Haven't done a garden update in a couple of weeks so here it is...
Eggplants are doing fine. Putting on blooms but haven't set fruit yet. One plant looked like something had nibbled on it, more insect like, not animal, but I didn't see anything. I'll have to keep an eye on it.
At the other end of this bed are the jalapeños. Missed the picture of them but they are getting bigger and also have a few blooms on them.
The two okra plants are getting larger, slowly but larger. They love the heat so once it gets warmer and stays warmer, they'll be happier.
Tomatoes are putting blooms on so hopefully small toms aren't far behind.
The zucchini is getting HUGE! There is a yellow squash in this bed too (just off camera) but it's much smaller than this. I might have to sacrifice it to let us have zucchini.
Cucumbers are climbing the trellis like CRAZY! I can't believe how fast they are growing.
I looked on the underside of the trellis and...
...a baby cuke!!! And as you can see, more blooms in the background! Not sure how many we'll end up with but I hope it's prolific. It's our first time with cucumbers so this is an experiment for our garden.
The herb bed is growing as well. This picture doesn't show all but here are the basil, lemon thyme and Italian flat leaf parsley. Off camera are chives and oregano. I did harvest a bit of basil.
The garden is doing great and is becoming somewhat self-sufficient. By that I mean I don't have to worry about watering now, looks like the timer is on the right cycle for the soaker hose. The straw is keeping weeds down to almost non-existent (and the ones that do pop up I just pull in about 2 seconds). Using the weedblock fabric on the ground has almost eliminated those weeds as well. I just kind of go into the garden, wander around looking at the plants and that's all I have to do. I know it won't stay like that but for now, it's working great and I like it!
Hi- is this the first year that you have used straw or if you have used it in the past what are its pros and cons?
ReplyDeleteWe used it last season. It worked great. I really don't know any cons. Maybe if I had to give one it does keep the soil moist so you have to be careful not to overwater. But the weeds are almost non existent and this brand doesn't blow away in the wind. Now mind you, this isn't hay (I read that hay can have weed seeds), it's just plain old straw but it's sold for this kind of purpose. Hope that helps!!!
DeleteI can't believe how far ahead you are!! My peppers are SEEDLINGS under heat lamps. My gosh. Well, even though this gives me the gardening itchies, at least I get to see pictures!
ReplyDeleteLOL, we have had temps in the 80's so we're definitely ahead. But remember, we have to start now because in a couple of months, we'll be closing in on 100, ha. Nothing (except okra and peppers, ha) likes that weather.
DeleteI know you have the room and want to do it this way. But, crowded plants does not always mean less produce. If the squash and zucchini are the only two plants crowding each other, I imagine they will both produce well. You could go ahead and plant another zucchini elsewhere. You are making me hungry just looking at plants that are tiny.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, it won't be removed unless it just starts to die. It's small but hey, it might catch up. We'll see what happens. And I do remember my grandparent's garden being crazy crowded and they had lots of veggies. Fingers crossed!
Deletedid you buy your plants or start them from seed? cause if you started them from seed, i am a miserable failure! my plants are all seedlings.
ReplyDeleteThe two okra and the two jalapeños are from seed. The others were seedlings. You're ok!!! :-)
DeleteOh your cucumbers make me envious. I love fresh off the vine cukes and tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteThis will be new for us (the cukes) so we are excited. And tomatoes fresh off the vine, sigh, NOTHING better.
DeleteAll your plants are looking so healthy and I really like the green and red together. No wonder it's a joy to wander round.
ReplyDeletexx
Thanks, the red was a happy accident. I bought a colored one at the local garden center (they had red, blue, green yellow and purple). Then I was thumbing through. catalog and saw the ones for tomatoes and beans and trellis etc all in the same red. I bought them immediately. The look is so nice and uniform. It's kind of "zen" in a way. Thanks!!
DeleteIt is looking great. And isn't wandering round a garden the BEST? Good for the soul I believe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to describe it. Yep, it's funny I was at first looking for stuff to do (and I did pull a few stray weeds and moved some things around) but after awhile I just enjoyed being there in the moment.
DeleteThe garden is looking great!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet there will be some canned pickles in your future!
Hey Mike!!! Thank you, and yes I SO want to make pickles this year (and tomato products, ha). Fingers crossed!!!
DeleteYour garden is really thriving! And you have baby vegetables! You and 2nd Man are going to be enjoying meals from the garden very soon.
ReplyDeleteSomething weird in my garden - I planted seeds for white scallop patty pan squash, yellow squash, and zucchini all at the same time. My yellow squash already has baby squash, the zucchini is fixing to bloom, but the white squash is lagging behind - it’s healthy, just being a slow poke.
Thank you and oh how we hope you are right! That is weird about the patty pan huh? I think it's our weird weather. Our two peach trees I was worried might be dead, the other fruit trees have leafed out and bloomed (and I pinched them off like I'm supposed to, ha) but the peach were not even putting on leaves. This weekend, leaves!!! I think the peaches thought it was still Winter. We just didn't have enough cold hours. And then we got late ones. It confused everything, ha.
DeleteWOW! It's amazing how things have really taken off since the last photos you had shown.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you will be truly blessed with a nice bumper crop of veggies, herbs, etc. Makes a person feel really great inside seeing and watching things grow that you planted yourself. Makes enjoying what you eat taste all that much better.
I was so excited the other day when I picked my first sweet banana pepper and several more setting on. I planted 2 sweet bananas this year so that I can make and can some banana mustard. I didn't get any made last year.
I hope so!!! Your first peppers? YAY for you! And yep, enjoying your own harvest is even better isn't it? Here's to bumper crops!!!!!
DeleteI have to remind myself that my garden will not look like that for another two months. But it will get there! I'm so anxious for warm, sunny, dew spattered mornings in the garden.
ReplyDeleteTwo more months? It'll be there before you know it! And when y'all are just getting warm and able to plant, we'll be in the dog days of Summer, ha.
DeleteHere's to warm dew spattered mornings!!!