April 26, 2013

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!

April 25, 2013

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!



Spring Is Here!

I know I'm really behind with my posting but here are some pictures I took back in the end of March when everything was starting to bloom and peek out of the ground.  I love the arrival of Spring!!
Strawberries and green onions- our battle with the birds has begun!!

Black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars on the dill.  That's okay- we'll share!

Society garlic around the plum tree

Our plum tree starting to bud out.  It amazes me how these beautiful flowers emerge from a lifeless stick.  

Sugar snap peas growing like crazy!  These grow anywhere I plant them and my kids love to come up and pick off a snack while they are playing outside.

My cilantro usually bolts really quickly but it sure looks beautiful, especially against the purple kale.

My first daffodil.  I planted bulbs in December and they all came up!!!