Derby Day in the Garden

 There is no rain (yet), but it is overcast and the temp is mild.  A great day for working in the garden!

I created two new small planting places this morning:

This place at the foot of the deck stairs has always been soggy.   The downspout is on that side of the house, and the way the yard drains, water would always run this way and some would collect here.   I've read that Comfrey likes the wet, so one or two plants will go in here.   Today is rabbit pan clean-out day, so I will just dump buckets of poo there.   

I have a theory.... a couple of rains wash any urine out of the poo, and (I think) also kills weeds and grass underneath.  Call it the lazy-girl's method of 'lasagna' or compost gardening.   I have also read this spring that some folks don't like the cardboard base that one is supposed to start the lasagna layering with.  They say it doesn't break down fast enough.  My 'big' bed is doing well with the dump-and-leave-it method, so I'm going to see how it does here. That is a very pretty pink-flowering geranium you see under the steps.  If it starts to look like it is being shaded out or overwhelmed by the Comfrey, I'll move it.

This is the corner where I planted my German Pink tomatoes last summer, and they loved it there.  This year, instead of them having to fight for space between the rose and the compost pile, I moved the pile over a couple of feet, and will plant in the compost left behind.  The cement edging used to go all the way around the big bed, but I thought it was ugly, and changed that to fieldstone.  Frugality is winning out this year, so I hauled it out again and made some practical and weed-wacker proof, if not attractive edging for the new planting areas.     

These have to go - out of the big bed anyway, but they are just too pretty to get rid of, so I think I can fit them in on the other side of the rose from the tomatoes.  When you are an urban farmer, it's all about using all the space you have, no matter how tiny! 

This nice low-growing shrub that I can't remember the name of, has the sweetest white flowers.  It roots anywhere the branches touch the ground, so I have it several places, including the bed across the front of the house.   I like the way it adds to the potager feel, so it will stay.   You can't see it on the rose in the background here, but they are crammed with buds, as are all three of my roses in the backyard. Some are ready to burst open: 

As for the vegetables and herbs, I added a couple more chard plants.  I like it better than spinach, and they  can be used interchangeably.    I planted the Roma tomatoes and jalapenos, cut back the Feverfew by about half and harvested an armload of Lemon Balm to dry.  The Feverfew isn't good dried, but always used fresh, so it just went to the compost pile. With all the rain though, it was about to take over the garden. 

I need to get another stake, then I will plant a pole-bean tee-pee (is tipi pc now?) with eggplants at the base. There hasn't been one big planting orgy this year.  Everything has sort of trickled in.  But it's only early May and there should be plenty of time.   The oregano could be harvested.  It's higher than it looks here - about 2 feet.  It needs to be clipped before it flowers.  I might be able to get 2 (or more?) harvests this year.     

                    

Well it's off to Tractor Supply for some feed and bedding for the chickies.....I want to get back in time to watch the 137th running of the Derby!  I picked a couple of 20-1 shots in the office pool this year, and with no outstanding favorite, I'll just cheer for the winner, whoever it is!