Garden progress continues this year. We now have permanent (meaning not the leftover faulty siding and lumber odds and ends) boxes and even a permanent, though unfinished, fence. Back in April, I was sure 350 square feet was ample space for non-berry produce. I’ve grown increasingly less sure since then.

Today, I cut and blanched the first of the Red Russian kale. I would have cut the first of the collards except…this is rather embarrassing…I don’t know where they are.

You see, when I transplanted the young kale, collards, green cabbage, red cabbage, and cauliflower into their shared bed, I decided to mix them all up rather than plant them in separate sections. Integration is so much prettier and more interesting than segregation, don’t you think?

Well, while it’s easy to distinguish the kale (reddish color, lobed leaves) and red cabbage (reddish color), the collards, green cabbage, and cauliflower all look alike–I can’t tell what’s what. I wonder if humans all look alike to them.

Every day, I scrutinize the plants, searching for distinguishing features. I think, think one is starting to form a cabbage head and three others are showing signs of ruffley leaves, which I’m guessing is cauliflower. Once heads form, that means the others are collards.

Sigh.

This photo was taken two weeks ago. Plants are so much bigger now.

It’s been a cool, somewhat rainy summer. I’m grateful for the rain, but wouldn’t mind a bit more heat. I think the peas are a bit behind their time. Overall, though, the garden looks good.