Garden Update
Jun 30th, 2008 by Laura
I thought maybe it was time for another full garden review since it’s been a full month since the last one. Things are going strong and seem to be weathering the heat just fine. Which is nice to see and means that I’ve been getting the watering right. I’ve been trying to water deeply and less often to promote deep root growth and it seems to be working - yay!
Of course I’ve now blown out the same soaker hose twice (again). Mike says it’s because I took out the restricting washers to get them to act more as sprinkler hoses. I think he’s right, and wrong, and that it works okay except when we get pressure fluctuations. In other words, I need to not run the dishwasher and water the potatoes at the same time. Oh well. This one will get spliced again and if that doesn’t work I’m not sure what I’ll do since it’s buried in the potato hills…
Pardon the weeds between the rows. I need to get out there with the hoe and take care of that, but I’ve been busy. The rows are well weeded though it that counts for anything!
Row 1:
Peppers in front (struggling), onions and leeks in the back. I think I may pull the struggling peppers out to make room for the overwintering carrots that I want to put in. Oh well, we can always get peppers at the farmer’s market…
Row 2:
2 peppers and 1 tomatillo in front. The rest succumbed to the cold and wet. These may get yanked as well to make room for overwintering broccoli and cabbage. In the back is the tomatoes - all 24 of them - in cages.
The first of the tomatoes. It’s in a cluster of about 5. They’ve been there for weeks with no sign of turning red, maybe the sun will convince them otherwise!
Row 3:
From front to back we’ve got carrots (the last just sprouting now), radish, snap/snow peas and cucumbers. The cukes are finally getting growing and the peas are just starting to flower. We’ve eaten all of the first rounds of radish and waited too long to seed the last rounds of carrots - it’s been a struggle to keep them damp!
Row 4:
We went from wishing the lettuce would grow to having more than we can eat. We’re eating salads every night and I’m still getting ready to give away a lot before it starts to bolt. Behind the lettuce is a couple of rows of spinach (perfect amount for us), the shelling peas, the pole beans (just finally getting started), 2 spaghetti squash hills and 6 corn starts. Guess I should have taken pictures from both ends of the rows, huh?
Row 5:
Broccoli! We’re about to be overrun with it, but that’s okay as I’m excited to blanch some and stash it in the freezer. There’s also some cauliflower mixed in, but it’s a month or so away. Behind the broccoli are the cold stunted bush beans and a delicata squash. They’re finally starting to put on leaves thanks to the sun.
Row 6:
Brussels sprouts! And red cabbage! And pumpkin! Oh my. And wow, some weedy paths between rows - quick, cover your eyes!
Rows 7, 8 and 9:
Potatoes and lots of them. They likely could use one more round of hilling (particularly row 7) but the dirt is far away and we are busy. Hopefully I’ll get to it this weekend after the big BBQ. The asparagus is hard to see in the dirt to the right. It’s all feathery and seedy, just like it should be. How do you tell when it’s time to dig the potatoes for the first tender morsels?
The Herb Garden:
The climbing roses are blooming and the lavendar is about to start. This is a foundation year for these neglected beds in the center of the driveway. The only things growing from before are chives and lavender, everything else is starting from seed or 4” pots. There’s horseradish, fennel, rosemary, mint, parsley, dill, thyme, sage, oregano, cilantro, basil and a tiny little bay tree. In addition this is where my two 3′x6′ strawberry beds are.
Wow, it looks great! That is a huge garden for your first year, I am impressed! Next year you might want to try some row cover and hoops for your peppers, it worked great for mine last year.
How many strawberry plants are in your two beds? Did you plant them? I’m dying for strawberries, but would need to expand the garden….
Thanks Ali. I think next year I’ll just skip the peppers. We’re not that much of pepper eaters and there are a couple of other things I would have rather planted in their place. Oh well. Next year though I am going to get some wood chips in the paths to keep the weeds downs.
I’ve got 18 plants in each bed. I planted them from starts (not bare root) back in early March. We’re only getting a few berries so far this year. But it’s looking good for next year! Mine are co-existing with the iris the last owner left, I’m going to try to remember to move the iris this fall, along with the 2 peonies that are squatting in the herb beds.
I am sooo jealous of your garden! I keep asking Cam if we can take up every other paver in our patio (like a checkerboard) and plant more food, but he’s reluctant. Maybe next year I will convince him.
as for the potatoes: we had our first new spuds of the year (from our favorite potato guy) two nights ago, and they were fabulous. if taters are anything like the rest of the CA-to-WA differential, I’m guessing another couple weeks for your first harvest. But won’t they just be smaller if you dug them too early? No harm in peeking?
peppers always seem like a waste of garden space; they’re so good and cheap at the farmers market
Laura -
I’m happy to see your garden paths look like mine - I even throw more weeds into them as I pull from the planted areas. Your idea/plan to pull the pepper plants has got me thinking - mine aren’t doing very well either, & I certainly can buy what I need at the farmer’s market later this summer…hmmmm.
I’ll try my potatoes when you try yours - the plants look great - haven’t flowered yet, but last year, not all of them did. Maybe red potatoes don’t…?
The Yukon Golds are just breaking through - I’m going to have to get busy if I’m going to make a ‘cage’ for them like Sadge did for heres (at Firesign Farm blog). I’m going to use shredded paper instead of straw, IF I get it done.
You garden looks great!
Carla in N. Idaho
It looks lovely!! WOW!! Well done!!
For the paths, have you tried filling them in with grass clippings? I get a load of these dumped off once a week or so and they control the weeds and add plant matter to the soil as they decompose. The lawn mowing guys have to off load somewhere, why not here!
I must agree with everyone else….WOW!
Great job.
My peppers are looking sad too. It never occurred to me that I could…*gasp* pull them up..LOL
I am so impressed. Everything looks so healthy, lush and green. I can’t even believe this is your first year. I’m envious…but in a good way.
Well done!
Anita - that sounds like a perfectly good idea to me. Yeah, I’m going to ask one of my favorite farmers on Sunday. And I totally agree about the peppers - next year I won’t bother.
Carla - glad to know I’m not alone! Especially not in my habit of throwing the pulled weeds from the beds into the paths. I need to get them weeded out and then get some wood chips to put down.
Cassandra - Now that we’re in the middle of nowhere, it seems that we all just mulch the clippings back into the lawn instead of bagging. But that’s actually a pretty good idea!
Michelle - thanks! It seems almost blasphemous to think I’d pull out something I started from seed, but practical at the same time.
Twinville - thanks! I’ve been surprised by how well things are doing, I think the cool spring has been very forgiving of my rookey mistakes.