Putting in more plants

Still too cool to start the super hot loving plants of summer. "Estate" in Italian. But I have been busy putting in other plants.

Rainbow Swiss chard

I put in seeds of white chard also. And new this year a green chard that you harvest when it looks small leafed like spinach. Looks like it too. It's so a "cut-and-come-again" variety. Meaning pick some leaves & it will still grow to produce another bunch. Italians love Swiss chard. "Bietola" is what it is in Italian. Did you know chard is in the same family as beets?

I put beet seeds in near chard. They are near each other because I got to fence the planeted area in & cover the tops ( with selvaged screens) because chard & beets are SUGAR CANDY TO DEER!! 

This is my temporary solution for the night till I finish the rows to go under cover till main fence done. Is this two temporary protection fences? 

All this work & angst is because my deer fence is not repaired yet. No time for that as getting stuff in ground is priority. They only want these two now to eat if they jump in at night. 

This is the family right outside my property fence!  See all the GREEN  less light from the shade? This is why in summer they hang out in park munching away during the daylight! 

Based on my last three yrs gardening, I know I got till BEFORE July 4th week to get fence back up. Why you ask? Well the day lilies my father planted behind our garden in park plus the ones I've added the last 5 yrs when I divide them,  bloom right around July 4th. So when the deer find & EAT the lilies off, that's what puts them too close to my garden & they think about getting in! If deer think. They just might act- be propelled by stomach signals. All annoying is what it is!! But that's a whole other topic for another day.

Leeks 

Gotta GROW again! Haven't grown in 4 yrs. These are "candy" to humans! Have you had them cut into thin slices, sautéed with some garlic in EVO : extra virgin olive oil ( the ONLY thing I use from Racheal Ray!), add a good splash of white wine; any type just a good tasting one, add some "al dente" cooked thin spaghetti, with some of the pasta water, stir & cook down a tad, then taste for salt & pepper, add a spash of cream, stir more while adding grated Parmesan cheese, plate & top with fine chopped Italian parsley and  ENJOY! The best damn easiest pasta dish to make & chow down.  And that's one reason why I must plant leeks again!

I dug a trench this year. Plant them in that. So as they grow you can cover the lower part with soil to bleach the bottoms white as they grow. Seedlings are very thin. 

Best way is to dig a deep thin hole, lay a plant in, then use a watering can "to water in" ( wet soil runs around the seedling) them to plant easier.

Now I got the leeks, chard, & beets all planted & proper temp fence/cover on!! Yea!!

That's my raddicchio growing.

To be continued....