Garden update for April

Obviously the photo above is from last years crop...  (I love eggplants.  They are so beautiful)

So far-so good with my deck and 'postage-stamp' garden plantings.  I've not been without my failures though.  I bought a little pack of 10 strawberry plants, and they have been in their pot for over 2 weeks with nary a sign of green.  I would call that 100% crop failure.   There was a little green growth on at least one of the plants when I put them in, but I think I either I kept them in the package too long before planting, or a cold snap right afterwards got 'em.   

I have green onions (scallions) ready to pull, and other onions I am going to try to grow to full size.  New onion sets will go in each hole as I pull one out.  Garlic I planted in the fall grew very vigorous tops, and may be getting ready to harvest, since the foliage is beginning to dry and brown at the tips. 

I did find snap peas after all, and they went in a few days ago, as did 2 kinds of seed potatoes, both in containers.  Late, but we'll see.  Butterhead Lettuce is coming up, and the radishes are growing like crazy in the cool weather we've been having. The blueberry plant looks great, and I also planted a container of  shallots.   Beets and chard are loving this cool weather too, but if I don't get turnips in soon, it will be too late.

I'm on my 3rd try at growing some things from seed.  At first they didn't germinate, or did then died.  The 2nd batch were OK, and I had been putting them out to harden them off, but then forgot to bring them in one night when it frosted. :(   I broke down and bought a couple of plants - a yellow pear tomato, some brocolli and brussell sprouts.   I'm still trying to get the seeds going on the eggplant - because it is a long finger-type Japanese variety I haven't seen, and the Principe Borgese paste-drying tomato.  

When warmer weather comes, in will go beans, more tomatoes and pattypan squash.   It sounds like a lot, but consider in many cases it's just one or two plants.  Still, it just shows it's possible to grow a lot of food in a small space.