Friday, July 11, 2014

Summer: A Garden Update

It's been a month and a half of turbulent weather. For a couple of days most of one of the gardens was under water. It wasn't looking good. But then suddenly everything started to pop. It looks like it's going to a second year of successful gardening. The only problem is that it's been hard to get into the garden and weed properly more than once, because of the rain and the massive amount of mosquitoes. Additionally, for some reason, there are way more weeds this year compared to last year. Their seeds must have come in on the wind.

At least the herbs on the back porch: four basil, a marjoram, English thyme, oregano, rosemary and chocolate mint plant, create an inviting smell and have been useful for weeks now (can't make enough variations of chimichurri sauce). *sigh* Summer. It should always be summer.

But it's been a busy summer with work, painting (four completed last month), travel, house guests and general relaxing before the ramp-up to next semester. While there's been plenty of mental health issues to write about of late, it seems redundant, and it's really not always the right time to lay your issues and insecurities out into the digital world.

In any case, here are some beautiful photos from the garden.

Three kinds of beans (painted pony, cannelino, purple queen)
Summer Squash (there are patty pans and zucchini...PATTY PANS!!)
Baby Green Pepper
(there is also a red, yellow and purple pepper, two poblanos and four jalapeno plants). 
Cippolini onions (there are red and white planted)

Sweat Peas
Cherry Tomatoes
(there are a total of about 17 plants of various breeds)
Butterhead Lettuce
Baby Leaf Lettuce
Eggplant Blossoms
Potato Blossoms
The South Plot
(full of winter squash, cilantro, swiss chard, kale, carrots, onions [red, yellow and white], leeks, potatoes, broccoli, beets, etc...oh, and weeds)
It's all going to pop at once and the amount of produce will be unmanageable, but that's when the real fun begins...canning, dehydrating, eating. So. Much. Eating. :-)


1 comment:

  1. I'm quite literally salivating over your garden.
    Spent a good chunk of the morning planning next year's garden. Because of questionable soil due to pollution from the years as an auto salvage yard, I've decided on straw bale gardening for 2 years until we build up an 18x30ish ft garden bed.
    It should provide more than enough to feed the family and provide preserves.
    I have 3 small dogs, one with fruit just beginning to bud... In another 3 years we'll have fig preserves from our own trees.
    Anyway, I'm looking forward to fall when I can begin prepping the area. Or local landfill has sifted compost for $10 a ton. Can't beat that and a local historical garden gives away cypress mulch each spring if you load it yourself.
    Really think it's possible this time out. Now to wait and ensure we can stay here to make these dreams come true.
    I love your garden updates.

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