The Day I Filled Out My Garden Bed and Began a List of Lessons Learned

It's Tuesday, May 22, and the temperature is in the high 60s in southwest Connecticut. Waterlogged plants have a few hours to dry out before rain starts again. During the past few days rain was persistent enough to postpone and then cancel the Greenwich Community Gardens social I had been hoping to enjoy. I'll develop other ways to meet neighboring gardeners.

Blogger Diane Morello

On Friday I stop by the garden, which is looking semi lush. Radishes are filling out, arugula -- which I have waited for weeks to see -- is growing (and tasting delicious), string beans are starting to pop up and curl, and the bell peppers are doing well. The tomatoes stand straight, even the runt I worried about last week. Kneeling on my knee pad, I place a poblano pepper in block 2-1, two cucumber bush seedlings in block 2-2 and several mounds of patty-pan squash seeds in blocks 3-3 and 4-3. As the sun peeps out, it will warm the soil and encourage the patty-pan seeds to sprout.

Dick and Pauline
at Bible Street Community Gardens

Two community gardeners, Dick and Pauline, have worked the Bible Street branch of Greenwich Community Gardens before. We discuss which plants do well where and when. Pauline's radishes flourish, and she is in the process of thinning them. Notably, she plants radishes along the edge of the plot, making them easy to pluck and to surround with other leafy vegetables. Her experience with patty-pan squash, however, was not promising. Gulp. 

After every visit to the community garden, I imagine what I will do differently next year. The list is short but growing, and it will help newbies like me:

• Use compost and topsoil early in the game. I was so eager to get started this year, I leapt over key steps that experienced gardeners use, such as composting.
• Plant herbs and lettuces along the rim. I planted large parsley in the middle of the bed, and I have a devil of a time reaching it without squashing other plants. Note to self: Stick to the edges.
• Add fish- and lobster-based material to the tomatoes. Experienced gardeners say the material fuels organic tomatoes. Community gardeners, have you tried the fish and shellfish material for tomatoes? What do you think? 
• Lay out the garden bed differently. Recall that I laid out my plot in twelve blocks of 24 by 16 inches. As I walk through the community garden, I see many garden beds laid out in rows. Another gardener's plot is laid out concisely in square-foot blocks. I need to think more methodically.

I leave shortly to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks in Wyoming. Amid the hiking and animal watching and picture taking, I will keep my eyes open for spring plantings, fresh vegetables and farm-to-table menus that I can share with you. Meanwhile, I depend on the kindness of community gardeners to water my garden bed while I am out west. Ciao for now!