Planting Out Tomatoes

Yes, today was cool and beautiful, but also quite windy, enough that an advisory for a fire risk across Massachusetts was issued. The soil is very dry as well as the air.  I must be more vigilant watering the beans and peas planted two days ago.  I noticed some of the peas weren't planted deep enough.  Many of them rose to the surface and needed to be poked down again.

It may be cool outside, but it reached 85 degrees inside the hoophouse. 

I started planting out the tomatoes into raised beds and the oval bed near the bay window. Two to three inches of compost were added to each bed last fall.  I planted each tomato deeply, half way between the seed and true leaves.  To each hole I mixed in a small handful of epsom salt and organic fertilizer.  The tomatoes were caged, topped off with mulched leaves and given a good watering.

The breakout is as follows:

• The Oval Bed - 15 Italian Roma, 6 Amish and 6 Independence Day tomatoes. 
• Raised Bed #6 - 16 mid-size tomatoes consisting of 4 Jet Star, 4 Marglobe, 4 Rutgers and 4 Thessaloniki.  

What else did I do today?  Here is a photo diary of my observations and activities:

The spinach is going to seed. Time to harvest and freeze it before it becomes bitter.

My mother's watering can, even with its two dents, holds special value. 

I dug a trench and made a pea stone threshold under the garden gate.

Look at the Red Bull onion container on the top.  What an overachiever!

I found a suitable spot for an indoor plant to adjust to outdoor life for the summer. 

I checked on the warm weather seedlings. The corn has really taken off over night!

Moving and screening compost from the bins to the beds. 
Taking my time, doing a little bit every day. 

The coleus urns were moved to a shaded location for the summer. 

I planted Alyssum, Carpet of Snow in center flanked by Alyssum, Royal Carpet.

The reddish leaves of Lobelia, Crystal Palace, look nice against the gray urn.

A large white urn with Portulaca, mixed colors, will fill out in no time. 

A container with coleus seedlings was placed on the west side of house. 

Can you find the grapes? 

This lilac bush reminds me of my grandmother. The scent is heavenly.

It's time to water the flower bed and grass seed again. 

The Morning Glory transplants are not happy!

The shepherd's hook and wind chime were repaired.