Sunnier Days

Last few days have finally brought some steady sunshine.  We left during the weekend for 2 days and everything kept growing pretty good while we were gone, the weeds especially.

One noticably new item in the garden is an old ladder that I am going to use as a trellis.  I painted it white (although don't look too closely because I ran out of paint towards the bottom.)  I planted Lab- Lab seeds at the base which will become a climbing vine with purple flowers.

The first tomatoes are appearing.  Interestingly enough the 2 plants that are the farthest along are both the "New Girl" hybrid.  The heirloom varities all look good, but are just developing a little more slowly.

The lone watermelon plant.  Hopefully the others will emerge soon.

The zucchini plants are all looking good and growing quickly.

The rows of carrots and potatoes continue to get taller and bushier.

I planted a basil plant today.  I've been hoping to get a whole bunch of basil plants to plant amidst the tomatoes, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

One of my favorite garden tools is also one of the simplest.  It's called a "Dibbler".

It's pretty basic.  You use it to poke holes in the ground to put seeds into.  A finger would work just as well, but the dibbler seems more efficient and keeps the hands clean.

Just pop the seeds in, cover them with a little soil and you're done.

The lilies are really blooming now.  They add some really nice color to the yard.

quick notes

- It's been rainy for the last week plus.  Everything is growing really well, and I can't remember the last time I had to get the watering can out, but I'm ready for some sunnier days.

- Only 1 of the sugar baby watermelon seeds had sprouted as of yesterday, and none of the other melons.  I looked closely and realized that all the rain had literaly washed all of the seeds away.  Yesterday I replanted everything.

-Dhalias, Zinnias and Morning Glories are all looking really good, and I'm looking forward to some blooms.  Also, the replanted sunflowers are hanging in there, and the Daylilies are in full bloom.

- I pulled up one of the flowering potato plants yesterday, but I realized it was still too early as not much had developed.  Have to be more patient.

- The zucchini and pumpkin plants are growing fast.  I almost forgot how vigorous those can be.  Hoping soon to be able to get the seed in for the winter squash.

-Still taking lots of lettuce almost daily.  The peas are maybe just past their peak and won't be around too much longer.  Once they're cleared out I'm going to use that area for the squash.

Some Early Blooms

Here is an overall shot of the garden as it stands now.  You can see the peas climbing up the strings on the side of the trellis.  The tomato stakes and plants are in the foreground.  And in the back are the bean teepees.

There are lots of peas ripe right now.

The beans have pretty much over-run their teepees, and some little blossoms are just starting to appear.  I don't know if the sunfowers are going to grow quickly enough for the beans to climb on.  If I try this next year I'll have to plant the sunflowers earlier.

These are the first flowers on the potato plants.  I think that usually you are supposed to wait until the plants die back in the fall to harvest the potatoes, but I think you can get a smaller, earlier crop by taking some when the flowers are blooming.  I'l have to try this soon.

The tomato plants are quickly getting taller, and I'm having to tie them up pretty regularly.

There are lots of flowers on the tomato plants.  I've stopped pinching them off now, and am just letting the plants go.

This is the lavander in the herb garden.  Very pretty.

The roses along the side of the yard still look nice.  I've decided that I need to prune them back much more severely next fall, as otherwise they can become kind of a tangled mess.

These are the Dhalia plants which had been suffering from some night nibbling by an unknown animal.  I put these 2 liter soda bottles over them for protection, which seems to be working.  An unexpected side effect is that the bottles seem to create a mini greenhouse over the plant, and they have really been growing quickly and look very healthy.

Rain

The past 3 days have been a steady, constant drizzle with temperatures is the 60's-70's.  Even though I am looking forward to sun coming back out, the garden has been thriving in the cooler, wetter weather.  

The peas are about as tall as me now, with abundant pods.  We picked the first couple yesterday and threw them in with our salad. Very tasty.

The beans are climbing their teepees vigorously. Hopefully the sunflowers  underplanted for them will catch up soon because they are running out of room to grow.

The tomatos all look great and are starting to show buds.  I don't know where I heard that you should pinch off the first buds to encourage the plants to continue to grow, but that is what I've been doing.  

Really everything except the sunflowers that the birds ate has been thriving recently.  I'll have to take more pictures once things are less waterlogged.

june

Took a few pictures this afternoon of the latest developments in the garden.  This first picture shows my trusty watering can with my trusty garden helpers in the background.

I planted Lavender seeds in the herb/ flower garden along the borders.  The small sprouts in the middle are zinnias that look like they're coming in great.

Unfortunately the birds ate all of the sunflower seeds and sprouts that I planted.  I replanted them today and put some wire fencing over top that hopefully protect the future plants.

This is a Zucchini plant starting to come up.

I planted 'Rock Star' pumpkins in the back near the blackberry plants.  Hopefully they'll be good Jack-o-Lantern size by Halloween.

This picture shows the melon area.  There are two spots like this- one has 'Sugar Baby' watermelons.  The other side has 2 Cantaloupe plants and 2 french Chanterais melons.