Garden Friday

 Well, hello there!

It's Garden Friday and we've got the blooms to prove it!

Here's what's growin' on in our mid-July garden.

 This Swiss chard has really surprised me.

It is known as a crop that loves cooler temperatures,

but even through our 80 and 90 degree days,

it's still tasting mighty fine.

I'm wondering if being planted in the shadier part of this bed

has made the difference.

A volunteer cantaloupe started to sprawl this week.

As soon as the yellow flowers were spotted,

it got fertilized with worm castings.

I think it liked it!

 In a nearby container,

this cantaloupe is putting on some size

and looking more melon-like with its newly textured skin.

More space was made for the watermelon to ramble.

The first of the melons was spotted just yesterday!

A little late to the party,

I hope there are enough hot days in summer to get this to harvest.

lily

 Cucumbers have been regularly picked for fresh eating.

I may venture into doing a quick pickle recipe with them.

 Is it me or does this look like the strangest butternut squash?

I planted three varieties, but this type is the only one that's producing fruit.

Is it possible that the seeds could have gotten mixed up underground?

Hmmmm...

 The remaining onions are lying down on the job.

I think that means that they're ready for picking.

We've been adding them to all types of veggie dishes.

 It seems the turmeric was just waiting on the heat to arrive.

It's now springing up out of the containers

and growing noticeably each day.

 Most of the lettuce has bolted.

I'm planning on starting some Jericho lettuce,

which is supposed to endure the heat a lot better than most.

The nasturtiums are exploding out of the raised beds.

I'm not sure if they help with bugs, as has been proposed,

but they are mighty pretty to look at.

Edible too!

The battle with the squirrel goes on.

So far, many of these sunflowers have not been touched,

although several others have been eaten right on the stem.

I'll enjoy them while they last.

I hope your summer garden is blessing you

with good food and beautiful blooms.

Garden Friday

It's Garden Friday once again.

The new work area that we put together last week

is such a great place for me to complete tasks.

It is so efficient to have everything within reach.

It makes for a very productive gardener!

 The decision was made to use transplants for the hugelkultur bed,

as direct sowing didn't result in good germination.

Some things came up just fine,

but the beets, lettuces, kales and spinach didn't fare so well.

 Two varieties of beets, chard and tat soi started sprouting this week.

Hopefully, they will keep growing strong!

The carrots in this bin started taking off, although I'm not sure why.

We haven't gotten much rain,

but I've been hand watering pretty consistently.

 Thankfully, the germination rate on the Sugar Snap Peas is better.

Only a few seeds didn't come up,

so they will be resown this weekend.

In front of the peas were 4 types of lettuce sown,

and there is no sign of life anywhere.

 If all I get from this bed is snap peas,

I can live with that.

I still haven't figured out if it's a lack of watering on my part,

or if there is something else going on to prevent the germination.

I ruled out a few things like timing and used new seed,

so it may remain a mystery for a bit longer.

Elsewhere in the garden,

it's a purple haze!

This salvia is adding so much color to the front porch bed.

The pollinators are flocking to it and enjoying sweet nectar.

 The butterfly bush has been blooming for months now.

I think cutting it back so severely in the spring

encouraged new growth.

The bees sure seem to appreciate it!

 Surrounding the salvia is this mass of alyssum

in shades of magenta and pink.

It was planted too early in the season

and didn't start to take off until cooler temps showed up.

With its spreading habit,

it can fill up a bed in no time

and add lots of gorgeous color.

Last week at work, we dug up these Bearded Iris

and I brought some home to share.

A smattering of them will be used on our homestead as well,

and I can hardly wait for the promise of spring and more color out there!

The nasturtiums are a welcome addition to the raised beds.

Not only do they add interest and texture,

but the flowers are edible.

The echinacea started in cell packs are enjoying the cooler weather.

They are tucked safely under the okra

until we transplant them in the downtown boxes on Main Street. 

These perennials have become one of my favorites.

 The butterfly bed is being visited more frequently now,

mostly because of the multi-colored lantana.

We also lay out overripe bananas and melon skins,

so that pollinators can drink up all that luscious liquid.

I'm hoping to add more plants in the spring

to fill it in a bit more.

Although hints of autumn are all around,

summer blooms are still going strong.

The best of both worlds, I'd say.

What's happening in your garden

on this first weekend of autumn?