Black Gumbo

This evening my son and I finished transplanting 20 plus tomato plants and two Jalapeno pepper plants into containers. We have another bunch of tomato plants to go, but these are the 'backup' plants because we're out of room. Some will undoubtedly get thinned as the months roll on. Potting the tomatoes is something I've never done, so we'll see how it goes. After doing some research, I believe we've potted well within the guidelines of what is considered proper 'tomato potting.' We will need to spread them out as they get larger.

As for the inventory, time will tell if the garden produces from the various veggies we've planted:

In the raised beds I have Sugar Cream cowpeas, Kentucky Black Crowders, Amarillo carrots, Saxa 2 radishes, Detroit Dark Red Beets, Southern Giant Curled Mustard Greens and Star of David Okra. I'll edge the garden with various herbs a little later, depending on what the companion planting guide says is best.

In containers we have various tomato varieties including Beefy Boy, Belgian Beefsteak, Sugar Snow, Super Marzano, Cherokee Purple, Ravello, Cabernet, Rutgers, Parks Whopper, and Green Sausage, among a few others. We've got two Yellow Bell Pepper plants and two Jalapeno Pepper plants potted as well. Our Bells did pretty poorly last time, so maybe this year we'll get some useful fruit.

While preparing the garden area this year, I replaced the hog wire fence. It was damaged by hurricane Ike and quite ravaged by the weed eater along its bottom, leaving loose wires through which curious weenie dogs could escape. To avoid the weed eater damage, I am trying some of that plastic weed control sheeting that is supposed to act as a mulch and last for 10 years. Its pretty weak stuff, but it has been laid under the fence and we've got some potted plants sitting atop it. Hopefully it will keep the grass down and make for a more sightly and kept garden fence, as sightly and kept-looking as a hog wire fence can be.

Its time to enjoy seeing the seedlings grow strong!