Bounty Hunter

So far this spring, I've been getting a good amount of Swiss Chard and green beans, but you've seen those before, so I'll spare you the pictures.  I also had a surprise lettuce and ate most of it, though I wonder if that was the best idea.  Sometimes I get weirded out when I get surprise plants, especially when I didn't plant any lettuce last year....

The best new offering from garden #1 has been these little beauties:

I've had strawberries growing for years, but I never get more than 2-3 berries to actually eat.  The others have always been eaten by slugs. 

This year, I've picked 4 big handfuls like this and there are a lot more.  For the most part, the pests seem to be leaving them alone.  They aren't the sweetest, probably because I am mean to them and they dont' get much sun, but I'm pleased that they are growing so well.

The first big loot that I've been getting from garden #2 are these:

I grow peas every stinkin' year and they grow meager little plants with about 3 pods each and then it gets too hot and they die off.  Never anything spectacular.  Plus, I never plant enough.

This year, I planted A LOT in buckets in the greenhouse and then moved them outside when it was still really cold.  O.M.G.  Look at these plants!

There are so many and they are so lush and dark green.  And so tall!

They are literally taller than me.  Peas!  Can you believe it???

Just for fun, I thought I'd show you how the carrots and beets are doing.  After the very traumatic munchfest by the slugs and then the ripping out by the crows, they've come back with a vengeance.  I put little styrofoam collars around all of them and they seemed to really get a good start.  My theory was that the slugs were too lazy or stupid to climb all the way up and then down inside the cups.  And that must be it, because they stayed away.

Since I removed the cups, I've only dealt with one slug and we had a ton of rain this week and things seem to be happy out there.

I've never grown underground vegetable before, ok, except this one time,  so now I have to figure out when I can pick them.  I know you can brush away the dirt and see what they look like from up top, but I'm so curious, I want to know NOW!

I have more seeds so I think I'll start more beets and carrots for a mid summer round and then try another for fall.