Mid-Summer Garden Tour

Apples, Gardening, Reflections, Watering,

We will start the garden tour in what we refer to as the main garden. This garden are is our largest and is part of our back field. In addition to annual vegetables that we plant there it contains 4 apple trees, our blueberry patch and for the last several years our strawberry patch.

Lets see how some of the annuals are doing there. This year it is mostly corn, pumpkins and squash growing there. There are also buckwheat that has mostly gone to seed and sunflowers that have not blossomed yet.

Corn and pumpkins growing together.
The pumpkins play hide and seek.
This should make a nice pumpkin pie.
Hubbard Squash.
Looks like a perfect apple.

Then we move on to garden three. This area is in the front of our property and this is our first year using it as a garden. My husband started planting strawberry runners in there last summer. Then in the fall we planted garlic in there. In the spring this is where he planted many more of our annual vegetables. Lets have a look.

Pumpkins out of control.

These pumpkins which are planted with corn have grown through a row of sunflowers and are now climbing out of the fence.

Sweet corn with melons to the left.
Bush Acorn Squash
Watering the Squash

During the dry season, when it is a challenge to keep things alive and productive, we look for innovative ways of watering. This year my husband used zip ties to attach the hose to this long 1×1 board. He could then reach areas that he is not able to get to otherwise. It’s not a perfect solution but will buy us some time until the rain comes.

Up Front – Green Tomatoes. Green Beans in the Second Row
Beets and Swiss Chard
Eggplant
Calendula
Our First Cucumber

For several weeks we have been enjoying the fruits of our labor. Thus far we have eaten Swiss chard and beet greens, green tomato, banana peppers, beet roots, and green beans (with garlic butter). We also picked our first cucumbers and they are on the menu for today.

Do you have a garden this year?

Do you enjoy fresh locally grown produce when it is in season?

24 thoughts on “Mid-Summer Garden Tour”

      2. I’m sorry to hear that. Last year was disastrous for farmers in the U.S. This year we did have a hot dry spell and had to do a lot of watering to keep things going but finally last weekend we got some good rains. It was cooler this week too – much more comfortable temps.

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    1. It is a lot to take care of but since we are blessed with the time and space to do so. Seeing food shortages in grocery stores this year highlighted the importance of being able to grow our own. I hope you are able to grow your own soon too. 🙂

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  4. The veggies I planted in the porch planters are all doing fabulous. I have basil, chives, lettuce, and spinach. The tomatoes that I put by the driveway are struggling. Very tall and spindly looking. The green bean plants decided to all turn yellow this week. When I researched what may be causing it I found all the rain we are having may be depleting the nitrogen. I need to go to town for some fertilizer. The ground here has been a challenge. I’m going to start adding more compost as I plant. Feels like starting over but that’s ok. The things that are doing well are a blessing and the rest are a challenge of learning about our new home.

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    1. Coffee is a good source of nitrogen. We have used our left over coffee and and adding the ground to the soil as a source of nitrogen. We used it on the garlic in the spring, the corn and a few other things. Works well.

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  5. This is really impressive Ruth and a testament to all your hard work! Your corn with its silks are pretty high already. All those sunny days in June and hot weather in July made it take off didn’t it? I hope you got some much-needed rain today – we got some, while I was walking at the Park. Grrrrrr!

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      1. That Wednesday rain is what got me – I’m not made of sugar and it was warm out. 🙂 That’s a lot of hard work and it will pay off in the Winter when you go to the freezer or open a jar of jam and can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

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  7. I loved the tour of your gardens.

    Thanks to a generous neighbor, we have three tomato plants, only one of which has green tomatoes on it. We are watching them grow and looking forward to eating them. It’s much easier for us to go to the produce stand near the creek when we want fresh vegetables. I admire you for growing your own. You have the land for it, as well as the equipment. Most important, you have gumption!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it Anne! If you are going to grow anything it should be tomatoes. 🙂 It’s great that you have a produce stand near by and that you support the local growers.

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      1. We like to support our neighbors. I’m glad you made that comment about tomatoes. I wouldn’t know where to begin if I wanted to grow veggies. The easiest thing is not too embark on that kind of project.

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