bugs bugs and more bugs!!!

My garden is being invaded by fleas!  They have killed several cucumber plants and a pepper plant.  I have lettuce growing everywhere for some reason (one reason may be a certain little person who helped me plant the garden he he).  I suspect the rain washed the seeds here, there and everywhere......  The long and the short of it is my garden is a mess at this point!  I have replanted some things....some things I can't remember where I planted lol.  Needless to say it has been an interesting growing season so far.

The Chicks are Growing.....

The chicks are growing and happy.....

"hey lady, where's the food?".....

"oh, there's the food! Thanks!"

Clyde Jr., our mixed Buff Orpinton/Americauna Rooster

a couple hens out for a stroll in the grass....

Garden is planted!

My experience with the little peat pellets was not a bad one.  I have transplanted my cucumbers into the garden, the roots were nicely developed.  I am hoping they will grow to be happy, cucumber producing plants :)

With the cucumbers planted my garden is complete.  I have beans peeking their way out of the soil as well as peas.  I had a little issue with tomato beetle and have since planted marigolds throughout the garden in hopes to deter the bugs.  I have planted 4 varieties of tomato plants this year, 16 plants total.

"Scotia", a staple plant in Nova Scotia since it was created for growing in our province.

"Big Beef", the great one slice per sandwich tomato.

"Early Girl", new to me but got great reviews, matures around the same time as Scotia.

"Better Boy", also new to me and also got great reviews for flavour and for producing the most fruit by a tomato plant. 324 lbs of fruit to be exact.  Pretty sure with our short growing season in Nova Scotia I will not reach that number.

I was planning to plant some heirloom varieties but I just don't have the room.  16 tomato plants in a small garden is already too many.  So, heirloom tomatoes will be put on the back burner for next years garden.

I do love cherry and grape tomatoes but I find they crack so quickly and last year I had a bad experience with the plants breaking down and laying in the soil.  No matter what I tried for staking it just didn't work.  I have considered trying a cherry tomato in an upside down planter, just haven't figured out where to hang it that it would be safe from animals and pests.  And, with all the tomato plants I already have I'm not sure I NEED another one.

I have planted yellow beets and spinach for the first time.  Returning to the garden this year: Sugar snap peas, shell peas, leaf lettuce, swiss chard, baby greens, red beets, yellow beans, romaine lettuce, green peppers, 2 varieties of cucumbers and, of course my 16 tomato plants.