Wednesday, July 4, 2018

First (or Fourth!) of the Month Raised Bed Photo

'Twas a challenge getting this picture.  We seem to be in the midst of on again-off again patches or rain, fog and general heavy grayness.  No complaints here though because we were lacking moisture for quite a while.  Also, our temperatures have been very tolerable compared to many of you who have been wilting in the digits up near 100 degrees.  That's not pleasant for man nor beast nor garden!

Let's start our comparison with the photo taken way back in March of this year.


The raised beds first of March.


On to the beds first of April.


Then came May.


And last month of June.


Here we are as of the first days of July.

Finally something that looks more like a profitable gardening effort!  The two cold frames at the back are wide open today to catch all the nourishing rainfall on the sweet peppers and slicing cucumbers.  These two beds also need to be weeded, but to do so I have to hurdle myself up over the frame set on top of the raised bed, and get right in there to reach everything.

The bed right behind the tepee trellis in the middle row is cauliflower plants that are forming sweet little snow white heads so this morning I enlisted Papa Pea to help me tie the leaves up and over them keeping sunlight from hitting the developing heads.

Our weather tomorrow is supposed to be sunny so it will be a full day in the garden for me.  Lots to do and catch up on after the almost daily rain showers we've been getting.


Looking to the left of the raised beds, this is a 40' row of potatoes.  I have another 20' of them in the field garden.


And to the right of the raised beds, here's a portion of the field garden that is finally starting to show some growth.  I'll take some more photos of what I have growing in there within the coming week.

14 comments:

Michelle said...

So, so beautiful in its trimmed and orderly state!

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Simply wonderful! That hilled row of potatoes looks great! Do you start your cauliflower from seed? -Jenn

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Your tidiness puts my garden to shame. It's terribly full of weeds, and having the back pasture doesn't help. I wish mine looked that nice, I'd be so relaxed and not so overwhelmed. Your garden looks great!

Retired Knitter said...

Wow, I am very impressed with your gardens. So orderly. I bet those plants love living with you. Plant heaven.

I am popping over from Michelle's blog for a visit.

Myrna said...

Late to start growing in Northern Minnesota is normal isn't it? I gave up on it when we lived on the shore of Lake Superior. Late to start and early to the first heavy frost. That is if the deer hadn't eaten the rest. Yours looks great.

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Thank you! Your garden, all trimmed and orderly, looks the same!

Jenn - Yep, I do start my cauliflower plants inside. I set the one raised bed out as early as I dared and kept 8 more starts inside to put out later. Even though it seemed the ones kept inside kept growing, now that both sets have been out in the garden for a good while, the second set is ever-so-much behind the first set out. Good comparison.

Kristina - Well, friend, if I had had the weather conditions to contend with that you have, my garden would look just like yours!

Isn't it funny (not ha-ha funny either!) the pressure we put on ourselves? Got up early this morning and made my "garden list" for the day (first non-rainy day in a spell) and I feel overwhelmed, too!

Retired Knitter - Thank you for coming over for a look/see from Michelle's blog!

Maybe I should do a post on those plants that aren't thriving and that look like they aren't happy living here! Or maybe I should tell them you said they're lucky to be here and to shape up!! ;o}

Myrna - I do believe our growing season is actually getting longer. Can't say our spring (extremely cool this year) allows us to get started nearly as soon as I'd like, but our fall killing frost dates have been into October as opposed to (even the middle of!) August when we first started gardening up here 40-some years ago. So that helps!



wisps of words said...

Pretty new header...

You consume and can and freeze, all you grow???

Susan said...

Bless your heart for those first two photographs. I could just look at them for hours. I am always so impressed and awed by the amount of work you and Papa Pea put into your homestead. I know how hard it is - I have a fraction of your garden/space/work - but you not only manage to handle it all, but it is so beautifully neat and tidy! Sigh.

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Beautiful, beautiful snaps! Well, not of the ones with snow but of the ones with things growing! Doesn't it just make your heart sing!?!

Thankfully I don't have much to tend this year. I have been plagued with poison ivy and we are now on one full week and I am still itchy, still sprouting spots and overall blah-ness. Off to the doc today to get something a bit stronger than rubbing alcohol!

Mark said...

You have the most beautiful gardens!! I am very impressed!! The raised beds must be far enough apart to mow between them? They look great!

Mama Pea said...

wisps of words - Aren't potato blossoms lovely? Who would have guessed?

Our garden gives us just about all our vegetables and a lot of fruit for most of the year. Of course I share some of the harvest. Our closest neighbors (wonderful folks) to the east have a big garden, too, along with a hoop house where they grow tomatoes. Last year they lost all their pepper plants and we had a bumper crop so we gave them enough for all their needs. They gave us tomato juice that lasted until the very last jar we're on as we speak. There are always zucchini to give away as are extra beans and pickling cukes. Slicing cucumbers come all at once and I pass them out until people run the other way. Our daughter has whatever she wants, of course. But, yes, we use it all!!

Susan - I actually thought of you when I put up that first picture. I could see you virtually rolling around in that snow! Hang in there, you're awful heat has got to end. Doesn't it??

MrsDM - Thank you for your kind words! Oh, no! Poison ivy??! What a curse. Sure hope you feel better soon and have eradicated it from your property. Is that possible? Ugh.

Thank you so much, Mark! Yes, we can make one pass with the mower between the beds. But still have to weed whack the dreaded quack grass that grows up right next to the framing. Grrrr!

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Lynne said...

It has been quite warm here. usually have a breeze ,but not in a while. The gardens look wonderful. You seem so organize. You two work so hard

Mama Pea said...

Lynne - Thank you! I find things go a lot better for me if I'm organized. I don't always succeed, but I keep trying. ;o) Thanks for commenting.