Raised Beds 2007: Bed 1, near garage, near house: Tomatoes Brandywine, (Seeds of Change). Grew well, many tomatoes initially, then with drought, had problems with decreased production and blossom end rot. Note: leave more room for plants and stake them well. Purple de Milpa Tomatillos, 2 plants, tomatillos were very small and were not used. Also needed more staking.

Cherry tomatoes from Lowes, 2 plants, and 2 yellow pear tomatoes, also 2 bell pepper plants; all had problems with drought.

Bed 2: near garage, far house: Pole beans, Runner beans Hestia, Park seed; and stringless Blue Lake, FM1K (pole), Ferry Morse, planted late in season, did well as long as was watered, but was planted too late for maximum yield. Need to mulch and water more.

• Pumpkin Big Max, Cucurbita maxima, (Botanical Interests) Did very well, needed more room took over most of garden; 7 large pumpkins.

watermelons, planted in same bed, did not grow due to lack of room.

In Fall 2007, planted Siskiyou Purple Garlic, Seeds of Change Hardneck Silverskin; grew well over winter. Planted Mustard Red Giant, Cook's Garden. little growth till spring Feb, March 2008.

Bed 3: far garage, far house: Beets, did well, Bull's blood, (Seeds of Change), need to pick them early, they become woody if left in ground. Flowers, girl's packs, Sunflowers Snack mix did well, all others mostly weeds. Marigolds, Boy O boy mix, and cottage red mix. In fall, planted mustard seed, grew fairly well, slowly over winter, did not plant till late in fall due to drought.

Bed 4: far garage, near house: carrots Minicor, did very well, still able to pick carrots in February this year from spring planting 2007: Burdock root, didn't use, not sure how to cook. Greens, Komatsuna, (Seeds of Change), grew well. Collards, 8 plants bought from Lowes, planted in fall, grew well, had 3 meals from them.

3-02-08 Planted Ozark Beauty Strawberry Everbearer 25 plants and Sweet Charlie Strawberry June Bearer 25 plants in strawberry tiered garden (after holding plants in fridge vegetable bin with damp paper towel around roots for 2 weeks). Fertilized with Stark strawberry fertilizer and mulched.

3-13-08 In raised bed nearest house and garage. planted:

• 3 rows Beet gourmet blend, Botanical Interests
• 1 row Broccoli Raab Cima di Rapa, John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
• 2 rows Oriental Green Zen, Salad greens, Cooks Garden
• 1 row Cook's Custom Radish Mix, Cook's Garden.

3-13-08 In large pot on screen porch: planted Arugula. Park Seeds

3-19-08 In clay pot on screen porch, planted Mesclun, Cook's Mild Mix. #738

3-21-08 In raised bed near house, near garage: Spinach Bloomsdale, Spinacia oleracea, Botanical Interests. In bed near garage, far house:

• 1 row Carrot Asian, New Kuroda, Daucus carota var “sativus”, Botanical Interests; mixed with Cook's Custom Radish Mix.
• 1 row Carrot Short N' Sweet, Chanteney, Burpee, mixed with Cook's Custom Radish.
• 1 row Beet Early Wonder, Beta vulgaris, Botanical Interests.

In pots on screen porch: Selena's pot, with Spinach Baby Leaf Hybrid, Burpee; Strawberries, Red Wonder Alpine, Kitchen Garden seeds; lettuce Burgandy Red Mix, Cook's Seeds.

Another pot with Reisenrot Radish, Cook's Seeds, and Spinach Bloomsdale, Botanical Interests.

2 large pots with strawberries red and yellow Alpine, John Scheepers, Kitchen Garden Seeds. perennial; later added these pots soil to bed at edge of patio.

3-21-08 Tomatoes from seed in trays (kept inside house):

1. Super Sweet 100 Hybrid (Cook's Garden)
2. Sun Gold Hybrid (Cook's garden)
3. Arkansas Traveler Tomato, heirloom (Seeds of Change, Heirloom Tomato Garden Collection)
4. Burbank Red Slicing (Seeds of Change)
5. Zapotec Pleated Tomato,(Seeds of Change)
6. Yellow Perfection, heirloom (Seeds of Change)
7. Brandywine, heirloom, (Seeds of Change).
8. Pepper, Jalapeno, (Burpee.)

3-28-08 Tomatoes and peppers sprouting.

3-23-08 In raised bed far house, far garage; 15 broccoli plants from Lauren: “Premium Crop”, 65 days to maturity.

3-25-08 In raised bed near house, far garage:

• 1 row Tatsoi rosette green (Spoon Mustard), Seeds of Change.
• 1 row Komatsuna, Brassica rapa, Seeds of Change.
• 1 row Purslane Goldgelber, Salad greens, Cook's Garden.
• 1 row Arctic King Butterhead Lettuce, Cook's Garden.
• half row Daikon Long radish, (Mino Early Long), Ferry Morse.

4-05-08 Red Onions, bulbs, Dutch Valley, 2 rows.

4-05-08 In oblong planter, to place in garden along back fence trellis: Cucumber Slicing Cucumis sativus , Botanical Interests.

4-06-08 In raised bed far house, far garage: 9 plants Lettuce Buttercrisp Bibb, from Home Depot; in raised bed far garage near house,2 plants red bell pepper, Home Depot; in bed near garage, far house, plant Italian parsley, Home Depot.

4-27-08 bed far garage, far house: removed kale from last fall, overrun with white small bugs(aphids?); planted pole beans, “Trionfo Violetto”, in front, and “Emerite”, in back; Cook's Garden. Also planted Royal Burgandy Bush Beans in green oblong pot on patio. Cook's Garden.

8-17-08 Beans: Trionfo not as productive as Emerite, may have needed more watering in middle of summer; both beans were attacked by Japanese beetles in mid July, losing most leaves; finally resorted to 1 spraying of Sevin, after orgainic sprays did not phase them. Now i August, with slightly cvooler weather, I gather a bowl of beans q weekend.

4-27-08 Yugoslavian Red Butterhead lettuce, in bed front garage, front house. In 4 planting bags: Potato Swedish Peanut, 16 seed potatoes.

5-06-08 2 bell pepper plants from Lowes, 1 yellow, 1 red. in pots on porch.

5-07-08 4 seedling Burbank tomato plants in pots on porch.

5-10-08 Mammoth Basil seeds in oblong pot on porch (Cook's Garden); Cucumbers White Wonder, in bed far garage, far house, John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds; Watermelon Moon and Stars, in orchard, near house, Cook's Garden.

05-15-08 Summer of Squash, Botanical Interests, 2 outer rows in bed near house, near garage; tomato seedlings in bed far garage, near house; Zapotec x4 near house; Arkansas next, and at far edge; in center, Yellow Perfection. In pot on porch, Sweet 100; in pot near driveway, Sungold. 8-17-08 Zapotacs are very pleated and subject to cracking, nice taste, very productive; the yellow perfection are wonderful, small, round, would like to plant again, moderately productive; the Arkansas are also very nice, round red firm tomatoes. Sungolds and yellow pears on porch, pretty productive, but I didn't water as much as I should have, would have made a difference.

5-26-08 Rik dug trench in orchard; planted Small Sugar Pumpkins, Cook's Garden; Spanish Moon Melons (Cook's Garden) on rocket side of trench; Pulsar Hybrid melons(Cook's Garden) on firepit side; planted Watermelon Sugar Baby seeds (Cook's Garden)in previously planted trench with other watermelons, only 1 seed of which have come up; maybe not watering enough? 8-17-08 ate first Pulsar Hybrid canteloupe today, wonderful, small. There are 8 or 10 small pumpkins growing and similar # of watermelons, still small; I have not been watering out there but planted them in a very moist area of soil.

5-31-08 Planted Muscat de Provence Winter Squash, Cook's Garden, in bed near house, near garage; Amaranth Een Choy Hiyu, Amaranthus tricolor, in bed far house, far garage, between the broccoli. 8-17-08 Neither came up, not enough watering and weather too hot.

6-01-08 2 pkg Morning Glory seeds Sunrise Blend, Ipomoea purpurea, (Botanical Interests), in kiwi pots, also a few by left side of stairs to screen porch.

6-14-08 Replanted cucumbers, not watered enough when we were on our trip; Cucumber Pearl Hybrid, Park Seed, in pot and in bed far garage, far house; Cucumber White Wonder, in same bed, and mulched. 8-17-08 The large white cukes in raised bed, not sure which came up, have been very productive, and are very mild.

8-10-08 Bed, near house, near garage. Starting from house end:

• Mustard, Red Giant, from my seed
• Komatsuna, Brassica rapa (Seeds of Change)
• Kale, Redbor Hybrid 423 (Cook's Garden), 2007
• Mustard Greens, Mizuna, Brassica rapa “Japonica group” (Seeds of Change)
• Chinese Cabbage, China Choy, Brassica rapa (Seeds of Change)
• Carrot Asian, New Kuroda, Daucus carota var “sativus” (Botanical Interests)
• Carrot Scarlet Nanets, Daucus carota var “sativus” (Seeds of Change)
• Beet, Gourmet Blend, Beta vulgaris (Botanical Interests)

8-17-08 Bed near house, far garage:

• Vertus Savoy (organic) cabbage, in center of bed (Cook's Garden)
• Primero Hybrid Cabbage, at edge of bed (Cooks' Garden)

Bed far house, far garage:
*Yugoslavian Red Lettuce, (Cook's Garden)
* Four seasons (organic) Butterhead Letuce, (Cook's Garden)
* Bau Sin Mustard greens //Brassica juncea// (Seeds of Change)
*Rosette Green Tatsoi (spoon mustard) //Brassica rapa// var rosularis, (Seeds of Change)

Bed far house, near garage:

• Spinach Bloomsdale, Spinacia oleracea, (Botanical Interests)
• Early Wonder Beta vulgaris beets. (Botanical Interests).