Leeks and Peanuts!

Today I decided I would put the leeks in the ground in hopes that their appearance and condition will improve.  They will definitely get plenty of sunlight, and benefit from the nutrients in the soil.  Now I just have to remember not to step on them!

While I was out in the garden, I examined my carrots.  It appears that something went awry, because there is only a small section that is actually in a straight row.  And the strangest part of all is that it is the last section I planted!  In the rest of the 'row' there are some carrots where they are supposed to be, and then there are carrots at varying distances to either side of the row.  I have no idea how that happened, unless wind or water moved the seeds.  Very odd indeed!  I will have to be very careful when I plant more to ensure they are where they need to be.

I dragged Tom to the store today to pick up more dirt.  Mainly I just needed him there to lift the bags, so you can imagine his excitement.  We got two big bags of garden soil and one big bag of the new Miracle Gro moisture control potting mix from Scotts.  I like the idea that you can 'over-water' and it won't kill your plant.  It will also be nice if we go out of town, because it holds in the excess water releasing it when it is needed.  That is the theory anyway.  We will see how it goes.  I needed the garden soil to make the planting hills for the watermelon and pumpkins.  I moved the seedlings onto the porch today to get them used to the outside.  They are doing really well, so I think I should be able to get them in the ground before the week is over.  I will also use some of the soil for the zucchini.  They like hills as well.

And no garden would be complete without peanuts, right?!  Am I right!?  Ok, maybe that is not something most people would say, however while celebrating Mother's Day with my mom this year, we stopped by a greenhouse I had never been to before.  To my surprise they had peanut plants!  Now I should probably mention that I am not a nut lover.  I rarely eat nuts, and when I do, they have to be in something.  I have occasionally eaten peanuts when I was really hungry and there was nothing else around, but it is not something I ever crave.

So why all the excitement over the peanut plants?  Well when I was in Kindergarden, we had a class project that involved bringing in seeds to plant.  I brought in roasted peanuts.  No, roasted peanuts do not turn into peanut plants as they have been, well, roasted.  But had they not been cooked, they would have grown into a plant!  And if the afternoon class had not destroyed my class's plant project, we all would have discovered that cooked peanuts don't grow.  So you can see why I had to get a peanut plant.  And ever since Mother's Day, I have been debating where the heck I am going to put the darn thing!  I am happy to report I have decided on a location.  Since I already have spinach in my lettuce bin, and it is doing rather well, I will be putting the peanut plants (at least two; there are three in the pot I purchased) in the garden where I was originally going to plant more spinach.  By the end of the summer I should have 60 to 120 Spanish peanuts if all goes well!  And then I will give them to someone who will eat them.  :-)