New Garden area tilled and planted

     On Thursday, the 26th, I tilled up a new area in the old chicken yard, just south of the old chicken house.  The old chicken house is on the SE corner of the main garden. (click on garden map, US geography above)  The total area is about 14 feet by 30 feet.  On Friday I put on a load of pigeon manure and on Saturday I planted the southern half, which I call Martinique, in NK golden cross bantam sweet corn, with a very small section in the SW corner in American Seed early golden bantam.  The northern half, which I call Puerto Rico, is planned for tomatoes to be planted later.  I also planted a row on the north edge of Texas in sunflowers, seed I had saved from last year's crop.
     On Monday, May first, I planted  green beans, contender, in north Kansas, SMR 58 cucumbers in North Colorado, and 6 hills of Table Queen acorn squash in between the corn rows in Martinique.  On Thursday the 3rd, I manured and tilled up everything else, Washington, Oregon, California Minnesota and Ohio.  I planted Romano green beans, a pole type, in Minnesota.  The seed packet says its an Italian broad bean, "buttery tender with a distintive hardy flavor."  "Harvest in 60 days."

     I noticed today that the asparagus is starting to show itself.  The peas, lettuce, spinach and radishes have been up for a while.  No blossoms on the strawberries yet, but they are looking good.  The plum trees are in full blossom, while the crabapples are just starting to blossom.  The irises and the wild rose canes are greening up.  Of course no buds yet.  The oak tree doesn't have any leaves yet, but it's always the last one to green up.  I know I'm supposed to wait until the oak leaves are as big as squirrel's ears before planting the corn, but we'll see if I get sweetcorn by the end of July.  Life is one big experiment.