First Bloom

It's been a month since the garden went in, and nothing has died yet.  The asparagus isn't doing as well as I had hoped, but one of the ferns is budding.  It's just the only one on that crown, and the other crown has two ferns.  My roommate's dog falling on it didn't help.  The green onions are bravely hanging on.  The big crops, however, are going gangbusters.

A broccoli plant actually smells like raw broccoli.  I have the very beginnings of a crown, and the stalk and leaves are strong.  I got cages for it and the tomato plant, so they don't collapse under their own weight.  Or get knocked over by the dog.

Poor little Gus

The brussels sprouts are taking a little longer to catch on, but the plant is healthy and showing improvement.  It may end up caged, too.  I'm not sure how the little cabbages grow.  They either form on branches or on a dedicated stalk, like flowers.  Hopefully, it will produce something and I will find out.

The cherry tomatoes are already blooming!  (See above)  If the weather stays warm, I could get ripe tomatoes in a month to six weeks.  Then I can be one of those lucky victims who end up with too many tomatoes because their plant it so healthy.  Maybe I'll learn how to can them.

Which brings up a point.  Every time I go online for gardening tips, I get them as they apply to cooler climates.  In the East, it's too early to plant anything outdoors.  In the Midwest, the ground is still half-frozen.  Last year's basil is still alive - outside - and growing fresh branches to replace the dead ones I pruned.  That is unheard-of in most of the country.

My biggest fear at this point is the whitefly fungus.  Many of the plants in the neighborhood have it, including my grafted citrus.  I need to find a non-hazardous fungicide that will not affect pets or anything edible.