June 13 - Wednesday's Walk Around the Garden

Jackpot Zucchini on the left, Early Yellow Crookneck squash on the right.  I've picked my first zucchini, and at least four others are coming on fast.  There are a couple of baby crooknecks, so it won't be long before they are ready to harvest.

I decided to dig the last of the garlic.  It didn't take well to being  transplanted this spring, and the tops were beginning to die and flop over.  I didn't get a great crop this year, but considering the way they were uprooted, it was better than I expected.  Lettuce, caged to protect it from the birds, is nearly ready to harvest.

 The lilies have finished blooming, and are ready to be cut back.  I'll miss their cheerful blossoms and their heavenly aroma.  Earwigs chewed up the zinnias. I tried cutting them back to a healthy leaf....wherever I could find a healthy leaf.

 And here they are, with all but a few late blossoms removed.  I took the wheelbarrow full of blossoms into the garden shed, and it smells delightful in there!  I think I'll just leave them where they are until the aroma fades.

 The lower leaves of the hollyhocks have also been ravaged by insects.  I think it's earwigs doing all the damage.  I'll have to cut off the bad leaves, they're sure not pretty to look at, and the flowers are beginning to blossom.

 Pretty little Johnny Jump Ups, from seed sent by Debbie Clegg.

 The garden shed tomatoes are growing beautifully.

 This is what leaf miners do to my beets if they aren't covered by tulle.  These were planted about the same time as the beautiful, protected ones I've been harvesting, but they are just a fraction of the size.  I'm tempted to just pull them up and throw them away, they are such an ugly spot in the garden.

 The first shelling peas were picked Tuesday afternoon, and eaten for dinner.  Most of the pods still have a few days to go.  I wish they would hurry, as there is a Cherokee Purple tomato volunteer right in the middle of them.  I'm sure it would like a bit of sunlight!  The Carpet of Snow alyssum is also from volunteers.

 Bush beans are blossoming, and the peppers are finally getting some leaves.  It's been a rough, cold, windy spring for them.

 Honey Bear squash from Ed.

 The same lettuce bed as in the earlier photo, sans the cage.  The morning glories along the fence are beginning their climb.  There is one flower on them already, right down at ground level!

 The North Garden is filling in fast.  Most of the bare spots have been planted with carrots, beets and cabbages, and the entire center area (the grass clippings around the half-barrel) will soon be covered by butternut squash vines.  Most of the corn is as high as my legs are long.

 Tomato Alley is a very happy place.  Two of the seven plants are fruiting.

The tomatoes along the West fence aren't as lush looking as the others, but all are blossoming.  The rhubarb is looking rather scraggly, but it was just picked.  The strawberry plants look big and healthy, but no decent berries yet.