Right now, I've got several lettuces in the ground, some red okra, yellow squash, watermelon, and broccoli.
If all of it would turn out, we would have a great menu of veggies throughout the summer and into the fall. Likely, too much.
The watermelon were transplants from the garden center at the nearby Ingles grocery store. They looked pretty sickly for the first few days but have grown strong and lengthened their branches in the last few weeks. They might do alright.
Everything else has been directly sown. I should have some lettuce to eat in a salad in the next two weeks, should the rabbits tarry.
The broccoli isn't looking great; there are three of those. I put some wood chips around them last week to try and prevent weeds and retain moisture, but there's no growth. It also did not grow last year; I've shifted it to the west end of the bed from the east end of the bed as well.
The yellow squash came up great! I mounded the soil and put three seeds in each -- 7 mounds in total I believe -- and if I recall, 5/7 bloomed all three seeds. Last year I let the squash grow too big. They get hidden under the gigantic leaves and seem to grow so much of their size in a short amount of time if you leave them too long. I'll plan on watching that this summer and having smaller sized fruit.
This red okra I am excited about. I grew up with fried green okra at Sunday meals at my grandmother's house. I doubt I'll fry them (covered in flour, cooked in canola oil on high heat) because grilled/sautéed is wonderful and less intesive. I'm a bit concerned they'll get shaded out by the squash, though. Instead of weeding the other half of the garden, I decided to pack it in.
Generally, I've used a bit too much space in the garden so this summer is an attempt to grow in tighter spaces.
I've still got some seeds I'd planned to get in the ground (peppers, bush beans, etc.), but I might end up doing transplants there.
So far, I've spent more time cultivating things post-planting than I did at this time last year. I'm great at planning and planting, lazy at weeding.