Virgin Harvest: Update #2

Radishes grown from seed.  A first for me and I had no idea they would just pop out of the ground and tell me they were ready for picking.  They were so crisp and flavorful.  I will definitely plant more of these "Pink Beauties".

We had our first salad from the garden upon harvesting the tender butterhead lettuces called "May Queen".  There is just nothing like fresh lettuce greens.  It makes all other lettuces pale in comparison.  So tender, as advertised, and refreshing.  I lost a few of the seedlings to the chickens, but most of the rows of lettuce are still doing well.

I planted my garlic late and just used a few heads I had in the kitchen.  I separated out the cloves and placed in this raised bed closest to the house.  They are coming along nicely and I can't wait until their beautiful orb-like flowers bloom, indicating they are ready to harvest.  I planted about 24 cloves, so we'll see how they do.  

These little cherries are from our cherry tree at the south-end of the property.  Last year the birds got to them, but not this year!  They need a few days of ripening, but the colors are gorgeous.  I wanted to make a cherry tart, but we can't stop eating them directly from the colander.

This is my first time growing anything from seed and I have to say, I'm pretty darned proud.  I have a history of killing plants and I'm trying to start small this year and not overcommit in the garden.  Here's what I have in the ground as of today:

• 3 tomato plants (with 4 more to go in the ground this week)
• 4 surviving beet plants that were started from seed
• 12 onion starts
• 3 pumpkin starts (gifted from a friend)
• 1 squash (unknown variety, as gifted from a friend)
• Multiple Sunflowers (all started from seed)
• 12 zinnia flower plants started from seed (not doing so well)
• Multiple cosmos & bachelor buttons started from seed and hoping they germinate
• Multiple potato starts growing in containers and ready for next layer of starts
• 4 chard plants started from seed
• 3 dill plants started from seed

I'm going to try and transplant two Meyer Lemon Trees and put in containers.  They were hit hard by frost, so I need to severely cut back.  There is new growth on one, so there is hope.  I absolutely love the taste of Meyer lemons and would love to have these trees produce in the coming years.

That's it.  I'm still at it and not giving up this year.  I tend to start and then let everything die, but I've been motivated by Nici's Virgin Harvest Challenge this year and hope to report on more success from my little patch of earth in Valley Ford, CA.