Here some pictures of my very lush and verdant garden….it has really liked the rain!
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Tags: artichoke, cantaloupe, cosmos, garden, gardening, gourd, tomatoes, vegetables
It’s been a while since the last post – so sorry!
Things here are very wet. I think this must be how folks in Seattle feel. It is not flooding; it just rains a little every day and stays gray and cloudy. Yuck!
What is left in the garden is thriving! I have three gourd vines that have taken over the whole back half of the garden completely. They grow so quickly that I have to trim them back in some places so I can pick tomatoes, but then they grow even more vigorously where they were trimmed! I think there are about 20 gourds out there so far and more coming on each day! Gourds anyone?
The tomatoes still have never ripened on the vine. I have been picking them when they first start to change from a darker to a lighter green, and letting them ripen on the window sill. This seems to be working but it just isn’t the same as seeing lovely red tomatoes on the vine. Oh well!
I have been harvesting herbs to dry for the winter and seeds to plant next spring. I have all sorts of sunflower seeds and zinnias. I have saved a few squash and will try to save some of the black cherry tomato seeds too. I have some moon and stars watermelon seeds and cantaloupe. Oh and I am pretty sure I will have plenty of gourd seeds to share too!
I planted some radishes and lettuce and will be planting turnips, beets, and cabbage as soon as I clear out the okra and melons. I want to see how these things do over the winter. I really want to plant garlic, too, if I can find some.
Well even though it is the end of season there is still plenty to do – keep at it and happy gardening!
Tags: garden, gardening, gourds, herbs, seeds, tomatoes, vegetables
Well. It has been sweltering couple of weeks here! No rain to be had in Claremore anyway. We have had thunder storms all around but none that come over us. The garden is still looking good, but it sure has not produced very much. I do not know why…maybe I do. Heirlooms do not produce as prolifically as hybrids; all of my plants are heirlooms. They sure are tasty and I like to think that I am contributing to posterity, but they would not be very helpful in feeding the family. All I can say…thank goodness for the Red White and Blue. We live in a land of plenty and for that I am grateful.
I have picked beans this week. Some finally came up and took off. I thought they had drowned in the flood. I also have a lot of gourds coming on. Those things grow really fast!! The black cherry tomatoes have just taken off…they are about 6 feet tall and bushy all around. I have a couple of other tomatoes that are about 6 ½ feet tall too! The pictures show the garden from the back fence. There is a whole other garden back there!! I will be pulling up some of the vegetables and planting more lettuce and other fall crops like broccoli and cauliflower by the end of August. Happy gardening to you.
Tags: beans, garden, gardening, gourds, heirloom, tomatoes, vegetables
Howdy folks. It has been a while. Not too much to report…my garden is growing lush and green. I think some of the tomato plants are as tall as I am! I planted fall tomatoes for the first time ever. So far so good. I tilled up an area of the yard that had been covered by a brush pile. I added compost from my compost pile and manure to the soil so they should be happy there.
I am getting one squash about every four days; though they are starting to produce a little more now. Still no big ripe tomatoes; the black cherry has been giving one or two ripe ones every week. Today there were five ripe ones on it for the first time. Those do not even make it to the table…they are so tasty we eat them immediately! The girls found the watermelons that are coming on; Clara is very excited about them.
We have had some of the most beautiful butterflies visiting- swallowtails of all colors. Whenever I run out there with the camera, they fly off, so no pics yet. I do have a photo of a swallowtail caterpillar that ate up all my dill (which is one of the reasons I planted dill). Hummingbirds have been showing up, too, after the bee balm. Yesterday, one hummingbird flew within 3 feet of my oldest daughter while she stood quietly in delight watching it. It was not afraid of her at all. It was a marvelous thing to see and share with her. And all because of our garden!
I have a few different volunteers coming up and I am going to leave them to see what’s what. One is a pumpkin and the other is either a squash or a cucumber.
I hope all of you are receiving a bounty of goodness from your gardens.
Tags: garden, gardening, gourds, growing, squash, tomatoes, vegetables, watermelons
Check out http://www.karensgardentips.com/recipes/recipe-vegetables-kabobs/ for some great suggestions on grilling veggie kabobs.
Tags: cooking, garden, gardening, grilling, kabob, vegetables
Hello to all! The garden is looking real good. I picked some carrots the other day. They are a purple heirloom variety called Dragon. I have few pictures to show you of me harvesting and cleaning them. I have beautiful lush foliage and only a few fruits on just about everything. There are lovely green tomatoes on every vine. If they ever ripen we will have tomatoes out our ears! I have a picture of the one watermelon ripening on the vine; it is getting bigger everyday. Also some pictures of okra. Enjoy the pictures and be sure to take the time to enjoy the beauty and bounty that God provides every day.
Tags: carrots, dragon, garden, gardening, growing, heirloom, squash, vegetables, watermelons
Here is a link to advice on what you should be doing and watching for in your garden in July.
http://learn2grow.com/regional/2009/07/regional.aspx?markref=rotor3-July3-9
Here are a couple of examples of what you will find (these are for the Southeast Region):
Continue to harvest vegetables in your garden as they ripen, and remember to share any excess produce – perhaps with a food co-op or shelter. (This is a thoughtful act of kindness, as well as a great lesson for the kids!)
Replace any annuals that perform poorly in high heat and humidity with more tolerant annuals. But be warned: Heat-tolerant plants don’t exhibit such tolerance until they’re well-established, so be sure to care for them well after planting!
Bugs are a big problem this time of year. This site has a list of what bugs to watch for in each region as well.
Here is the video Lacey mentioned last week that I forgot to post. Be ye warned! The video is about 10 minutes long.
-JP
Tags: cucumbers, garden, gardening, peas, squash, tomatoes, vegetables, watermelons
Howdy folks! It has been a while since I posted anything. We have had a crazy few weeks what with our AC going ka-put and the girls and I having to stay at moms until it was fixed – gardening just kind of took a back seat! Thanks to my marvelous husband everything survived my absence because he watered it all for me and that is a big job!
Jason will post a video I took of my garden – it’s just a little tour where I introduce you to everything. Hope you enjoy it!
Today, July 1, I dug potatoes. It was so much fun! Even my girls got into it. Every time I stuck in the pitchfork it was like opening a box of surprises – never knowing exactly how many or how big the potatoes were going to be. I got everyone of the bushes dug except for the last one when it occurred to me to take pictures. Potatoes are definitely something I will plant again. One thing I learned is that the ground must be very soft or they stay too small. Add lots of compost to keep the soil soft and keep it moist but not wet.
Hope your gardening is going great!
Tags: digging, garden, gardening, growing, potatoes, vegetables
(*Note – I was supposed to post this two days ago. My bad. -Jason)
My garden has finally taken off. The plants are loving the fertilizer! Of course, so are the weeds. I can barely keep them out. I plan on mulching with more straw but it is sold out at all the feed stores here in town. I have enough lettuce right now that I was able to sale some at our Farmers Market this past Saturday and I think I am going to sale some this Saturday, too. Here are a few pictures of my garden.
Tags: chard, cucumbers, garden, gardening, growing, lettuce, vegetables, watermelons