Update 6/27/15

Got almost all my stakes and twine up today.  All 4 pepper plants are ok with a few little peppers already.  Pumpkin plants are really taking off!   I had to hand weed onions and only got about halfway thru them.  And I discovered a Reisetomato wa thriving - I thought the last one had died but I was wrong!

Summer heating up.

Finally back at the garden after a long vacation with the family.   Weeds had been getting a bit rowdy, but I pretty much got them under control.  I realize now that with onions planted 4 inches apart the weeding is tough.  On the other hand I've got so much tarp down that I actually do have the whole plot sort of weeded, which I was never able to do at all last year.  So the tomatoes are pretty much okay as far as weeds.  Other things of note... The pepper plants are alive although not as vigorous as I would like.  On the other hand the pumpkin plants are doing great.  Finally the tomatoes.  I lost a couple more - including the single reisetomate that was left.  But most everything else is doing okay; some of the first ones I planted have nice green fruit.

So after I did weeding, I put in about 10 stakes to do some Florida Weave-ing.  I still need to put up more stakes and twine.  Next weekend.!

Just a few peppers.

The other day I bought 4 pepper plants on a semi-impulse purchase; my reasoning is that homemade salsa will require it of course!  They are:  Banana, Poblano a.k.a. Ancho, "Mild Jalapeño", and "Salsa pepper", which is some sort of hybrid marketed as a salsa ingredient.  I don't want super hot peppers, just a little heat.  The poblano and "mild jalapeño" have Scoville numbers around 1000-1500 which is not super hot.

Well, the three most recent planted IR and the remaining KB didn't survive transplanting to the garden.  So I planted the 4 peppers in their spots.  I forgot to check if the one other IR was still alive. Probably not.  So no IRs this year for breeding purposes.

The pumpkins didn't look too good today - pretty wilty despite the moist ground...I drenched 'em with water but I don't have high hopes.  It's getting hot out there.  Summer heat is beginning and if the plants aren't well established by now they are gonna have a hard time.

On the other hand, in the home garden several of the plants are growing well, especially the IRxCP hybrid.

In one of the other community garden plots someone has a bunch of huge tomato plants.  Like chest high, big and lots of flowers.  Made me feel inadequate...Although they are planted too close together for my taste, so I give myself points for careful layout.  :)  

Later than last year

Just realized how far behind I am vs last year.  In 2014 I planted from Apr. 19 - May 3.  This year it was from May 18 - June 3.  A full month later.  C'mon guys, grow!!!

Noticing that although the seed starting mix certainly gives healthy plants, it might be good for the potting stage to use a mix of seed start mix plus other things to encourage more root growth.  E .g. Something with plant food?  Just a thought.  Maybe 5 inch pots instead of 4.   Maybe I should just build a freakin' greenhouse next spring.

At last, I finished planting.  I took a Tuesday off to do errands and this was number one on my list. I've mega-tarped out the community garden now.  The final count is 46 surviving tomato plants as of today, although I bet 3 or so won't make it .  Most are doing OK though.  We got some hard rains over the last few days, and unfortunately a few of the ones I planted on Sunday were buried a little by mud.  But boy the ground is good and wet.

In addition to the tomatoes I have: 2 basil, 2 pumpkins, about 3 or so garlics, and a row of 40-odd onion.