to maintaining and observing, which is a favorite part of the season.
The day started with me noticing that the leeks in our front half whiskey barrel are starting to produce a flower bud, so I picked one. It was gorgeous (and had a long life - mid summer planted seed, seedling planted in the fall, wintered over and picked this morning). It is ending with a nice thunderstorm (no hail), another lopsided Red Sox victory, and if all goes well and I can keep my eyes open, another look at the slides I will be using in the tomato course at Longwood Gardens on Sunday.
Progress - the driveway garden after the mass planting
Once we get back from our trip, I will set to rearranging the grow bags into clusters, in rows. Also remaining are a few major plant donations, which will free up all of the space I need....then turning to placing the supporting stakes behind the bales and in the center containers (which is more work to be done - filling large pots with used potting mix and placing them in the driveway).
As far as the last piece of my planting puzzle, the following were planted today: Eggplant Listada di Gandia, Rosa Bianca, New York Improved and Prosperosa....peppers Brazilian Starfish, Bianca F1, Corbacai, Fish, Cornito, Sweet Banana, Shishoto, Campadre, Bulgarian Carrot, Chinese Five Color, Sweet Chocolate, Royal Purple and Purple Beauty.
Tomatoes planted were Teensy F3 dwarf cherries in colors purple, yellow, green and red, new F1 crosses that I made last year Addy, Fishy, Artsy, Sandy, Acey, Emmy, Sissy, Roddy, Sorry, Arcky, Leafy, Betty, Speckly, Worry, Scary, Burly, Teensy, Tiggy, Dummy, and Priddy. Then from dwarf hunting, the following F2: Burly regular leaf, Betty chartreuse leaf, Roddy, Scary regular leaf, Reddy, Speckly, Chocky regular leaf, Ruggy, Dummy regular leaf, Tiggy potato leaf, Worry regular leaf, Tiggy regular leaf, Teensy, Ruggy F3 from last year's chocolate fruit, and Sissy. Awaiting planting when the bales are ready are Sun Gold (two plants) Mexico Midget, Egg Yolk, four F2 dwarfs from Steamy, and a selection from Morty and Chocky and other F2s from dwarf hunting in last year's new hybrids - probably a total of 14 more plants to be planted.
I also planted 5 burgundy Okra seedlings in two large pots...we fell in love with Okra last year, but it was a typical green type.
I'd like to do a final count but I am too tired - I keep making mistakes, and need to redo my gardening log..it is a mess, and will be put into Excel once I rearrange the driveway. I suspect there will be around 220 or so total plants. That will keep us busy - and hopefully end up being quite delicious, and have a few great surprises. One thing I just did estimate - there are 130 plants, and that number will increase, that are part of the Dwarf tomato project....Wow!