How are your gardens coming along?

[Tracy in Ky]

Just wondering what's coming in and how everyone's garden is doing :)

[WTMindy]

Our strawberries have been wonderful this year!!! We have a ton and I've already made jam. Our raspberries are just starting to come on! We have a ton of peas ready to pick. Other than that, it will be a while!!

[Blossom'sGirl]

I have decided this year to actually try to keep up on the weeding. I have been keeping up with most of it except a part in back that was full of weeds. Today, I spent 2 hours tackling the back section and I found 2 rows of cabbage that I didn't even know was growing there. The rest of the garden is doing great. We have peas but unfortunately dh planted the snow peas right next to the kind you are supposed to shell so I'm not sure which is which when I go to pick them.

 

We have tiny green tomatoes coming. I'm very attached to these tomatoes because I started them from seed way back in March and have been nursing them every since. They looked awful when I put them in the garden and then they got a slight frost but now they are looking great.

 

Looks like green beans will be here soon along with zuccini that I will come to despise later.

 

I wish I had some strawberry plants because strawberry season is winding down here and I haven't had a single one. I had a huge strawberry patch at our old house and I'm pretty sure the new owners got a good crop this year.

 

I would have never guessed 10 years ago I would enjoy gardening so much.

[Karenciavo]

Terrific! My tomato plants finally have fruit and they are humongous, 4 ft tall easy. Hot peppers are producing non-stop and my herbs are prolific. Just waiting on my eggplant, sweet peppers, and zucchini.

[Closeacademy]

Growing and growing and growing. We've really kept the weeds down by going out in the evenings and talking while we pull weeds together as a family (the girls actually play) but dh and I pull weeds and tend the garden.

 

So far we have had a great crop of sour cherries, black raspberries, rubarb, gooseberries, brocoli, lettuce and parsley.

 

The squash is spreading out all over the place and we picked our first zuchinni and green beans which I threw in the stir-fry last night. It has been so enjoyable to make stir-fry and have the majority of the ingredients coming fresh from the garden.

 

I don't know why we haven't done the big garden the last few years but we are really getting a lot of enjoyment out of it now.:001_smile:

[Pajama Mama]

I've picked, blanched and frozen alot of broccoli already. The cauliflower was a bust but I guess you can't have everything. We have had lettuce non stop since it's the kind that you tear off. You tear it and more grows. Yum. The tomatoes are growing as are the peppers. We have about 10 corn stalks growing as well. They were sooo good last year. We also have lots of green onions. They smell wonderful in our salads and are great in soups. We planted raspberry, blackberry and blueberry bushes this year. They won't produce until next year though--pout.

[beansprouts]

I have had a few issues this year with pests and fungus. I reseeded the corn and squashes twice because squirrels kept stealing the seeds. All are doing well now. My corn is about 18" tall and my squashes and melons are flowering.

 

In the main vegetable garden, I have peppers beginning to grow and my eggplants have pretty purple flowers. My lettuce and cabbages are coming up and I have already harvested my first round of turnips. We have been picking peas and green beans, and I have baby carrots ready to thin out. I also have green tomatoes.

 

My only problem is I can't seem to grow spinach. I tried last fall and earlier this spring. I planted more seed three weeks ago and nothing is coming up. Any ideas?

[Gretchen in NJ]

My herb & kitchen garden was looking quite beaitful. I was very pleased this year.:001_smile:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, Then that @#%&*#@% rabbit thought so too!:glare:

[mysticamethyst]

I am fairly new to gardening so maybe that is my problem. I had to pull my zuc's because they rotted from the inside out which I later found out was a bug. My tomatoes are fruiting very little but enough for us to have with salad. My cucumbers I found out yesterday need nitrogen in the soil, they are turning yellow and the fruits turn black and fall off. My eggplants are doing great, I am not sure what to do with them all, as I am the only one that likes them. Greenbeans are coming in nicely, but not as many as last year. I am going to try harder with a fall garden. I really want to put of some veggies for the winter and to save on food bill. Oh, all most forgot about my herbs, they are doing very nice, but rosemary and orgeno are slower than I thought, but coming in nicely too.

[Tammyla]

We weren't able to plant until the end of June so it's still pretty pitiful. I'm green with envy reading the posts.

 

 

Just wondering what's coming in and how everyone's garden is doing :)

[Sarah CB]

I'm barely keeping up with the flower gardens this year. If I can manage to keep them alive I'll experiment with veggies next year.

 

I have two cherry trees and the kids were out picking a big bowl for breakfast. We also have an apricot tree, a peach tree and a plum tree.

[Nicole M]

well, for goodness sakes! where are your pictures, kids? show and tell!

 

I am at work (yes, goofing off), otherwise I would post mine. but if you post, I'll post pictures, now that I know how...!

[jmgconner]

It's going really well! We pulled a carrot yesterday - they're not quite ready, small but oh so good. The kids loved that we pulled the carrot, washed it off, and ate it right away! Green onions are wonderful! Spinach has quit producing, so out they came. Leaf lettuces are great - in fact, I'm going to be having a salad for lunch. We've had a few tomatoes, but it looks like in another week or so, we'll have quite a few ready for picking. No peppers yet. The melons are flowering, so I hope to see fruit soon.

[hswarden]

seem to be the keys for my success this year. I skipped potting soil for my raised bed (made from an old queen-size mattress foundation) and filled it with a really sandy soil from another county (I have rock-hard clay here). I go out every morning to feed my chickens, and stop to water everything. As a result, I have lots of Thai basil and chard which I got from store-bought seed.

 

What I really love is the variegated green tomatoes. I bought a box of heirloom mix tomatoes at Trader Joe's last summer, rotted several of them and dried the seeds over the winter. Somehow the variegated green ones were all I planted, but they are so exotic and tasty. Sort of a large cherry variety. I know I'm just a baby gardener, barely crawling, but I am so pleased with myself for taking a small bite out of corporate agri-tyranny this summer.

[Marie in Oh]

I've decided this is not the year for the prestine perfectly weeded garden. However, everything is in pretty good shape. The last time we counted there were 45 tennis ball sized green tomatos out there, so I think they are doing great. The cucs, zuchinni, and pumkins look good with tons of blossoms, and the first corn planting is about 2 feet high, the second about 10 inches. Green beans struggled a bit but are doing fine now, and the pepper plants are coming around. Hoping for a bountiful harvest for all the WTM gardeners.

[farmgirlinwv]

Our strawberries were great for the first time! We made 3 batches of jam and ate ever so many. I also made muffins which were a big hit. We live in the mountains so we don't plant until the end of May. We had frost several days in mid-May. We have booms on squashes and cukes. There are a few tiny green 'maters. Corn is knee high. Beans are about ready to bloom. Onions and Potatos are doing well, but not ready to eat. More than half of my potatoes did not come up. So last week I went back and planted some beans in b/w where they didn't come up. Those won't be ready til Sept. We have a 20 acre field that is going to be loaded w/ blackberries. The apple trees are all loaded also. Which is great news because our fruit crops have been bad for 2 years. The blueberry farm where we go pick is loaded as well. Looks like a great gardening/canning year! I've already bought my lids, pectin and sugar in abundance to get ready. If you have a Save-A-Lot they had the best prices on lids and pectin.

[Cedarmom]

The summer started cold and rainy. My chard and beets are growing. Bean sprouts are starting. I am just planting zuccinni today. Hopefully sept. will be sunny enough to help things grow. I usually plant around the beginning of June, but my soil temperature was 50 degrees, because our nights were still cold.:tongue_smilie:

[Tracy in Ky]

well, for goodness sakes! where are your pictures, kids? show and tell!

 

I am at work (yes, goofing off), otherwise I would post mine. but if you post, I'll post pictures, now that I know how...!

 

Ours is coming slowly. We've enjoyed eating the early things like peas, onions, lettuce, spinach, and a few tomatoes and green beans, 1 yellow squash, and just a few cucumbers. I've tried cooking turnip greens a few times, but I just can't get them to taste good.:ack2:

 

I keep going out to inspect everything; I'm being a little impatient. It's probably like a watched pot. :lol:

 

Here are a few pics that I snapped a few days ago. (Ignore the camera dates--they are off) There are some bare spots that didn't come up (peppers and herbs). When it dries out, I plan to plant more green beans and a few other things in the bare places.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tracy in Ky]

. If you have a Save-A-Lot they had the best prices on lids and pectin.

 

Thanks for this tip!!

[Tammyla]

Oh my~ Wow! Your garden is big and wonderful. What a beautiful place you have.

 

Ours is coming slowly. We've enjoyed eating the early things like peas, onions, lettuce, spinach, and a few tomatoes and green beans, 1 yellow squash, and just a few cucumbers. I've tried cooking turnip greens a few times, but I just can't get them to taste good.:ack2:

 

I keep going out to inspect everything; I'm being a little impatient. It's probably like a watched pot. :lol:

 

Here are a few pics that I snapped a few days ago. (Ignore the camera dates--they are off) There are some bare spots that didn't come up (peppers and herbs). When it dries out, I plan to plant more green beans and a few other things in the bare places.

 

 

 

 

 

[Gretchen in NJ]

That is such I wonderful garden. So big. My herb garden is only 22' by 22'.

 

My flower gardens are much larger and they are the ones in need of help.

[Tracy in Ky]

That is such I wonderful garden. So big. My herb garden is only 22' by 22'.

 

My flower gardens are much larger and they are the ones in need of help.

 

I am really struggling with growing herbs. I planted several packs of herb seed, and I have hardly anything to show for it. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I planted parsley, oregano, sage, basil, and rosemary seeds and it is mostly bare ground.

 

Any ideas?

[Gretchen in NJ]

I am really struggling with growing herbs. I planted several packs of herb seed, and I have hardly anything to show for it. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I planted parsley, oregano, sage, basil, and rosemary seeds and it is mostly bare ground.

 

Any ideas?

 

I buy as plants what I would consider woody herbs like sage and rosemary.

Basil and parsley I grow from seed.

 

Rosemary is a v-e-r-y, v-e-r-y, v-e-r-y slow grower and hates frost.

[Robymomof3]

Ours is coming slowly. We've enjoyed eating the early things like peas, onions, lettuce, spinach, and a few tomatoes and green beans, 1 yellow squash, and just a few cucumbers. I've tried cooking turnip greens a few times, but I just can't get them to taste good.:ack2:

 

I keep going out to inspect everything; I'm being a little impatient. It's probably like a watched pot. :lol:

 

Here are a few pics that I snapped a few days ago. (Ignore the camera dates--they are off) There are some bare spots that didn't come up (peppers and herbs). When it dries out, I plan to plant more green beans and a few other things in the bare places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love your wide rows! Ours never seem to be wide enough.

 

About your turnip greens - how do you cook them? I like to add a tiny pinch of sugar. This helps take away any bitterness. I also add a beef boulion cube (or 2). It adds a lot of flavor without fat.

[Julpost]

Mine is sadly overgrown w/weeds and just a mess. The chard has been great though and we did get a bit of broccoli. My radishes were really hot, too dry and hot? I still have brussel sprouts, tomatoes, eggplant, herbs, and celery to look forward to.

[Mrs. Readsalot]

We have harvested several cucumber and tomatoes this week. I have also picked about a dozen green tomatoes to make fried green tomatoes with Yummy!

[Tracy in Ky]

About your turnip greens - how do you cook them? I like to add a tiny pinch of sugar. This helps take away any bitterness. I also add a beef boulion cube (or 2). It adds a lot of flavor without fat.

 

Sugar!! I forgot the sugar!! That's it. :lol:

 

The first time I made them they tasted good--and that time I put sugar in them.

 

Thanks!

[percytruffle]

Tracy, your garden is wonderful! And, your soil looks so rich and fertile. We moved here three and a half years ago and put in our garden last year for the first time. We are on a hill and it is rocky and very clay. We have done a lot to ammend the soil, but it will take years. I started a compost bin last week, finally.

 

So far we have:

radishes (consumed and will plant more)

butter lettuce

swisschard

peppers (getting almost big enough)

green tomatoes

 

Still waiting:

beans (blossoming now)

several different kinds of squash (blossoming)

sunflowers (for the birds)

eggplant (looking a little sickish)

 

Lost:

All of our spinach to the rabbit population. We put the fence up a little too late.

[Maria from IN]

I'm just a beginning gardener here, and we've gone condo, but I planted a couple dozen green onions, some sugar snap peas, a pepper plant, and some cherry tomatoes in the 2' by 6' box the tall bald guy gave me as a graduation present. The name Super Sweet One Hundreds was the right name for those 'mater plants, because there has to be at least fifty green ones and fifty more blossoms on those 2 plants. I finally have one green pepper growing, but I'm not counting on it, because the plant itself is so thin and spindly they keep falling off. I've supported everything with sticks I found in my boyfriend's brushpile so I wouldn't have to go out and buy tomato cages...of course, now it looks like tomatoes grow on trees over here! :D

 

...and the Bionicle scarecrow is doing an excellent job of scaring away any miniature critters that might invade my miniature garden!

 

Plus, we have picked and frozen as many raspberries as we could from the bush that grows wild at the tall bald guy's house (before the rabbit came for his fair share) and we are eagerly watching the blackberry bush behind the barn for signs of "ripeness."

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Loads of tomatoes are ripening nicely, baby green beans growing quickly, zucchini and squash plants producing sporadically and basically dying from some kind of borer, eggplant doing well, jalapenos producing prolifically-I've pickled one jar, onions will be ready to pull soon, cucumbers doing poorly-not producing or very bitter, green peppers producing well-except for 2 whole plants mysteriously dying-I think the neighbors cat was spraying them(&*%$#)

[BritAnnia]

Love your large, neat veggie rows! My dh would love to have a larger plot and an excuse to own a tractor too :)

 

We're fairly new to veggie gardening and I'm not much of a gardener of veggies or flowers at all. More an "Okay, I planted you, now survive and do your thing without my help" kind of black-thumb. *LOL*

This year I'm trying harder and have even started composting, etc.

 

We're growing corn, green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes (2 kinds), bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, and by accident... butternut squash (dh purchased the seeds and thought it was like yellow squash. Oops!) I also threw in a few herbs, most of which have survived the bunnies and are starting to grow. Yay! :D

 

It's all doing well, though the tomatoes turned out to be indeterminate type and are gigantic plants. I also didn't stake them properly so am struggling now to lift 5' tomato laden limbs off the ground. It's not a pretty sight I can tell ya.

Squash is fruiting well and we're not sick of it yet, corn is starting to tassle, first peppers are just ripe, tomatoes are plentiful but still green, and beans are just now bearing. We had our first green beans last night thanks to Dh picking them while braving the pesky mosquitoes. My eggplant are finally starting to get blooms, no sign of fruit yet.

I'd post a pic but it's pouring with rain right now. YEEEES!!