What a difference a month makes during gardening season! When I posted my spring garden update last month, the garden tower, keyhole bed, and bed frame were freshly planted, and the star was done with the seasonal bulbs with excess amounts of mint sneaking into the center.
And look at it now! The marigolds and petunias are thriving in both spots, but more so in the garden tower. I get to look out my kitchen window at this array of colors, paired with the bits of dill and purple basil that came back from last year’s herb garden.
The star bed lost its first batch of sunflowers, and with the bulbs done for the year, I weeded out the entire center. I then relocated some mystery squash (probably acorn squash), planted milkweed seeds (a few years old, no sign of germination yet), and the last few sunflower seeds from this year’s shopping. I’ve taken to watering the sunflowers with a mix of coffee grounds and cold water, hoping the coffee scent will discourage whatever’s been devouring my sunflower seedlings.
The keyhole bed has gone from early sprouts and seedlings to explosive growth, particularly the acorn squash and tomatoes, with the volunteer (read: probably planted by a bird or squirrel) sunflower towering over them. I’m hoping they’re squished enough in there to prevent the neighborhood woodchuck from eating all the squash flowers before they bear fruit.
The marigolds and petunias in the bed frame have grown a bit, though not as much as the ones in the garden tower. There are a couple mystery squash plants there too. I really hope the mystery squash is acorn squash… I like to bake it wrapped in bacon.