Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Lotsa (Garden) Pictures

I did some cleaning in the garden yesterday so it looked a little more civilized when I walked through it this morning.

My first Morning Glory blossom of the year! Well, not quite true. It wasn't the first time I'd seen it. I spied it yesterday morning and then when I went out in the afternoon to take a picture, it was closed up into a tight little bud. MORNING Glories? Duh. I knew that.

I was looking across the garden rows at the many blossoms on the shell peas and wondered if there just might be some pods showing yet. Lo and behold, they're poppin' out all over.

The Red Kuri squash is looking healthy and starting to venture out into unknown territory. Only question now is will we get a long enough frost-free fall for the squash to mature?

The blossoms on the green beans are very close to opening up. Then it seems picking time is here soon after!

The buckwheat we sowed in the pumpkin patch for a second green fertilizer crop doesn't look so purdy good . . . very poor germination. I was bemoaning to hubby that it was probably my fault because I didn't keep it watered sufficiently enough when the seeds were sprouting. He said he thinks buckwheat is supposed to be somewhat drought resistant so maybe it will still fill in more. But I'm thinking what we see is what we're gonna get. It will still be worth working into the soil when it's bigger.

My raised bed of beets has been looking really good.

And look what I found this morning. Holy Cow, there are a bunch in there that I could harvest and make a batch of pickled beets with right now. (Put that on your To Do List, Mama Pea.)

The cherry tomato plants are growing lots of nice sized green marbles but nothing showing any color yet. (Ya know, I bet my garden is farther behind/slower than any other garden in the whole United States! Are you all laughing at me 'cause I don't have peas yet or my winter squash hasn't even flowered yet?)

Every year I end up picking the first of the raspberries before the strawberries are done. Since the strawberries came in nearly three weeks early this year, I shouldn't be surprised to see ripe raspberries already.

That's okay. The garden this time of year keeps me from roaming the streets looking for trouble.

9 comments:

Leigh said...

Everything looks so pretty! I can't wait for my raspberry plants to get big and start producing.

I have to mention that my first planting of buckwheat had lousy germination too. More came up after DH tilled in the little we did have. That's been true on two occasions. I know it can self-seed, but it certainly does seem to like to be tilled under.

Erin said...

Red Kuri squash, I'll have to look that one up! Yay for beans - so dependable and productive! And laugh at your garden being behind? - no way I'm laughing... you are the Strawberry Queen! If you do decide to roam the streets looking for trouble, make sure to take the camera!! :)

Patty said...

Mama Pea-
I'm most certainly NOT laughing! More like relieved to see that what I am growing seems to be at an average rate for our area. Most of it is behind yours, and not nearly as lovely! You go, girlfriend!!

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - Thank you! Hmmm, good to hear of your experience with buckwheat. I guess we keep learning stuff all the time.

Erin - Red Kuri is my very favorite kind of squash. Deep orange flesh and very flavorful. Strawberry harvest is now up to 160 lbs. And more to pick tomorrow. Can you believe that?!

Patty - I'm betting your garden looks pretty spectacular!

I'm upset you didn't call me when you locked your keys in your car yesterday. We could have bailed you out immediately! Next time . . . okay?

Susan said...

Look out Guiness Book of Records -- here comes Mama Pea's 2010 strawberry harvest! I think the next time I contemplate a vacation, I just may come visit your garden. I will try Red Kuri squash next year. Beautiful garden, Mama Pea. Lots of hard work, too.

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Since this is the first year I've kept track of the POUNDS of strawberries I've harvested, I don't know just how much greater the harvest has actually been. But I do know that I've never had so many (after preserving all I need and giving away bunches) to sell as I have this year.

Thanks for your continued encouragement and compliments on the garden. I truly-duly LOVE gardening but it is a lot of work. I can see how it would be torture for someone who didn't enjoy doing it!

Anonymous said...

Living in WY - your crop is way ahead of mine. We had a horrible hail storm that set me back a bit. But most seem to be bouncing back.

Just love all the information you give. Thank you!

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Those raspberries are making my mouth water just looking at them. I found one pathetic little plant this morning, growing on the side of a field, but the berries were all dried out. The season seems so early to me that I'm afraid it will be over before I really arrive! How else will I entertain myself on Paradise Beach if I can't eat raspberries and beach peas while the kids swim???

Mama Pea said...

Anonymous - Ouch. Hail can do so much damage to a garden. Good to hear yours is recovering.

Thank you so much for your kind comments. I don't know how much good "information" I give but I do enjoy blogging.

Jen - I don't keep up with the wild raspberries since we've got our domestic ones but I know they'll still be plentiful (gosh, I hope!) when you arrive here. You're welcome to coming picking, you know!