Just a quick garden update! We've had two hail and rain storms in the past two days, but the gardens have mostly come away unscathed.The little patch of wheat I grew in the Little Garden was bent over, but not broken. And it sure looks nice in the post-storm sunshine! The barley was also quite bent over, although the flax made it through OK. The flax is now starting to bloom as well, with bright blue flowers. The celtuce I grew there is still going strong, along with the chicory, onions, carrots and garlic. The turnips seem to be doing well too, although not very many of those seeds germinated. Both kinds of beets (red and golden) seem to be growing, but they are taking their time about it.
In the Big Garden, the potatoes took a bit of a pounding, along with the pumpkins, but they were
mostly upright again the next day. One of my corn stalks was bent right over, but it wasn't broken so I just propped it up and firmed the soil around it. We'll see if that one survives. Also in Big Garden news, I have harvested all of the radishes now, and so I have a space to plant something else. I'm thinking I will put some spinach in there, since my other spinach has bolted. I may also plant some kale, because it grows so quickly, and the guinea pigs and I just adore the stuff!One more Big Garden note: One of the butter cup squash plants is pretty much taking over the garden! Next year I will definitely keep the squash plants to the outer perimeter of the garden, so the stalks don't take over my walkway and the carrots and everything else!
I sure do pay more attention to the weather now that I have a garden. It gives me just a small taste of what farmers worry about every day, and even more appreciation for the food I get to eat all year long.
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12 comments:
I know what you mean about paying more attention to weather now. I don't have my own garden yet, but I want the rain to work it's magic on my compost pile as well as make the pear trees bloom (that should be the next fruit in season for us - Aug)
Plants love rainwater that's for sure - compost is probably just the same! I usually end up watering my compost pile now and then to make sure it's uniformly damp, but that's because I have a lid on my composter.
Mmm..pear trees! Sounds delicious! Our hardy fruit tree lady says they are almost ready to start selling a pear tree hardy to this area, and we hope to get one of those as well as a hardy peach - we'd like to have a little orchard area on our small property, eventually.
Theresa, It looks great! Both of the gardens do! I'm glad that things survived the hail. I just read back over some of your last posts that I've missed and I loved the one about the wonderful day you had with the cherry tree, pose, etc. How lovely!
Wow, my buttercup squash is still tiny (I just have the one plant). But the onions should be done soon (I think) so it will have more room.
Your garden looks lovely, and I can't wait to find out how the grains work out!
The garden looks great. We're coming out of the ice and snow season now, and getting ready for the Big Planting.
Because we're renting, it's all in pots, so we can transfer. And I'm learning how to take cutting, so we can establish our garden for free :-)
All new, all exciting, all wonderful! And I have two preschool helpers to keep me busy while I do it!
RA - yes, I can't believe how this squash plant has just gone crazy! I have three others in the garden, on the corners of the corn/pea section, and they are doing well too, but they haven't grown like this one. I'm going to have to train it to grow down the path and to the outside of the garden patch.
Daharja - new beginnings are always exciting! I wish you well in your Big Planting!
SA, thanks, I was relieved that the hail damage was minimal as well. I feel really protective about these plants!
Just so you know, I have radish envy. I admit it.
As to the rest of your garden, mine is like yours. Some things thriving. Others . . . well, not so much. We haven't had hail or anything. Heck, it hasn't rained here since February (though I guess we had a sprinkle in March). Instead, I'm battling 100+ temps and trying to use water very carefully.
We had storm damage, too, a few weeks ago but much of the garden recovered. All the plants are happy with the rains we've been having. Our squashes are trying to take over the yard, too.
What is celtuce?
Chile - celtuce is a combination between celery and lettuce. It looks like a straight leaf-like lettuce but tastes like celery. It is very tasty and grows better here than actual celery does.
We have had a nice combo of rain and sun here too. Lots of people are complaining about the rain, but the plants sure aren't!
Green Bean - radish envy, hee! I did find that the radishes I harvested earlier were better than the latter ones. Those got a bit woody and tough, although they were still edible. And hot!
I hope you get some rain soon - is it typical where you are not to get rain for so many months? I know I sure appreciate water more when I collect it for my rain barrel.
Thanks, Theresa. Sounds like a great garden addition. I've heard celery is hard to grow but I do love the taste. I miss it as I hardly venture into grocery stores for produce anymore and apparently celery doesn't grow well here.
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