Garden Friday

 

Greetings and welcome to Garden Friday,

where we share what's growing in our Zone 7b Piedmont garden.

I haven't been posting every Friday because,

well, sometimes there is absolutely nothing going on out there!

This was a recent harvest when our melons were still going strong.

 

There were two beautiful orange peppers

that got harvested and given to a neighbor.

Since my eczema is kicking up again,

I am off all nightshades, including peppers.

 

This wasn't grown by us, 

but I just had to share this carrot's whimsical shape.

It was promptly peeled and put into coleslaw.

 

 

Seed saving has been going on more

in the last few weeks.

Here are asparagus seeds that can be picked

after they turn a vibrant red.

I'm not sure what I'll do with them,

but more research needs to be done.

A patch of black-eyed susan vine was spied

out near the blueberries.

It was a wonderful surprise to find,

as I thought none of what was planted had germinated.

I'll be sure to save seeds so that I always have this beauty.

Maybe next year I can grow it on the chook yard fence.

 

Speaking of the chook run,

don't you love how this hyacinth bean vine

has covered the trellis,

giving the chooks plenty of shade?

It's gotta be at least ten degrees cooler under there.

 

Several cells of cool season crops were purchased

at a local nursery this past week

and installed in a few of the raised beds.

With my germination rates plummeting,

it was decided to just buy the dang starts.

I don't have to do it all!

 

 Broccoli, cabbage, kale and lettuce was planted

and anything that might be bothered by pests was covered.

I'm trying a new system of covers,

so we'll see how it goes.

 

 

We've had so many visitors to the garden this summer.

This is the first time I remember seeing a Zebra Swallowtail.

Although we don't have any paw paw trees,

someone in our neighborhood must.

It is the host plant for these amazing creatures.

 

The magic has begun!

We are inundated with these miraculous Monarchs!

 

If you plant it, they will come!

Milkweed, that is.

And we have plenty of it.

Can you spy all four of the cats on this plant?

 

We have two types of milkweed in our garden,

and they don't seem to be too particular about which to devour.

Soon, we will have chrysalises all over the place!

We are happy to give them a home.

One of my jobs this week

was digging up a ton of daylilies.

They will be listed on our local swapping site for free.

Good news is, I only dug up about 1/4 of the bed.

Hope we can find homes for these.

 

 

These two girls fight all the time,

but it seems they are having some kind of conference here.

Henrietta (on the left), chases Houdini any chance she gets,

but at least there are moments of peace between them.

 

A chicken keeper's work is never done.