March 13 Update

I have been so lazy, or perhaps I just haven't scheduled the time, in my garden.
I weeded the big garden a few weeks back
and...
the smaller raised bed is going to be moved this spring so I am doing nothing to it.


I also have been struggling with life a little.
Getting bogged down with chores and not really doing anything for myself.
Not that life is all about me but there are things that are good for the soul, good for the self.


For me, dirt under my nails is good for the soul.


So today I planted cucumbers and thyme.
Two different types of cucumbers, one for eating and one for pickling
and thyme, not because I necessarily use it for cooking but more because, well, I have thyme seeds.


So for today that is that. Pictures soon to come, I hope.


Happy day
and happy planting for those who are planting!!

Squash Update

I picked my first harvest of 3 squash.

Here is where I gutted a small part of one of them to save the seeds. I am going to try my hand at preserving the seeds year to year--- we'll see how this one goes.
Here's the best part....
I used my squash to make my mom's yummy squash muffin recipe, go here to get the recipe and make it for yourself-- it's yummy.

Garden Update

Garden March 29th:

And 13 days later:
Some close-ups:

Yellow squash- I can't wait to make my mom's yellow squash muffins with these.

Cucumbers. Pickles coming as soon as we have enough and with 9 plants I'm sure to have enough!
I've also started a bunch more seeds.

More onion, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers... this year my goal is to have a continual supply of veggies.

Spacing out the plants start time should allow for a longer harvest season.

I am also hoping to kill a large area on the side lawn and plant several rows of corn.

Justin has proven to be my son.

Yesterday he informed me he wanted to eat healthier, more fruits and veggies and he asked that they be natural, homegrown- no pesticides :)

Bloomin' Broccoli and Hidden Cauliflower

I really can't remember if I ever showed you guys what a broccoli plant looks like it your let it go to flower.
We do afterall, eat the flower buds when we eat a head of broccoli.
Each time I grow this green yumminess I just can't help but let 1 or 2 plants go to bloom.
These beautiful flowers attract the bees and are oh so pretty.
closer view.

And then there is cauliflower. When I buy cauliflower and broccoli at the store I just group them together as "heads" and expected them to grow on a plant the same way.

Well, they do...

and they don't.

Broccoli grows straighter up on a stalk while cauliflower stays a little more hidden and covered up.

Kind of like us as Christ followers.

A beautiful end product yet the end product doesn't always take the same path getting there- may we never forget that.

May we love one another as we grow in the way God planned for us each to grow.

Now the cauliflower....

hidden...

digging deeper.....

finally a close-up.

So there you have it- my broccoli and cauliflower section of the garden as it sits today- well until about 5 minutes from now when I go cut the cauliflower plant.

Toddles!

Large Garden- New Soil

My large garden has certainly been around the longest, sat empty the longest and been the biggest weed mess to control.
I have always dreamed of having a few yards of grade A topsoil delivered into it's bed but finances have never allowed...
until this year.
What a joy it was to spread this dirt around, I just love the smell of fresh soil.

I first laid out my planting, yellow squash (for muffins), zucchini, cucumbers and cantaloupe. The plan it for all these viney plants to grow outside the bed on trellises, still to be made, to free up the inside of the bed for tomatoes, onions and beans.

I've been watering daily and planted seeds last week with hopes of their peaking through the dirt soon. I may buy some tomato plants at the farmers market this weekend.

Until then have a happy day!

Corn

Corn, Cantaloupe and Peppers

Remember this bed? This is my original garden bed, the largest and the last to get plantings! I have 4 rows of corn and three mounds of cantaloupe. The area on the left- that's looks scrubby and yucky- well that area now has peppers!
Here's the bed 2 weeks ago before it was totally weeded out, but you can kind of see the peppers in.

Here's the bed now! The corn is doing great and the cantaloupe is off the chain. I've had to get creative to keep the cantaloupe away from the peppers. Speaking of peppers they are doing OK, I lost about half the crop I planted, but I have 5 good strong plants and 2 on the verge??

OH and I have to share this deal!! I have been looking for a pond for the front of the house. The roof line forms a valley that empties right into the corner of my front yard and right outside 2 windows. I've always had a rain barrel there to catch the rain and then use it to water my plants. Well, last week at Lowes we found this baby: we saved over $30 and it was a great deal so we snatched it up!! Now to get digging and put this in the ground.... next adventure: turtles and other pond type fun!

First Cucumber

Here's a shot of the first cucumber as a baby.
It seemed like only a few days and we had this!!!

As you can imagine, we ate it- yummy!!

Progress!!

Top right corner is my cucumber plants in April, to the right are two stakes with strings running from the bed to the stakes for the cucs to grow on.

Different angle but this is my cuc plant now. I've added more stakes in the ground and put plastic down to maybe help slow the grass growth underneath.

I also had to move the oregano. You'll see it now at the bottom center of this bed, the cuc plant was growing over the top of it.

My failed attempt at onions has been a success at scallions.

Here they are washed and trimmed ready to give to friends and use in my kitchen

Large Garden April vs May

Large Garden April 2010
Large Garden May 2010

Getting Things in the ground Fells Good

So I've been somewhat busy in my garden.
I've been a little reoccupied with my life outside the garden but I did manage to finally, after 3 years get my large garden area planted.

This year so far:
4 rows of corn
3 mounds of cantaloupe
potatoes!!
3 tomato plants
and still to come:
peppers and pictures of all of this!!

Happy planting

Spinach, spinach, spinach

Spinach is everywhere!!
Today I made my first batch of spanakopita using my own home grown spinach!!
It was yummy.
Thankful I have a small garden of spinach *smile*

Garden Progression

December 2009
January 2010

February 2010

March 2010