The days are really flying by now, as I juggle speaking engagements, social networking/blogging/email questions, seedling sales and getting our own garden underway. We are off to Washington DC tomorrow, then on to Baltimore - for two speaking engagements (Friday at the US Botanical Garden, and Saturday for the Horticultural Society of Maryland). I really wanted to get a few things planted.....and I did!

As I've said previously, this is going to be a much smaller garden than usual (meaning less containers/straw bales). Lack of time and a varied approach (less plants, more spacing, more attention on each plant - particularly in better pruning and topping) really left me no options but for something less complex and ambitious.

I am testing the Gardeners Supply Company Gardener's Revolution Classic Tomato Garden Kit, and have two of them planted so far (on May 1 - one with 2 dwarf tomatoes....Dwarf Sweet Sue and Dwarf Caitydid - and one with a sweet pepper (Fire Opal) and eggplant (Skinny Twilight)...the third will hold two Determinate tomatoes, which aren't quite ready for planting yet).

Today I dug into the Supersod Big Yellow Cube of planting mix (their Soil 3 product), added a bit of composted cow manure and filled 11 large containers for indeterminate tomatoes. I also began treating half a dozen straw bales - I am going to plant indeterminate tomatoes in them as well.

Once I get back, the rest of the planting will resume Monday - 5 gallon grow bags and pots with peppers, eggplants and dwarf tomatoes. There will be 60 varieties (maybe a few more, depending upon spacing and room) in all. I will blog my complete grow list next week.

I will have seedlings until the last week of May, so if you've not emailed me for a list, or scheduled a drop by; this is THE time!