Starting top left and going clockwise- broccoli, brussels sprouts, strawberries and spinach.

Indoor seeding has finally started. I put broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach and strawberries in the garage in little potting plant containers. The plan is to leave them in there for 6-8 weeks in the peat moss and vermiculite soil I have created. After that, it’s outside to the square foot garden, by which time the lettuces, beets and beans will have hopefully been consumed and relinquished their (prime real estate) squares.

Radishes will follow whatever next spots will be available outside. Those don’t require indoor seeding so it requires significantly less preparation. Still haven’t found cauliflower to grow, but I will try at the flea market this weekend.

This week I realized that some of the boxes weren’t getting enough sunlight due to the side-yard dying walnut tree. I chatted with the neighbors, who are sadly getting foreclosed, so they didn’t mind what I did with the tree, so long as they didn’t have to be a part of it. I got a few estimates for trimming the walnut tree, and went with a no-bull down to business gardener. He did a great job not only with the walnut tree (and now the boxes get more morning sun), but also the back side plum tree was trimmed nicely to give the boxes some more late afternoon sun.

I’m quite impressed with how the beets and beans continued to grow this week. They continue to lead the progress race. The tomatoes have started coming around and the lettuce is beginning to flower. The cowpeas, cucumbers and artichoke made a nice push too, this week.

I ordered some seed catalogs in the mail, I seem to have trouble finding fall crops to indoor seed (I haven’t started yet ). Hopefully when these catalogs come, I will be able to order some of those. I was fortunate enough to find non-hybrid broccoli and will start indoor seeding that as soon as I can. I love broccoli and want to get a good yield of it.

Box 1

The tomatoes made a good jump this past week, hopefully we’ll get an edible yield.

Box 2

Definitely the slowest box (eggplants, peppers), but I’m glad to see more crops sprout out.

Box 3

The beans and beets are a pleasure to look at; can’t wait to eat em.

Box 4

Can’t wait to make a dinner salad out of these lettuces.

Box 5

Cowpeas doing great. Cucumber coming around nicely. Artichoke beginning to assert itself. Chives, basil and onion coming around too, just hard to see in pic.