Moving Ahead + Critters

I still haven't prepped the last raised bed area for beans, but everything else is moving along.  Just look at the tomatoes!

Black Prince

Cherokee Purple

Black Cherry

Berkley Pink Tye Dye

The two Jaune Flamme tomato plants look far behind compared to all of these, but I did finally stake them today.

The first Calendula is in bloom with a few more blooms to follow. They take forever to open... almost a week from this stage:

To this stage:

With those and all the zinnias in bloom, the tomato planters look very cheerful.

One of the eggplants is also putting out blooms. So they're doing better than any of the eggplants I tried last year, haha!

Meanwhile, there are more and more critters appearing in the garden.  So far, most are beneficial (or harmless anyway), like several ladybugs.  This Fir Tussock Moth (Orgyia detrita) must have fallen from the oak tree above the potato plant.

And this crane fly was resting on one of the tomato plants.  The crane fly larvae feed on decaying-organic matter, so are beneficial to the garden.  The adults don't eat or do anything but mate.

And it looks like a female hummingbird has returned to the yard.

She flew from the feeder bottle over to the tomato blooms today but was pretty confused by them, I think. I'm not sure tomato blooms have much to offer a hummingbird.  Hopefully she'll find the pentas or try the coral honeysuckle on another visit.

Blooming Natives

The Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is in bloom.  It puts out a lot of new growth in the spring.  This year, there are quite a few bloom clusters that should put on an extended showy display.  The hummingbirds certainly love this native plant, and I have my feeder hanging nearby to supplement.

The Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is preparing at least 3 blooms.  I added it to the yard last year, so this is its first year blooming.  I'm hoping to be able to divide the plant as it gets older, but that will be at least a couple of years.

And finally, the Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has 3+ bloom spikes this year.  They are just starting to bloom and last quite a long time.  It seems like a slow plant... slow to lose its leaves in winter, slow for the blooms to develop and fade, etc.  It certainly explodes with bright, soft new leaves in early spring though!

Cucumbers

I've started some cucumbers today.  I would just direct sow them, but the container isn't ready (sugar snap peas).  Don't want them to get behind, so starting them was the solution.  Hopefully they will transplant well.

The coriander/cilantro plant is still blooming madly.  I've got to get that bed ready for beans soon.

Nine Days

Upon returning after 9 days absence...

Mints and Scented Geraniums have gone wild.

The squash and Dragon Tongue beans have come up.

Tomatoes are bigger and more fruit has set.

The zinnias are blooming.

So many Chamomile blooms.

A nice meal of sugar snap peas is ready.

Hearts

The angelwing begonia blooms look like little pink hearts from the side.