An Epic Gardening Day

I got up fairly early again today and headed straight down to the big garden. I was greeted by this lovely bloom of "Grandpa Ott" morning glory. It is the first bloom from that variety this year. Then I turned my attention to the dahlias. I got another 13 out of the pots and planted into the ground.

Then I went back up to the house and focused on the vegetable bed. It was time- actually way past time, to pull out the last of my lettuce and make way for the two hills of "Butternut" Squash. Since it is already pushing the middle of July, I was concerned that the basic Butternut variety that I started from seed in May wouldn't have enough time to set fruit and mature. While I was at the Farmer's Market yesterday I found an "Early Butternut" variety at Mountain View Farms. I decided I might have more success with that variety so I purchased four of them. I removed the lettuce and built up two new raised beds for the squash.

After finishing that project I went back down to the big garden ! Although I started a lot of Zinnia & Marigold plants from seed this Spring, I ended up with more rows in the garden then I had plants to fill those rows. Yesterday, after visiting the Framer's Market we hit Grey's Garden Center. I picked up four six-packs of Apricot "Profusion" Zinnias. I had grown from seed some of the "Profusion" series many years ago when they first came out. But I hadn't ever tried the Apricot color and I thought that it would go well with other varieties that I am growing. So this afternoon, I got the Apricot "Profusion" Zinnia row planted.

They are really healthy young plants and already have little buds visible.

After taking a much needed bath and nap, I went back down to the big garden tonight after dinner. The "Hutterite Soup" Bush Beans are really coming up strong.

We planted another 13 dahlias tonight. That makes 26 for the day and 52 for the weekend. No wonder my back is sore and I am so tired tonight! The good news is I now have 97 dahlias planted and 104 to go. Tomorrow I will pass the half way point - yippee! It's looking more and more like a dahlia garden.