Garden Friday

 

Welcome to the first Garden Friday of summer!

We are expecting another family of bluebirds soon.

This will be the second set of eggs hatched in this birdhouse this season.

What a blessing to be able to watch the miracle of Mother Nature.

 

 

Our garlic was harvested last week.

We pulled up all of the heads from one of our 3X8 beds,

as well as the garlic planted as a border around the property.

The border garlic was not as productive as the crop

grown in the bed.

I imagine the soil is just not up to par,

but that can be remedied with a little attention.

 

The curing process takes about 2 weeks,

and we use our garage to complete the task.

In the first couple of days, the smell fills the space,

(even I can smell it),

but within the week, it dissipates.

Another year's worth of garlic is worth any temporary inconvenience.

 

Due in large part to our amazingly cool spring,

I am still harvesting lettuce and kale.

The insect netting has done a fabulous job

of keeping out anything that might try to eat it before I do.

 

This was one morning's harvest of lettuce, kale

and tat soi blossoms.

The tat soi has gone to seed but still tastes good,

and the delicate flowers add flavor to salads and scrambled eggs.

 

Once things start to go bitter,

the chooks enjoy their share.

Not much goes to waste around here.

 

One curiosity has confounded me.

The cabbage I'm growing is not forming heads,

although the leaves are a good size and in good shape.

Any ideas about this?

 

During our Community Garden workday last weekend,

I got a few great trellis ideas for the beans.

I used the frames (made from half of a cattle panel)

that usually cover the smaller beds

and stood them on their sides.

This allowed me to transplant the seedlings

and not have to change the shape of the panel,

so that they can be used again in the fall

with row cover.

The corn is coming along.

So far, the squirrels have not tampered with it.

I guess they don't like the welded wire

I used to surround each stalk.

Not an easy solution if corn is grown in abundance,

but being a newbie at it,

there are only about 20 plants growing in this bed.

There are pinto beans growing on the outside edge

of this deconstructed raised bed.

It will be transitioned to a raised row for future planting.

The Ruth Stout method of growing spuds

left a lot to be desired.

I still like the idea of growing crops in straw,

so I'll try it again in the fall,

perhaps prepping the ground a bit more first.

We did end up getting enough for a couple of meals

from the volunteers that came up in one of the raised beds.

They are curing on a wire rack in our coat closet!

 

 

The front garden makeover is a work in progress.

With the garlic harvested,

I am hoping to get some annuals to fill in the border.

 

The butterfly bed near the street has exploded

with all of the rain we've gotten this week.

In the last three days, (as of Wednesday),

we have been graced with over 3 inches,

and there is more on the way.

Rain is a gardener's best friend.

 

The first set of hydrangeas on our property are blooming.

I'm not sure why, but I've felt that 

it was important to add this plant to the landscape.

It's almost as if the garden wasn't complete without it.

This is the Blushing Bride variety.
 

The front porch bed has gone rogue!

With all of the potted plants placed in it

to collect the precious rain water,

it looks a bit more full than it really is.

The lettuce border will be harvested

and given to the chooks.

Alyssum might be a colorful addition in its place.

 

The loofah has been slow to germinate because

it loves the heat and conditions just haven't been favorable.

With the blessing of rain this week,

no doubt it will be quite content.

It has been planted next to the frame inside the chook run,

where it will add much needed shade for the girls.

It'll be fun to watch the loofahs form and

perhaps this year I will have some to give away.

The canna lilies have gone wild in this one area just outside the chook run.

They will need to be divided after they bloom,

and my neighbor has agreed to take some for his backyard project.

To my surprise, I found a pumpkin plant growing 

amongst the cannas.  

Don't ya just love a volunteer?

 

 This curious critter was found on the outside of the 

insect netting on one of the beds.

It looks like it wants to be a snake,

but the head is malformed.

Any ideas?

Moonflower

With this daily rain,

the garden has blessed us with so much.

Blooms to admire,

and food to savor.

What a gift gardening is to the body and soul.

Enjoy whatever Mother Nature brings you!