Lots of Green Stuff

Last year was a sad year for our backyard garden. The raspberries were later than they've ever been (normal: mid-June, late: late June, last year: after July 4), and the pumpkins Tim planted never amounted to much. The only thing that did at all well were the wild sunflowers I planted from seed gathered from my sister's yard in Omaha.

I am a little more optimistic about this year, however. We had some warm days in May, and even though June has been a little on the damp side, there has been some sun.

In April, we started indoors, from seed, two kinds of lettuce (green leaf and red leaf), basil, pumpkins, and zucchini. Moved stuff outdoors in mid-May. We've pretty much given up on the basil, but everything else seems to be doing fine, so far.

I also bought some starts in May — spinach, broccoli, and butter lettuce. They're doing OK, but maybe not as well as the stuff from seed.

Two of the broccoli plants. Down in the center, very small, there are embryonic broccoli heads.

Two kinds of lettuce in a planter. I foresee a dinner salad this weekend. That was one of the best parts about visiting my folks at their house in Ashland, Oregon — fresh lettuce from my dad's garden.

My raspberries. They're still pretty green, but I anticipate a good crop in two or three weeks. A little on the late side, but looking better than last year. Also, the new canes coming up (which will bear this fall and next spring) are as tall, or nearly so, as the old canes.

Two of our spinach plants. Not doing as well as the lettuce from seed, but perking up.

Wild sunflowers, second year. I was happy to discover that, yes, they are in fact perennials.

Three kinds of lettuce. Green leaf (bright green at the top), red leaf (lower left), and butter lettuce (middle bottom and middle right). The other small green sprouts are the extra lettuce seeds we planted outside just to see what they would do.

Two zucchini in a planter.

Two zucchini and two clusters of wild sunflowers started from seed this year.