Categories - we need some categories.
Doing well: lettuce, basil, Swiss Chard, Red Russian Kale, Collards, Radishes, some types of Summer Squash
Grade incomplete: Peas, Beets, Carrots, Leeks, cukes
Too early to tell (perhaps): potatoes
When at first you don't succeed....: Beans and a few of the squash and cuke hills.
All in the "doing well" category planted as starts caught on quickly and are growing rapidly and well. Radishes germinated very well, as did some of the squash. "Incomplete" grades were handed out to direct seeded veggies that had spotty germination, and to seedlings that are having a bit of a struggle in the heat. I've not seen growing shoots in the potato bales yet - I have two more bales to plant, and the spuds are sprouting - so, planting will happen next week.
As to current (and temporary) failures, my bean germination (with fresh seed) was awful to non-existent - ditto a few of the squash, and cukes. My working theory is that the bales were still cooking a bit when seeded; just after planting, we had a pretty long wet spell...I also planted too deeply.
Today saw reseeding of the bare spots - I planted more peas, carrots, cukes, and beans. We shall see! Oh yes - the mushrooms have been spectacular, if short-lived. They emerge in the morning, dominate the bales, then desiccate and vanish in the heat of the sun.
So the lessons thus far:
Greens bales should be started a few months earlier
Plant seeds more shallowly
The mistakes are fixable.
Don't worry, be happy - and have fun!
See the pictures below.
Top row - overview of entire garden, spotty bean germination, mostly good beets
Second row - carrots, chard, collards and kale
Third row - spotty squash and cuke germination, lettuce 1 and lettuce 2 (with the kick butt growing basil!)
Fourth row - peas, radishes, more successful squash hills