Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Garden Tour - August 8, 2012

Sorry, I've been missing.  The garden is keeping me very busy.
You know what the best part of having an herb garden?
Is thinking, "Oh, I need some basil!"  Then I go out front and voila!
I thought the coriander/cilantro could get bigger, but it didn't.
But that's okay, now I have beautiful green coriander seeds.



Parsley.


Lots of basil.  Most went to seed before I got around to making pesto.
But I'm guessing it's still doable.


Oregano.


Thyme.


Between the mint and basil flowers, I am definitely helping the bees out.
They are everywhere!


The Peanut's sunflowers are finally about to have actual flowers.


She'll be so excited when she gets home!


Don't know where these nasturtiums came from but they are pretty.


OMG have I picked lots of tomatoes.  I've given some away.
Eaten a ton of tomato salad.  And now I'm canning them and making sauce.
Romas, Big Rainbow, Box Car Willie, Prudence Purples...I'm not even sure anymore...


And the cucumbers...wowza.
I'm made many jars of pickles.


Carrots.  A groundhog ate the tops off, but they're back now.


The potatoes were doing so well, we had to add a level.
We might actually need a third level to the box.


Summer squash...it's kinda bumpy...Idk....


Apparently, I have a cabbage worm problem.
I need to make a pepper spray and see if it helps.
This is the biggest I've ever gotten a cauliflower seedling to grow.


Oh the tomatoes....


They're so big and so heavy the tomato cages can't hold them up.
Most have fallen over and I feel like I'm in a losing battle trying to keep them standing.


Look at how crazy they are!
Apparently, they don't mind laying on the ground,
because I'm still getting tons of tomatoes.


Here's the pepper plant with Matilda the Hen standing by.


Eggplant!  This is the first year I got an eggplant to grow.
So super excited!
 
I had problems with the cantaloupe seedlings.
Only three survived and they didn't look like they were really going to grow.
Then suddenly the took off and are taking over the whole trellis,
plus the trellis the cucumbers are on!


Honestly, I'm getting a little sick of cucumbers...
I planted ten seedlings this year because they don't normally do well.
Obviously that's not a problem anymore.
I'm going to plant maybe three next year...


The left trellis is the three cantaloupe plants.
Because it seemingly happened over night, they managed to wind up
spreading out a lot under trellis too.  Oh well....


Still lots of pickling cucumbers.  They go from perfect to overripe in a minute!


Hot peppers.


Jalapenos.


It's not too weedy, but it's a mess.
But I'm grateful for it, as I've heard many around me are not having successful
gardening seasons this year.


Another nice thing this year are all the very colorful birds and butterflies.
I've never had so many in the garden.
And even though the bell pepper plant didn't produce a single pepper,
it was nice to see the hoard of bees swarming around it.
 
Happy gardening, Everyone! xo

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Garden Tour - July 7, 2012



I finally planted potatoes. I know, very late.  Whatever.  I bought seed potatoes on clearance for $2. 
I threw all 18 into the 4'x2' box (maybe it's bigger...) the Hubby made me with layers to add on top later when I have to pile on more soil.  I can't just plant them in the ground because
potatoes just rot to nothing in my soil.


I think these are Romas.


I still don't know what's eating my cauliflower, but it's still growing...


I have so many zucchini and summer squash I don't know what to do with it all.


See how big this bell pepper plant is?  Guess what? No peppers! Wtf!?


I think these are Big Rainbow tomatoes.


Only one eggplant survived.


I don't know what happened with the cantaloupe this year, but
we finally have a couple of plants growing.


After we dropped off the Peanut with my family, we came home to over 20 pounds of cucumbers.
I picked some and gave away a bunch at work.


The Hubby's friend from the gym gave him pepper seeds.
I think these are mild peppers.


Black Krim tomatoes.


I think these are the hot peppers.


I really don't know why the cucumbers are doing so well this year.
I have both pickling and bush growing.
I think it's going to take over the entire back of the garden.


One of the best parts of the garden is seeing all the bees buzzing around.
I'm also happy to report the bunnies have been hanging in the yard,
but so far (knock on wood) none in my garden.
But we might have a mole/gopher/groundhog over by the asparagus and strawberry boxes.

Crap! I forgot to take pics of the herb garden out front...next time...
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Win 2 Free Tickets to Liberty Science Center


I'm having a giveaway on my other blog...interested in winning 2 free tickets to Liberty Science Center?  Then leave a comment and enter for a chance.  Good luck!

Surviving Single Motherhood's Liberty Science Center Tickets Giveaway

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Garden Tour - June 16, 2012

Lots of peas.

 
Lettuce, carrots...I keep meaning to start more, but I haven't...yeeesh.


Zucchini!


Summer Squash.


Only one cauliflower survived and something's eating it. 
Gotta make some bug spray.


Something's eating the bell pepper plant too.
This is easily the biggest bell pepper plant I've ever grown.


Out of the tomato seedlings, 18 survived.
We've had tons of rain so they're getting huge...well, huge for me.
I've seen people online deep watering them by burying pvc tubes...
Theirs get 6-10 feet tall...cool, but too much work for me.


Hot peppers.


Eggplant. Something's eating that too!
Only two survived and the other one doesn't look so good.


Cantaloupe.  I don't know what's up with the cantaloupe this year.
I think the problem is the soil in that section of the garden.
It's muddy...Idk if one of my idiot neighbors is doing something again.
Or if its just something about that side.


Spinach.  Looks big in the pic, but they're small in real life.


Lots of cucumber flowers, so pretty.


So I have bush cucumbers in the front and pickling climber ones on the side.
Although looking at the bush ones, I think they'd do better if I strung them up too.
We'll see...I'm keeping an eye on them while I debate it out in my head.


Heavy duty trellis made from scrap wood.


And here are my favorite flowers...
My Peanut bought them for me at the Mother's Day sale at school.
 
Posted by Picasa