How does your garden grow?

[Katie H]

Well, everyone? How goes it?

Glenn and I planted what we considered is a modest garden. However, the plants have a different definition of "modest."

Last week I picked 15 pounds of Italian green beans from ONE row. The wax beans apparently speak Italian because they are beyond abundant. I put up a small quantity (4 pounds) of them this afternoon along, of course, with another 3 pounds of Italian green beans.

Then...there are the plain old normal green beans. Glenn picked a 5-gallon bucket of them a little while ago. They are just now beginning to bear. The lima beans are bending over they are so heavy with beans. At least with them I'll have a little time before I'm "covered up" with buckets of them.

The cucumbers, yellow squash and zucchini are in chorus and are singing the "Hallelujah Chorus" - all together now!!!!! I'm drying, blanching, canning, freezing, and pickling as fast as I can. I recommend you buy stock in cider vinegar and granulated sugar. At the rate I'm going, you'll be rich by the end of the summer.

The corn is just about there and should be knocking at the door by the end of next week. Thankfully 3 of my grandsons from Atlanta will be visiting then and will be able to decimate as much of it as we can pick. Now...if I can get them to attack the zucchini and squash.

Around the corner are the 5 varieties of tomatoes we planted. When those begin coming in, I will probably have to give up sleeping. Thank God for a storage building full of canning jars and a healthy FoodSaver machine. I'm ready for the attack of the killer tomatoes.

There's lots and lots more and I'll comment as I crawl out from under pits, peels and seeds.

How is everyone else's garden doing?

 

[kadesma]

Good Lord Katie, you are really going to have a stash Did you buy another freezer. I have 2 and am just starting to put things in it. I don't can but I freeze so things are looking good. I put in some Italian Cubanele peppers for stuffing and some for salads and relllanos. Have a large herb garden> I love it Tarragon,2 kinds of oregano,marjoram,basil,parsley,radish,carrots purple ones, white onions, potatoes,squash (zukes) cucumbers.tomatoes, watermelon cantaloupe, nectarines, 2 peaches. 2 apple trees, 1 Tangarine, 1 orange...1 walnut tree. Right now we are fighting a gopher little bugger has eaten 2 of my heirloom tomatoes I'll get him yet.
kades

 

[Alix]

I know you're busy as hell Katie but I'm so jealous! Its just the START of our growing season here. Things are just now showing some promise. My peonies look like they might bloom this coming week. LOL! I've got swiss chard out the wazoo but thats about it for garden at the moment.

 

[yourstrulyewalani]

Ok Katie I had to sit down after reading your post, but I am so happy that you got such a large harvest! How nice to have things on hand that you grew yourself!

I started late this year so no harvest yet, but everything is growing daily. We have roma, cherry and rainbow heirloom tomato plants. We have blueberry bush, raspberries and strawberries. We bought those and they have fruit that is starting to ripen. The tomatoes, zuccini, basil, corn and peas are growing and I am patrolling my garden with salt in a holster. (Kidding about the holster.) I'm kicking myself for planting so late but with the rainy seasons here and the late coldness it was a bit frustrating.

I was amazed at the success of our seeds this year. We are going to have more tomatoes than we know what to do with! Either my daughter and I will set up a stand in our front yard or our entire neighborhood and all of our friends and family are going to get visits from the tomato fairy...if they all produce well.

 

[Barbara L]

I got lots of seeds early in the season, but things didn't work out and I didn't get a nice big garden in. I did finally get some tomato plants and zucchini seeds planted in large containers. I planted some bell peppers as well, but I don't know yet if they will do well, as it was a little late for them. There are no blossoms yet, but the tomato plants are thriving. Three zucchini plants popped up just today! I have another container now, and as soon as I can get some soil I will plant something else. Most of my seeds say to plant by May, but the Zucchini say through July, so I will probably plant more zucchini, or I will try my luck at something else. I have always said that if I could only plant two things in my garden they would be tomatoes and zucchini.

Barbara

 

[Wyogal]

I have a wild garden, mostly perennials, some tomatoes and zuchinni in post. Here's a pic I took this week...

 

[Barbara L]

I have a wild garden, mostly perennials, some tomatoes and zuchinni in post. Here's a pic I took this week...

Very pretty!

Barbara

 

[bethzaring]

generally the focus of our gardens have been to grow foods to eat fresh. That means we are planting something every two to three weeks from March to October. The asparagus and two plantings of spinach have come and gone. Currently I am harvesting onions, celery, parsley, basil, broccoli, cabbage, zinnas, and garlic. Just planted beans and carrots yesterday.

 

[larry_stewart]

Still a little too early here to have the results as you did. Picking a lot of lettuce, basil and other herbs. Cukes and zukes about 1 week away. string beans about 3 weeks away, and tomatoes, okra, peppers, eggplants about 3 or 4 weeks away. For what ever reason, all the squashes seam to love the weather conditions , becuase the plants themselves are growing out of control. Hopefull the production is equally as successful.

 

[sparrowgrass]

I have been picking green beans, cukes and zukes. I had the flu for about two weeks, so the weeds have taken over a lot of the garden, and I have to machete my way in. Lots of green tomatoes, and the corn will be ready next week.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Tomatoes, Squash, Peas, Peppers, Cukes.....Watering every other day....No Rain!!!!! Grrrrrrrr!!

 

[Caslon]

Topsy Turvy's doing well so far. Strawberries and tomatoes. The tomato plant comes out the bottom and the stalk is still heading for the sky. Some fruit will weigh it back down.

 

[bethzaring]

i started 12 broccoli and 9 cabbages today...i start them in 2" square plastic pots that are about 3 inches deep...I can keep the plant starts in the pots until time to plant in the garden

 

[DaveSoMD]

Not that well this year. My potatoes got the blight becasue I used potatoes from last year to grow this yearsl; my squash and zuchini got vine bores and powdery mildew, my tomatoes are getting early blight, and my basil had the new strain of downy mildew. But so far the beans as still looking okay and about to flower, for the 1st time ever my onions are growing, and my peppers are small but growing, and I have cucumbers that sprouted from my compost and I have amarath growing all over. Oh, the trees have 3 plumns, no apples, tons of pears, and some peaches.

A very strage garden for me this year...

 

[Barbara L]

...There are no blossoms yet, but the tomato plants are thriving. Three zucchini plants popped up just today!...

I now have 4 thriving zucchini plants, and my tomatoes are beginning to blossom. Still can't afford soil for the third container, but since okra can be planted through July, I will probably do that. I want to try making some hot pickled okra. I love it, but it is so expensive at the store.

Barbara