Pole Bean Trellis--- Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans.

I made this trellis out of 1/2 inch electrical conduit. I used reinforcing rod wire to connect the poles to each other . At the bottom where they go into the ground, I drove wooden stakes, and wired the poles to the stakes.Then at each end I drove a stake and ran a wire from the peak to the stake, to stabilize the contraption.It really seems pretty solid and stable. Last year a big wind storm flattened my beans. I don't know if this will survive the summer or not. I also covered it with mesh netting for the beans to climb on. It will work great as long as the wind doesn't blow it down. It is probably about nine feet to the peak, and I think it can be picked by standing on  a bucket.

Fort Laramie Everbearing Day Neutral Strawberries

I planted these last spring, they are loaded with flowers. My grand kids are keeping a sharp eye on them.

Texas Supersweet White, and Sweet Red Onions

These were plants and have been in the ground about eight weeks. I planted them about six inches apart.

Top Setting Onions, Egyptian onions, or Walking Onions

I bought a handful of these online last year, and planted them in August. I tried one as a green onion at the end of November, it was really strong. Then I tried another one in March and it was really sweet with no strong flavor the plants are about two feet tall. I've never grown these before, but I think they are foolproof and quite an interesting plant..

Big Zac, Radiator Charly's Mortgage lifter, Beefsteak, and Aunt Gerties Gold Tomatoes

The tomatoes are getting off to a good start. I dug in lots of leaves last fall, double dug the beds and put in about 20 inches of compost.

Grey Griselle French Shallots

I planted these Shallots last fall. I planted 24 bulbs, and it looks like all but one came up. We had a really cold and hard winter, which I want to mention, because some literature says they might not handle a bad winter very well Regarding the Grey Griselle the literature says you have to acclimatize them to your micro climate. I don't know about all of that. As far as here in Northern Illinois they are really doing well..

Bright Lights Swiss Chard

I think you can plant the Swiss Chard as early as you want. We had really cold weather and I still had great germination. Theses plants are eight weeks planted. I almost could pick some if I wanted to. They are really pretty in the garden, and good to eat if you like greens. They will grow back every time after you cut them and take the heat really well They will grow until they freeze..

Yukon Gold Potatos planted March 22

The potatoes are really doing nicely. They have really nice color. I planted them on nine inch centers with the rows nine inches apart also. They are sitting on top of ten inches of compost and I did double digging with these beds as well.This is what they have done in eight weeks.

Double Digging and Spring Seeds planted

Last week I worked into the garden 3 cubic yards of compost. All of the garden was "double dug" last fall, and then a second time this spring. I open up a trench and then fill it with compost. Before I put in the compost, I use a potato fork and break up the subsoil. The second time through the beds are pretty much fluffed up to about three feet. I planted Bush Crop Cucumbers,Atlantic Giant Pumpkins,Yellow Doll Watermelons,Bush Sugar Baby Watermelon, Royal Burgundy Bush Beans,Butter Cup Squash,Honey Bun Hybrid Cantaloupe,Double Yield Cucumbers,Reimer Bush Baby Squash,Homemade Pickles Cucumbers,Spacemaster Cucumbers,Dill, and Venezuelan Corn. Then we had a very nice rain over the weekend. I also transplanted some Swiss chard, and various lettuces.

May Illinois Tulips

With all the rain and cool weather the Tulips are really pretty this year. This is the second year for this bed. I planted them in October, 2009. I used peat moss compost and lots of bone meal. They are in a sunny location.

Calçots-Spanish Style Green Onions, or Scallions.

Last August 20th I purchased and planted some white onions. I cut the tops off and planted them in trenches, covered with about 4 inches of soil. They didn't sprout until October. It took so long that I thought they had rotted away. I don't know if the had been treated with a growth inhibitor or needed to break dormancy. maybe it would help to refrigerate them before planting. There was some growth last fall and then this spring just as soon as the snow melted they really took off. You want to mound them up as they grow. They are really large and sweet. The Spaniards grill them and make a special hot sauce for them. Enter Calcots in Google and you can find the recipes. So this is how onions can be forced