Garden Friday

 

rudbeckia

 

Welcome back to Garden Friday!

Our buds are bloomin' and the heat is comin' on strong!

 

We're still getting a few strawberries here and there.

Whatever the squirrels decide to leave us.

 

On my daily walk, I pass along an empty lot

where raspberries grow.

They're getting close!

I may bring a bucket with me next week.

 

The third set of cukes I planted are looking like they might make it.

The first batch was eaten, when I had planted them in the ground,

then the second batch (planted in pots) succumbed to the heat.

 

I think we're on the right track!

I fertilized anything in the garden that developed flowers this week.

The netting is used to deter squirrels from digging in the pots.

 It looks like the pumpkins are getting close to setting flowers.

So far, these are the most promising pumpkins I've grown,

but we still have a long way to go.

 

Oh my stars!

We have beans!

One of my favorite veg is moving right along.

I had to get over the idea that it was necessary to grow

everything from seed.

I'd rather have something to eat than bragging rights.

 

This volunteer squash will be a mystery fruit.

I have no idea how it got here, but I'm glad it will have

a trellis to climb next to the straw bale.

Love me some squash soup!

Unfortunately, none of the Candy Roasters germinated.

 

The garlic will be harvested this weekend

to make room for sweet potato slips.

This is a motley looking mess of garlic.

Not sure what happened,

but my garlic usually looks a lot better than this.

Ah well, it should be enough to keep us fed all year.

Instead of saving the largest heads to replant in the fall,

I decided to go ahead and order new seed from Sow True.

 

Two varieties of lettuce seeds are being saved.

This is the green oakleaf variety,

and I also have buttercrunch bolting.

A new salad blend will be added to another bed

for harvesting through the summer and early fall.

 

Surprisingly, the kale is making progress next to the newer carrot crop.

I had just about given up on the two varieties of kale I had in this bed,

but lo and behold, it decided it wanted to grow.

Speaking of carrots, 

I decided to let some of it go to seed.

The flowers are amazing

and it will allow me to save seed

while fostering the pollinators in the garden.

 

The asparagus is one hot mess.

I'm not sure why it lays down like this, 

I've always seen it standing upright.

Harvesting has slowed down,

but we are still getting spears months after it started growing.

What a valuable food source!

 

For the first time in years,

I bought some brand new pots.

This fountain grass had been purchased a couple of weeks ago,

and I knew they would be perfect in pots on the front porch,

but I didn't have anything I could use.

These pots are not only made in the USA,

but they are made from 100% recycled plastic.

Win-win-win!

 

The daisies are still going strong,

and most likely will continue through the long, summer months.

They are deadheaded a few times a week.

 

Our butterfly bed out front is filling in

with lots of additions like echinacea, zinnias,

lantana, gerbera daisies, shasta daisies and some herbs.

 

This pile of branches and twigs has been sitting next to the driveway

for months, and the dry weather lent itself to tackling this project.

After all, we can always use more wood chips.

 

 With the three of us working,

it took a few hours to mulch up the pile.

The chips were added to various areas of the chook run.

Nothin' like fresh wood chips!

 

What didn't get shredded was burned,

so we have a bit of ash to use in the garden as well.

It's amazing to see how all of that "rubbish" burns down to nothing.

 

Sprouting has begun again.

While organizing a cabinet the other day,

I spied these alfalfa seeds and decided to give it a go.

I figured whatever I couldn't eat could go to the chooks.

Turns out, they didn't even try them.

 

Ah well, more for me!

I love them in salads, on sandwiches or added to cheese and crackers.

So good for you, and you've grown them yourself in just a few days!

Our days will soon be heating up,

but thankfully, some of our garden friends enjoy it.

As for me, I'll do what I can outside,

taking breaks as needed

and keeping the coconut water flowing!

What's your spring/summer garden up to?