One of things I've done is visit a friends garden....it was so bountiful....and I thought I was doing well. Yes I have lots of tomatoes, but most of them are cherry tomatoes...small. I musn't be so hard on myself....I know. I am realistic and realize that my soil is not up to par with the years of sheep manure and leaf mold she has on me. I will get there. So...two days later after visiting my friend, I dragged my husband and a large bucket to the university to pick up manure. Up to this point, it had been bagged manure from the local garden shop and I believe I didn't add enough. So I added the freshly obtained manure to the compost and two days later when I checked it...it was steaming hot. Yes!
So I just want to add...that despite the lack of major abundance and some failures(cucumber plant died, poor developing corn, infested cabbage) my garden has been a source of enjoyment and education. I can now identify what an eggplant plant looks like...or what flowering zucchini bud will produce a zucchini....I've had the experience which I lacked. All that I had learned...I learned from a book and now I have been able to put it together with experience.
So here are some pictures I want to share:
My bush bean...kept from spilling over into the next square with a makeshift tepee. I've harvested some and steamed them. They were tough...too bad. I won't give up on them. It must have been something I did or didn't do.
My strawberry plant...she has produced some off springs and has a couple more flowers.
I picked up these little grape seedlings from a generous soul on freecycle. I'm going to transfer them to the coldframe when it starts getting cold. Hopefully they will make it.
I've started some broccoli and kale seedlings....ready for my fall garden.The brown spots on the leaves are just organic fertilizer stains.
I have some swiss chard growing in the back right hand corner. In the foreground a pumpkin plant gifted to me from a friend. And in the left side, potato plants. They look like they are dying but I'm told to keep watering till they are dead....that will produce bigger potatoes.
I sowed some bok choy seeds under these mosquito covers. I would like to plant two more boxes of bok choy, but I will wait till the kale and broccoli plants bolt....if that happens.
Kale, broccoli and beets in the foreground.
Eggplant.
Another eggplant. This plant and the one pictured about came from the same packet of seeds...they must have had a couple varieties in them.
My pole beans don't look so healthy and they haven't produced. I'm wondering if I should leave them there or just pull them out and plant some fall crops there.
Lemon boy tomatoes.....these have been divine! When I make my salads, I usually add lemon, olive oil and salt. With these lemon boys you'll want to leave out the lemons...it make them to acidic tasting....just olive oil and salt is plenty.
Some swiss chard. I do treat them like cut flowers...by placing them in a jar of water till they are ready to be steamed...otherwise they wilt so quickly. Makes me think of those greens in the grocery store that look sooo perky for days. Hmmm....what's in them?
The harvest of three squarefoot boxes. Next year, God willing, I'm planning on making some sides for the squares so that I can add height and keep adding soil and increase my harvest. I had had too many projects going on this spring for me to do this year.
The largest potato I harvested...it weighed one pound.
My beets....they were small yet delicious.Thank you for stopping by. Have a great day!
Daisy
