In my garden

Double impatien

Coral Salvia- started from seeds from a friend

African Daisy- found on the clearance rack at Lowes

Either a kind of sage or salvia

Autumn Sage

Autumn Sage

Flowers, herbs, & fruits I want to grow someday & Those I do grow

Dahlia
Rocket Larkspur
Hyssop
Sunflowers
Rose of Sharon
Borage
Chamomile http://theprudenthomemaker.com/blog?view=entry&id=95
Asparagus
Peaches
Figs
Oranges
Apples
Apricots
Grapes
Foxglove
Poppies
Ranunculus http://www.garden.org/subchannels/flowers/bulbs?q=show&id=757
Stock http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/stock/growing-stock-flowers.htm
sweet lavendar
french tarragon

Flowers & Herbs I do grow:
Mexican Mint Marigold
Zinnias
Dianthus
Bee Balm
Rosemary
Basil
Chives
Oregano
Thyme
Stevia
Parsley
Rue
Shasta Daisy
African Daisy
autumn Sage
Coral Salvia
Purple Salvia
Black-eyed Susan
Lantana
Yarrow
Angelonia
Double Impatiens
Day lilies- stella de oro
Coreopsis
Marigold
Sedum
snapdragon
violets

Gotta have flowers among the veggies

I've decided I like to have flowers among my produce when gardening.  There's a lot of practicality to gardening but I also need the visually appealing beauty of the flowers.  Of course flowers are vital to producing anything and also attractive to pollinators and other beneficials.  So I make sure there's room to plant marigolds, zinnias, and nasturtiums with my veggies.  Nasturtiums are tasty and nutritious, too!  And are  supposed to improve the flavor of tomatoes.

Fingerling Potatoes

I planted 8 fingerling potatoes that I got from the grocery store (organic) in a large container.  It was originally a self-watering contraption that my husband and I made but the weight of the dirt and everything pushed the self down so far it covered up my watering hole.  We probably didn't do something right.  It's a great concept.  Here's what I pulled up 2 weeks ago from four of the original potatoes!  I stopped counting after 50!

Carrots!

I don't know why but I have always been kind of scared of growing carrots.  I didn't think you COULD grow carrots in Texas.  A couple of falls ago, I planted a few and waited and waited but nothing came up.  About a year later I noticed I was getting a weed that looked just like a carrot top so I let it grow, curious to see what it would become.  A few months later I pulled it up and there was a healthy little carrot on the other end!  Ever since then I've tried harder to grow carrots.  And I don't know if it's because my soil has been improving or what but I've had more success!  This week I pulled up my finger carrots- I think I planted them in January or February.  (This is partly why I'm going to be better about this blog- so I can remember these things.)  Look how beautiful these babies are!!

They have a delicious, mild flavor.  I had them planted in front of one of my patio tomatoes.  Carrots do love tomatoes!

In other news, we had a good rain on Saturday and by Monday the squash and beans I planted last Thursday were peeking through.  What a difference rain makes!!

Pick a Peck of Peppers

Now for some current happenings...

Today I planted Kentucky Wonder green beans in the far garden where the lettuce was growing before.  I also planted a jalapeno pepper in the far corner.  I'm hoping it will get enough sunshine behind the tomato plant I planted last month.  I took out the sugar snap peas that have stopped producing much now that the temperature has been rising.  I also dug up the potatoes there.  They did not win out in the competition for sun with the peas and so only made about one potato per plant.  In their place I planted 2 hills of fall squash- delicata, one hill of tatuma summer squash and one hill of patty pan squash.  In a pot I planted a pimiento sweet pepper plant.  I've never tried this kind before and am hoping it does well.  The bell pepper I planted a couple of years ago it producing tons again but the leaves are looking really sickly.  I think I need to find out from our local agricultural extension what is going on with it.

The beauties of gardening! (Flowering dill)

Jalapenos always love our hot summers!

Swiss chard enjoying a bit of sun in its shady corner.

I think this is a beneficial bug?  Am I right?

I never realized that eggplant grows these thorns on it.

Blackberry season will soon be here!!

Why the mottled leaves?  Poor pepper plant, you have served us well!

January Garden

And just because I want to remember what for next year, here's what my garden looked like at the end of January.  A few weeks later, we had lettuce coming out of our ears!!  I was giving it away.  By March it was covered in aphids.  I tried to wash them off but there were so many I had to throw most of it out.  I don't know if there's really anything I can do to deter them next year.  They didn't seem to be a huge problem until it started warming up more.  But I probably shouldn't plant lettuce in my far garden again next year.  I believe I planted oak leaf and a blend.  Also in this bed were broccoflower, carrots, beets and turnips.  The beets and turnips mostly just made tops.  The broccoflower was great but it took a really long time to grow.  The cauliflower was in my strawberry bed.  This was the first year I grew cauliflower that made a head.  I think it's because I fertilized it with an organic fertilizer a couple of times.  This plant actually made two heads!  Also, at this time in my strawberry bed my sugar snap peas were producing like crazy!