Sunday, June 30, 2019

June's Garden (2019)


Quite a bit of my time is being spent in the garden or processing the produce every day now.  The weather is hot, up in the mid-'90s so I go out at daybreak to work.  When the sun heats the garden, I stop and head to the kitchen.  It's hard to believe how fast everything has grown within one month.  An unending supply of horse manure has made all the difference.  


In the garden, the very first row, right beside the lawn is a tiny strip of soil which will be a path beside the hoop house this winter.  I squeezed in a row of Purple Hull peas in the front section and Blue Lake green beans in the back.  The hated Bermuda grass will eventually invade but not before the beans can be harvested.  Come fall, this spot will be tilled then mulched.  I like getting as much use out of every inch of my garden as possible.

Purple Hull Peas

The next two wide rows will be the location of this winter's hoop houses.  These are cool weather plants from the early spring which are quickly being eaten before hot weather destroys them.  Others will replace these before winter arrives.


As we pick the leaves off the stems, it opens up space underneath so a Black Futsu squash has been planted at the upper end of the row.  As it grows and spreads between the growing vegetables, the ground below will be covered.  The squash will take over the bed as the winter vegetables finish.  When the squash leaves begin to wither and die, it will be time to slip the winter vegetable seedlings into the ground between the vines.  Gardening is year-round for me and my mind plans a year ahead.

Scarlet Kale and Black Futsu Squash

We have devoured the vegetables from the middle of this row and I have already planted my first winter seedlings, tiny little Afina Cutting Celery.  They look small now, but when snow begins falling, they will be happy, thriving, and delicious.


The other end of the row in front of the shed has two Sugar Pie Pumpkin vines that will spread toward the front.  


Moving back to the front of the garden, the third row will also be a hoop house this winter.  It still has a large variety of cool weather spring plants either growing or going to seed.


The Superschmelz kohlrabi is huge.  Wish I had more than two but at some point, I have to make myself stop planting seeds.


Broccoli leaves are tasty so we harvest them while waiting for the florets.  It opens up the shaded area below which is perfect for fast-growing, cool weather lettuces.  


The back area going toward the shed of the third row is filled with summer vegetables that cannot withstand a frost.  After harvest, winter vegetables will take their place.  First is basil, followed by eggplants, peppers then cucumbers.  This is a ridiculous amount of basil (different varieties are planted in other areas), but last winter I ran out of pesto and vowed to plant enough!  This is Lettuce Leaf Basil because I wanted to have plenty.

Lettuce Leaf Basil

Behind the basils are eggplants, peppers, and Marketmore cucumbers.


"Centella" Jalapeno Pepper, Pimento Sweet Pepper, Gypsy Sweet Pepper

The Marketmore Cucumbers were planted at the end of the row and were supposed to spread under the peppers.  Instead, they went the wrong way and crossed the path into the bean patch.  The back of the garden receives less sunlight so I assumed they would grow toward the sunshine in the front.  I was wrong.  Now I have to jump over the vines or walk around.


The fourth row has cucumbers and tomatoes climbing up a fence and weird stuff is in the back.


The cucumbers have caught a virus or fungus and are dying.  Fungicides and home remedies have been applied but nothing is working - they continue to wilt.  Tomatoes were planted between the few living cucumbers because I don't expect them to make it.  If I find a product that cures them, I will share.


Behind the dying cucumbers is the section of weird stuff.  A peanut has planted itself in this spot for two years now.  It came up close to the pink celery which qualifies as weird.  It's an experiment.  Will my manly men eat girly pink celery?

A determined peanut         Chinese Pink Celery

Green Mountain Winter Celtuce has bolted and is going to seed, which is exactly what I wanted.  It's a winter lettuce grown for the stem and is supposed to be savory.  We picked the leaves but didn't try the stem because I want the seeds.  They will be planted this fall and then we will taste them.

Green Mountain Winter Celtuce

Further left and moving toward the field fence is the fifth row which has assorted chards and unripe melons.  It doesn't look like a row because it has already become unruly, but there really is a row there somewhere.


Hales Best Cantaloupe    Orangeglo Watermelon    Banana Melon

Behind the melons and chards are more watermelons and then the weed patch.  Onions are waiting to be dug, parsnip seeds are drying, and a few strawberries are hidden among dandelion and poke sallet plants.  It's on the to-do list.


This is a mystery row.  I put the seeds in my pocket, forgot about them and washed my pants.  I didn't think they were viable but threw them out anyway - all sprouted.   Since the information was washed away, it may be spaghetti squash and "Hog Brain Peas".  Time will tell.



At the back of the mystery row, is another attempt at growing yellow squash.  A squash vine borer has already killed the first one I planted.  Alas, I will try once again.  It will stay under the fabric until it begins to bloom because hand pollinating proved to be undoable.  The blooms would open then close before I could reach them.  The white powder on the leaves and stem is diatomaceous earth which will hopefully kill the borer before it can kill the plant.


Row six beside the tomatoes is Dixie Speckled Butterpeas.
  

Next, are the two fenced rows of tomatoes.  The one on the right, row seven is the one that is too long and is rolled into a spiral on both ends.  One spiral holds cucumbers with a bright red, self-seeded amaranth poking out the top and the other side has Tahitian Butternut Squash.  


Cucumbers with a bright red amaranth, Tahitian Squash with a few tomatoes.

On past the tomatoes are the last two rows.  Mississippi Silver Cream Peas and an unknown variety of sweet pumpkin are beside the tomatoes.


The very last row beside the field fence has okra (with lettuce under the leaves) and tiny sweet potato seedlings between the okra plants.


The sweet potatoes have been a huge failure.  I bought them at a health food grocery store to root but they have been treated with some type of growth inhibitor.  They were labeled organic, obviously, they aren't.  Each one should be covered in vines since they have been sitting in water since March.  I am not happy.

Pathetic sprouts

For comparison, last year (2018) on this same day, these were the sweet potatoes in the row on the right beside the lawn.  Lima beans are beside them on the left.   At this rate, I probably won't get any sweet potatoes this year.

Lima Beans         (2018)         Sweet Potatoes

We aren't finished yet, now the tour moves to the back of the garden.  In front of the shed are Contender Green Beans (right side) and Black Crowder Peas (left side).


Then we come to another mystery area.  The first seeds planted didn't germinate because they were old (I think) so I bought new ones.  The new ones didn't germinate because I forgot to water (I think).  I have bought seeds (again) and will plant this area (again) for the third time.  


The arch has Yard-long green beans beginning to grow up the sides.  Buttercrunch lettuce is below in the shade.


These are the old chicken yard doors turned into a bean vine support.  Grape Fall beans are going up one side and Good Mother Stallard beans are on the front.

Front, Good Mother Stallard Beans      Back, Merlot lettuce

Inside the chicken yard door bean support is Merlot looseleaf lettuce.  According to the seed catalog's advertisement, it is the darkest red lettuce known (for once they were right).  It's a beautiful color and looks great in salads.

Merlot Lettuce

The second bean arch is in the far back corner of the garden.  Calico Lima beans are running up it.


The far back area in the deep shade beside the woods is the area full of the "assorted unknowns."  These are plants from the seeds I have collected over the years.  It seems, just throwing them out and letting them do their own thing works better than anything I have tried.  It's certainly less work.  Next year, I might do the whole garden that way.  After Bill plows, just dump all the seeds and let the strong survive.


I didn't realize how huge the garden has become until standing in the back corner taking pictures.  This is only June - it will grow bigger.  Yikes!


SCOOTER!  Did you dig up my bean seeds and eat them?  Is that what has happened?

Munch, munch.
Are YOU the reason I have had to plant them three times?

Uh Oh.
"No Mom!  Not me!  Absence of evidence doesn't mean evidence of absence.  Don't I look innocent?"


Additional Links:
Proof I started rooting the sweet potatoes in March 
March's Garden (2019)
To see other wonderful gardens from around the world, travel to Dorset and step  "Through the Garden Gate"


13 comments:

  1. Scooter is too cute! His mouth full of soil looks so familiar to my Nicky's muzzle when he explores. You have so many yummy edibles. We've been in the 90s lately, too, and with the lonnnggg days and plentiful rainfall, the crops and gardens are growing so fast! Happy harvesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a gorgeous garden! I love the arches. We're growing lettuce leaf basil for the first time this year. I love seeing all your unusual plants. Pink celery... who knew?! We're also having days in the 90's, but no rain. Sure hope that shifts soon. Enjoy your garden bounty! Just sent the Metrolina article. Let me know if you don't receive it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The article arrived and the first thing I did was to enlarge each picture to see if Reese was in it, he wasn't. Now I am going to share it with everyone. Thanks so much!

      Delete
  3. I'm glad Tavi hasn't taken to eating our seeds! Your garden is so productive and puts our small vegetable plot to shame! I love the way throw old seeds in one patch of garden and despite being in the shade they still do so well! Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The seeds in the shade are all cool weather plants like cabbage, collards and kale so they are happier there than in the blazing hot garden. How long they will last is anybody's guess but I didn't have anything to lose trying. I don't know what will happen when July's heat arrives.

      The real truth is that Scooter wasn't really eating the bean seeds. I had just planted the seeds the day before and a mole had dug under that spot during the night. Scooter was digging for the mole, then laid down on top of the bean seeds to rest. I grabbed his picture then created the dialogue after I saw his expressions. I call it creative poetic license (others in my family call it stretching the truth).

      Delete
  4. Looking at the pictures of your garden, one must think that it is for a large family.
    Such a wide variety!
    As to the cucumbers, these withering diseases are quite often a problem. As cucumbers grow rather
    quickly, you could sow a few more cucumber seeds. Just try it. There are also cucumber plants
    on the market that are grafted on pumpkins. That makes them more resistent and healthier. I have
    seen them in garden centers here in Germany.
    Anyway, enjoy all those vegetables you have!
    Christel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do have a large family. Haven't you noticed how big my guys are? They are always hungry. (I'm making a joke).

      Grafted cucumber's are something I have never heard about or seen. I checked the internet and discovered information teaching you how to do it. Oh, how Reese would love doing something like that. I have never seen them for sale anywhere but I wonder if it would help with the squash vine borers? I would love to be able to grow a zucchini or yellow squash.

      Today I stopped by the store and bought some sweet potato plants. It is really too late to plant them so they were on sale half price. If I get them planted immediately, maybe I can grow one or two sweet potatoes. I also plan on starting more cucumbers in another area of the garden. We have run out of pickles and oh, how my guys miss them.

      Delete
  5. Your garden always makes me drool! I want to lie down in the dirt like Scooter, and then eat all the green things like your neighbouring horses! Seriously, your garden is eye candy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you could come for a tour and a meal too. Heck, if you came to Tennessee (from Canada) I would even babysit!

      Delete
    2. I would be like a kid in a candy shop!!!

      We're sleep training the baby tonight, so I'm distracting myself by looking at all of your garden photos again. I know the garden is a huge amount of work for you, but it's so relaxing for me to read about!

      Delete
  6. You are one busy woman! I love reading about what you are growing...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pink celery sounds perfect - love pink, love celery!

    I wonder if your commenting problem was from people using Google Plus profiles? They will now need to use a (plain) Google profile, as I am.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diana, I don't know but that sounds like it could be a possibility. I have gotten an email from one viewer who said she found a workaround by commenting with her phone. Technology is great until it isn't.

      Delete