2024 May 15 Tomatoes, Indigo, and American Redstarts

 Yesterday we saw a female Indigo Bunting, two different-colored American Redstarts, and what I now know is a Chestnut-Sided Warbler with his yellow “hat”. There is a darling Swainson’s Thrush presently in the Catalpa. 

We did “Minimal Mow May” by just mowing the front and back paths. It looks pretty amazing and allows for 75% or more of our yard to be wild like we like it.

Because we have been planting every level of our forest edge, the back yard is no longer full sun. I planted six tomatoes in an area that used to be grass. I’m hoping it’s enough sun. Carli then spread out a whole pack of Genovese Basil. Tomatoes and Basil make great garden friends. We might throw a tomato or two out front because our Maple and Elm are still so little, there is definitely full sun. 

You can barely see the little tomatoes. We buried them up to the top leaves. This is the spot where I tested the soil in March. High phosphorus but should be ok.

I also opened up the Blue Wild Indigo Baptisia and planted some in the tree lawn. They are so little. I’m wondering how they will do. It’s funny I learned all about how to winter sow my seeds and they turned out so nice, but I never learned when and how to transplant them. It’ll probably be trial and error for a while. It’s a decent way to learn. 

The winter-sown Blue Wild Indigo. 

I’m including a picture of our little Pawpaw tree too. It’s shorter than the strawberries around it. Gardens take so much patience. 

Baby Pawpaw.