Friday, August 23, 2019

Garden Friday




 It's Garden Friday here in the Piedmont!
Here's what we have growing.


The orange sweet potatoes are starting to climb the arches.
With today's expected rain,
they may be able to get some size to 'em. 


The white sweet potatoes are outgrowing their raised bed
and are loaded with blooms.
I still haven't figured out why these are doing so much better
than their cousins.


 The arches are starting to fill in
with melons and beans.
I love the shade it creates and the dramatic effect
serves as a great focal point.


We have a few melons getting bigger every day.
I found one that had fallen off the wire trellis,
so I'll have to fashion some slings so that we don't lose any more.


No support needed for the loofahs.
They gladly dangle from the vines,
even though they are gigantic.


 This one turned out to be an unusual shape,
 I think it got tangled up in some of the vines.


 The first loofah we discovered on the trellis was picked
when it began turning yellow.
We're gonna let it dry out
and then peel the skin off.
This crop has been a blast to grow.


We're getting a steady stream of okra now,
with some planted in our raised rows
and a couple nesting in the straw bales.
This year I've been roasting it along with my other veg,
but I'm going to try to save some for pickling
so that I can enjoy it the rest of the year.

okra blossom


The first butternut squash was picked
and it is curing for a week or so.
I found out that one of the ways to determine if they are ready to harvest
is that the stem begins to turn brown.
Most of these are ripening at the same time,
so they will have to be harvested and stored
or given away to friends and neighbors.


 The first eggplant of the season was picked yesterday...


 and I can't wait to roast it along with some other goodies.


I'm not too sure about growing pumpkin.
It's not apparent what it needs,
but I suspect it's not getting enough water.
I'll keep at it, and hope for the best.


 I must be more diligent about getting rid of these eggs,
which make themselves at home on the squash leaves.
They are definitely not helping my production.



C found this curious critter on the front window yesterday
and it stayed there almost all day long.
Looks like a leaf, doesn't it?
Mother Nature has some fabulous disguises!


We're hoping we get a deluge today,
so that hand watering will not be necessary.
It's a small price to pay though,
for the bounty the garden gifts us with.

What are you harvesting this summer?

4 comments:

  1. Sure love your arches! We've done teepees and straight trellises, but would love to do an arch. Still no loofah flowers here, though I can see buds. Enjoy all your garden produce!

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    Replies
    1. The arches were fairly easy, and they should last a long time.
      If you have buds, you'll have loofah!

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  2. Wow - you're sweet potatoes are amazing! They look great!! I love your cattle panels - they look great. They are so sturdy! Our eggplant and winter squash are a bit behind - won't be ready for probably another month but that's ok, we've got plenty of other things to enjoy. Our zucchini & summer squash continue to amaze me and our green beans, tomatoes & peppers are in full production. The kale, broccoli, & spinach are about done although I planted a fall crop so we will (hopefully) enjoy them through fall.

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    Replies
    1. I was wondering if y'all could grow things over the winter up there. So glad you have been enjoying goodies from your garden.
      Yes, the cattle panels are a great investment, as they can be moved around with each season if needed.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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