After conditioning my straw bales for two weeks, it was finally time to start planting! So, I made a list of vegetables and herbs and we headed out to Home Depot. We were able to get most of our plants there, but there are a few more from the onion family that we'll need to pick up from Gethsemane. I couldn't help getting a few extra plants as well, so I've had to update my garden guide for this year.
I've tried to space out my plants more this year, especially the tomatoes. Last year, they were not as fruitful as I had hoped, but I had also made the mistake of putting three or four to a bale. This year, I'm starting with smaller tomato plants and only two per bale. It was counterintuitive to me, but Joel Karsten recommends starting with smaller transplants instead of larger ones. This is more cost-effective and the high temperature within the root zone of the bales should encourage rapid early season growth. I'm excited to see if this does help with my tomato production, since tomatoes are one of my favorites to have fresh from the garden.
The other plants we've added to the garden so far include many peppers, zucchini, and lots of herbs. I'm already looking forward to making spicy salsas and rich marinara sauces! My Aunt Cindy asked if I would be posting recipes on this blog, and I may decide to incorporate that suggestion so I have a record of my favorite garden to table meals for the year. It will be a few weeks at least before anything is ready to harvest, but the growing part of the process is one of the most fun for me. I love going outside in the morning and checking the progress of the different plants (and often calling my Mom for advice!).
I also went with a new suggestion this year to add flowers to the front of each bale so that we can see from a glance if they need more water. Joel Karsten suggested using impatiens because they will easily wilt if not watered enough, but they'll also perk right up after having a drink. I really like the additional of a pop of color too, so I might end up adding more to make the straw bales more aesthetically pleasing. For now, I'll have to study up on which plants need the most water and keep a close eye on my baby plants!
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