(no subject)
I'm going to have to update with some pictures tomorrow, but the garden is growing. We've had lettuce and onions for about two weeks now. I think I can easily plant more onions later since those are really easy to grow. My broccoli is actually showing crowns and florets now! I think I have either a too damp area or too much heat situation going on. My broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts keep wilting in the heat of the day. I've constructed a shade for them during the hottest parts of the day and that seems to be helping. One of the broccoli plants looks like it is having a really rough time and it's in the lowest part of the garden, leading me to think it is too damp for it. I've also had a minor scuffle with cabbage worms. I removed a few of them by hand, and then the sparrows came and took a few more off of the plants. I sprayed the leaves with hot pepper spray because I read that can deter the moths. The shade for the broccoli might also freak them out enough to keep them away. We'll see. So far, the cabbage seems really big and not worth it. I have the least interest in its success and it's been the most work. Cabbage is starting to make it's way to the "not next year" list. :) If the broccoli survives, I think I'll be doing that again, but in a different spot in the yard. I now know how much space the plants take...these are HUGE plants. I had no idea. I guess the size of a broccoli crown should've been a tip-off...
The wayward potato plant has grown and blossomed. I wonder what's going on underground and how long I should wait to find out. I didn't intend to plant potatoes, so I didn't research them. Ilona wanted to plant a potato, so I gave her one from the fridge, she put it in a really deep hole, and the thing is growing like mad. The carrot tops look impressive, but I worry that there is nothing good going on underground. I actually unearthed a bit of one, and it was getting thick and orange (and no, there just wasn't a good way to phrase that). So, I'll give them more time...at least they don't just look spindly and pale. The green onions have been harvested whenever we need them, and I'm taking the dry onions on faith. We'll see what happens with those in the fall.
The beans. Wow. Those things are like mutants. They have grown beyond my fancy little vining plant things I bought and I've had to install a piece of leftover lattice in the garden for them to climb up. If they begin to flower and produce actual beans, I'm going to have to learn to can because we'll never eat that many beans.
My tomatoes are doing well...very well. They are beginning to fill their giant cages and blossom! I love tomatoes, so this delights me to no end.
The peppers have bloomed. I may have to get another plant of each species in there...not sure if they need buddies to cross-pollinate. The other ones I purchased were attacked by my garden bunny before I could get the fencing up.
Finally, my cucumbers are beginning to look like cucumber plants. I threw the seeds in their little mounds and within days, I had seedlings. The hot weather is going to make everything (except the broccoli) grow like mad. My beans increased their vines by 3 inches TODAY...I kid you not...I measured. Maybe I'll find a goose with a golden egg and all my money troubles will be gone.
In the meantime, it looks like I'm going to have a bunch of vegetables with no real plan as to what to do with them. Looks like I WILL save on that food bill this summer.
I'm going to a presentation on local farmers tomorrow morning. It's a how and where to buy local right here in town...looking forward to it. One of the farmers is actually a student's parent...I had no idea! The other two are the guy I buy eggs and salad from who runs the CSA we considered and a local beef farmer whose son goes to the middle school.
Final exciting news. Ilona LOVES the garden lettuce and onions. She not only requested a salad at dinner tonight, but ate the WHOLE THING. YEAH!
The wayward potato plant has grown and blossomed. I wonder what's going on underground and how long I should wait to find out. I didn't intend to plant potatoes, so I didn't research them. Ilona wanted to plant a potato, so I gave her one from the fridge, she put it in a really deep hole, and the thing is growing like mad. The carrot tops look impressive, but I worry that there is nothing good going on underground. I actually unearthed a bit of one, and it was getting thick and orange (and no, there just wasn't a good way to phrase that). So, I'll give them more time...at least they don't just look spindly and pale. The green onions have been harvested whenever we need them, and I'm taking the dry onions on faith. We'll see what happens with those in the fall.
The beans. Wow. Those things are like mutants. They have grown beyond my fancy little vining plant things I bought and I've had to install a piece of leftover lattice in the garden for them to climb up. If they begin to flower and produce actual beans, I'm going to have to learn to can because we'll never eat that many beans.
My tomatoes are doing well...very well. They are beginning to fill their giant cages and blossom! I love tomatoes, so this delights me to no end.
The peppers have bloomed. I may have to get another plant of each species in there...not sure if they need buddies to cross-pollinate. The other ones I purchased were attacked by my garden bunny before I could get the fencing up.
Finally, my cucumbers are beginning to look like cucumber plants. I threw the seeds in their little mounds and within days, I had seedlings. The hot weather is going to make everything (except the broccoli) grow like mad. My beans increased their vines by 3 inches TODAY...I kid you not...I measured. Maybe I'll find a goose with a golden egg and all my money troubles will be gone.
In the meantime, it looks like I'm going to have a bunch of vegetables with no real plan as to what to do with them. Looks like I WILL save on that food bill this summer.
I'm going to a presentation on local farmers tomorrow morning. It's a how and where to buy local right here in town...looking forward to it. One of the farmers is actually a student's parent...I had no idea! The other two are the guy I buy eggs and salad from who runs the CSA we considered and a local beef farmer whose son goes to the middle school.
Final exciting news. Ilona LOVES the garden lettuce and onions. She not only requested a salad at dinner tonight, but ate the WHOLE THING. YEAH!