Wednesday, June 30, 2010

how does your garden grow

If you need the official garden tour and a reference point for measuring growth, read this garden post first.


I planted the sweet peas next to the tree stumps but so far they have not attempted to bloom. I need to check into that. I have added some pink zinnias just for some color in the meantime. In the back right corner of the picture, you might be able to make out large strawberry leaves. My mom brought me a large plant from her neighbor in Pennsylvania. I have zero experience with growing strawberry plants so I have no idea right now what is going to happen this year or even next. (Actually my mom probably told me what the neighbor said about it, but I don't remember at all. Sorry mom, you're not the only forgetful one around here.) The leaves of the scarlet runner bean are behind the stump in the left corner and I am training them up the fence.


The celery has started to thicken and get bushier with all the rain we have had. The basil is starting to be noticeably bigger but not near as big as the one I gave to my friend Janice. I keep telling her I'm gonna come over and pick her leaves. :)


I didn't mention in it in the first picture but the Bronze Arrow lettuce and the other Little Gem are both producing well. Here you can see the Romaine a bit and it is really providing a lot of nice leaves. We have been enjoying our own salad greens for the last two weeks. The carrots have been thinned and now there is room for them to really start growing.


This is a close-up of one of the four cucumber plants finally breaking into bloom yesterday. I was beginning to despair of any real signs of growth and then suddenly there were the bright yellow flowers showing off.



But the big news is the tomato plants! Obviously the two store-bought ones are already bearing green tomatoes but it's mine from seed that have started to flower and I am very encouraged. I have had a few naysayers around here tell me dismal stories of growing tomatoes from seed and I was determined not to let that stop me. Now if we can just avoid the blight that overtook last year and has been spotted in some of the states this year, I will be a jubilant girl.



The pea plants have been tied on the first round but some of the plants need more support already and the pods are coming fast and thick. I realize in this picture all the pods are hanging sideways so it's hard to see them. But they are there, the whole row.


The yellow bean plants continue to straggle but they are getting bigger and whatever was eating them has seemed to move on so let's hope they can catch up.


There is one tiny yellow flower on one of the watermelon plants and the plants themselves, except for one, are starting to take off. I had to do some major weeding here last week and plan on putting some peat moss down to help trap the water and keep the ground from drying out.



And lastly, the morning glories are climbing and blooming over on my neighbor's side. They are on our side too but I didn't take any pictures because they along with the sunflowers and the scarlet runner beans are being chewed up. I am trying various remedies but still haven't figured out how to protect the plants. The leaves look terrible but the plants are blooming regardless.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:37 PM

    How do you get all this in your back yard.........impressive!!!

    SB

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gardening requires hard work and patience. You have all that. You are amazing. You make those plants grow healthy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:37 AM

    wooooohooooo! I view this with almost as much satisfaction as you do!! .....especially since I got a chance to help a little with maintenance!
    You watered; you planted; you watered! God gives the increase! Well, it is life, is it not? =))

    ReplyDelete

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