Urban garden update

Just wanted to take a minute to update the growth of my friend Nick's garden. Here's Nick tending the radishes:

As of now Nick is growing peas, carrots, radishes, onions, broccoli, lettuce and cucumbers. Everything seems to be responding well to the relentless heat wave we've been experiencing in past weeks. We've set two rather impressive(sobering) records so far this summer in Seattle: hottest summer since SeaTac started recording weather in the 40's, and lowest amount of precipitation, at less than half the rainfall of the former lowest recorded amount.

Nick has run into a small insect problem with his broccoli plants. It appears as if the leaves have been chewed by cabbage moth caterpillars. I struggled with the same infestation, of which there are two solutions known to me. One involves picking the caterpillars off the plant as they are seen, which has its obvious limitations. The other is to cover the plants with a floating row cover. These can be found at any nursery and perhaps even big box stores that have a large enough garden center. Essentially it's a tightly woven synthetic fabric that is draped over the plants to prevent the moths from landing and laying their eggs nearby. As the fabric is merely sitting, or floating, on the plants, it does not restrict their growth.

Nick's radishes growing splendidly

Brewed Storms

Last night I was wakened to the sound of my single-paned window rattling in its frame. The screaming wind bore down on the house almost as violently as the pelting rain that hasn't stopped since early yesterday afternoon. My chance to get some more seeds sowed was rained out, as looks like will be the case today. Luckily I was able to get some work done on Sunday. I planted a row of onion starts Nathan had sowed inside in 4" pots back in March. Also some basil and cilantro seedlings sprouted at about the same time. Next to the onions I planted some hills of potatoes, four that I bought as seed potatoes (a purple variety), and three that sprouted in the newly tilled/composted garden as volunteers. A look at what's new in the garden since Sunday:

Basil(left) and Cilantro(right)

Onions

Potatoes

I (reluctantly) planted three tomato plants in our front garden (against the concrete stairs that lead to the front door). I chose to plant them because I felt they had become too leggy, too tall for the pots I had transplanted them into. I imagine moving them into bigger pots at this point wouldn't serve much purpose, since I would be planting them outside in another two weeks anyway. Hopefully this bout of wind and rain will not take too much of a toll, though I'm sure they're not too pleased at the moment. Once the weather improves I imagine their placement will be beneficial to their heat-loving tendencies, as the concrete wall they are planted against absorbs heat during the day and should radiate heat long into the evening, something tomatoes ought to appreciate. Between them I also planted some basil and cilantro. Today should find me drawing up plans to build a tunnel cloche (essentially a mini greenhouse constructed cheaply of pvc pipe and polyurethane plastic) where I hope to grow tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. At least that will keep me busy until the rain stops.

As of now the tomatoes are loosely held upright to the wooden rail with gardening twine. I will probably have to devise a more inventive support system as they begin growing more rapidly (as they are an indeterminate variety and require some type of staking), but for now, it will make do.