Monday, June 22, 2015

After Rain Garden Update

We had a day of solid rain on Saturday which really gave the garden a big boost.

I could hardly wait to get out there yesterday morning to see how everything looked.


The beans are up, the beans are up!  Because we have had so little in the way of warm weather, my worry-wart mind started telling me the bean seeds weren't going to germinate, but simply rot in the ground.  I think it was about mid-afternoon during the rain on Saturday while looking out the window that I thought I could see little bean sprouts poking up through the soil.  Sure 'nuf, there they are.  (Doesn't that angle of the picture make you a little woozy looking at it?)

I've planted both broccoli and cabbage from seed in the garden this year rather than started seedlings.  For two reasons:  1) I'm hoping to avoid the cycle of the white cabbage moth when they want to lay their eggs in the brassicas, and 2) I want the cabbage to mature later for better storage in the root cellar.  So far, the broccoli and red cabbage have shown a 100% germination, but the green cabbage are still no-shows.

The green peppers and slicing cucumbers are doing well in the protection of their cold frames, but I seem to have a bunch of medium-sized black ants wanting to build condominiums for all their relatives and close friends within the green pepper bed.  I've dusted them (the ants) with cinnamon and cayenne pepper and that seems to have given them the idea they're not welcome in there.


This is a shot of the old strawberry bed.  A little spotty in a few areas, but the plants are showing lots of blossoms.


The developing berries are only this far along.  Some warm weather would do them a lot of good.  The newly planted strawberries, both June bearing and everbearing, are doing very well.  I've continued to pop off any blossoms they form so all the strength will go to the plants this year.


The thin spears and ferns may be difficult to see in this picture, but our newly planted asparagus roots are coming along nicely.  The bed is an uneven, jumbled mess of dirt because I'm still in the process of filling in the trenches when the spears turn fern-like.


In my never-ending quest to grow eggplants (without a greenhouse or hoop house for protection), I may have finally hit on a good method.  This picture (Almost artistic, don't you think?  If you squint?  No?  Okay.) is looking at one of my eggplants down through the top of the Wall O' Water I put around them.  So far, it looks healthier than any eggplant I've ever tried to grow.  Seems the Wall O' Water is helping tremendously in our cool weather.  Without it, I'm sure the eggplants would have packed their bags and gone south by now.  Way south.

We're getting more rain today.  Too wet to do anything outside so this will be an inside catch-up day.  Being Monday, also, it means laundry and ironing which won't leave a whole heckuva lot of time for much else.  Maybe a little time in my quilt room.  Yeah, now there's a really good idea!

22 comments:

DFW said...

PLEASE send some our way. It looks like we got a lot on the weather maps but NOOOOOOO, we didn't.

Tombstone Livestock said...

Wish you would quit hogging all that rain and let some come my way.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

That's exciting seeing those little seedlings! Gardeners are always hoping and worrying, aren't they! Enjoy your future eggplants. What will you make? -Jenn

Lisa said...

I'm with the others in that it'd be nice if you'd not only send that rain this way.... but some of your cooler temps too! Always interesting about what you're up to in your garden and the eggplant wall o' water definitely caught my eye this day. So admirable that you are trying to figure out a way around Mother Nature in your gardening endeavors and hope you will be rewarded with delicious eggplant this year. Have a good day and hope you are either in your garden or quilt studio! :)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

The garden looks great! I'm a bit worried about ours yet.

Carolyn said...

I've only had one year (last year) where I've had seeds rot in the ground. For some reason, I hate that more than losing plants that have already grown.

And did you say "cold frame"? And Wall o Water? It's the end of June all the way up there, isn't it? You HAVE put your snowshoes away haven't you??

Mama Pea said...

DFW - Mother Nature and the weather she's giving us this summer doesn't seem to be pleasing anyone! Same with our local forecasts most of the time. We just can't count on them for any kind of planning!

Mama Pea said...

Tombstone Livestock - I know, I know, I know! I would send a whole bunch your way if I only could.

Mama Pea said...

Jenn - I must admit my favorite recipe with eggplant is to batter and fry it . . . yum! But I also make a couple other dishes. One is a casserole where I cover the slices with a cream and cheese sauce and herbs and bake until crispy on top. Probably not the healthiest, but you just can't munch an eggplant raw!

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - With rain all day yesterday, I did spend some time quilting yesterday afternoon! It was delightful. Today there is the possibility of thunderstorms but right now it's clear and sunny. We're waiting for the grass to dry so we can mow. Such fun! Or not. :o}

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - I can fully understand your worry with all the rain you've had, but your pictures look great. Maybe the weeds you've been stressing about have helped slurp up part of the water!!

Mama Pea said...

Carolyn - Sigh. Yes, it is the end of June and we should be languishing in what passes for hot weather up here by now, but we're not. Yes, smarty pants, the snowshoes have been put away but we're still wearing our long johns. Hahahahaha!

Susan said...

Beans! I get very excited when my bean plants push through the ground. That eggplant plant is just beautiful. I have not been able to grow an eggplant ever. Maybe I need a Wall o Water... or I need to move next door... :)

Laurie said...

I'm so excited for you and your garden!

Lisa B said...

Your garden is looking good MamaPea. Eggplant is a plant I don't usually have good results with. I hope your method works out for you.

Mama Pea said...

Susan - You'll have a heckuva lot more luck growing eggplant if you move next door to Carolyn! I think you're supposed to remove the Wall O' Water once the plants get some size on them . . . but we'll probably still be in the deep freeze then! What we need is a Wall O' Water the size of a large hoop house!

Mama Pea said...

Thanks, Laurie!

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - Now that you mention it, I don't ever recall seeing it growing in anyone else's garden. Even when we lived in a warmer climate like Illinois. It's one of those veggies that many people don't seem too fond of. Good! More for me!!! ;o)

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

I think a nice rain (not a flood) helps the garden and kick starts seeds. Look at those beautiful beans, and asparagus. Two years ago, I grew Japanese eggplant for the first time, they grew really well here in Oklahoma. I stopped growing it because I was the only one who would eat it in our household. I think you should relax tonight since your expecting rain, and pull out your quilting, and sit in front of the TV. How often do you get to relax girlie?? Not often enough :-)

gld said...

Well, I will not be showing picctures of my weedy, very untidy garden any time soon! Yours is picture perfect.

I am envious of that strawberry bed. Once again I lost mine to Bermuda Grass and other weeds. I will be starting new plants once again.

I just harvest my first eggplant. Good luck with yours.

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Oh, I love your suggestions! Actually, I did take it easy today (another rain day) because I felt my tank was running on low. Did a bit of quilting, but that required a lot of cutting and I even got tired of standing doing that. Early to bed tonight. Thanks for telling me I could/should relax. Sometimes you just need to hear it from someone else! :o}

Mama Pea said...

gld - One thing we can grow up here is strawberries. I have heard of more people losing their strawberry beds to invasive weeds! You've already had your first eggplant! Fry some slices up for me, okay? :o]