June 29, 2012 - The North Garden at the End of June

 Still my favorite view of the garden, as I come out of the garden shed and look to my right.  The onions in the raised bed are the ones I started from seed.  I think they are finally contemplating forming bulbs.  The hill of cantaloupe in the foreground is finally beginning to grow, now that I've given them a good drench and foliar spray of fish fertilizer.  They still aren't as large as the later planted ones.


 Just look at that lovely bed of bush beans in the foreground!  There are also a lot of blossoming sweet peppers in there somewhere, in tomato cages.


 The pole beans have recovered nicely, and have reached over the top of the 6' fence.  The strawberries, in the raised bed, are blooming again and beginning to give me a handful of larger berries once in a while.


 Waltham Butternut squash vines are spreading quickly, and the corn behind it is growing taller.


 Beet seedlings under cover.  In the foreground are cabbage seedlings, young carrots and three more rows of carrots that haven't yet germinated. Behind this bed are more bush beans and pole beans.  Not visible to the right, are the cauliflower and a few young celery plants, plus another new planting of pole beans.


 My quiet, shady spot.  On the left, lettuce in the protective cage, Brussels sprouts in the foreground.   Grandpa Ott morning glories, behind the bench, are just beginning their climb up the chain link.  Hopefully they'll soon hide the compost barrel.


 The cabbages are all ready to pick.  I think I may have planted too many at once!  Unless I use the garage to make some sauerkraut, we'll be eating a lot of cole slaw and cabbage soup in the coming weeks!  They are actually smaller than they look.  The Gonzales, in front, are about the size of a softball.  The Pixie in the back (not shown) are larger, close to two pounds.


 Honey Bear squash is loaded with blossoms and several baby squash.


 I love the look of dill as it begins going to seed.


 Next year I'm going to plant the sweet peas by the patio, where I can enjoy their lovely aroma.


 Sun dappled zinnias dress up the raspberry bed.


The peach hollyhocks, in full bloom.

39 comments:

  1. AG had a little farm
    EiEiO
    And on this farm she grew some food
    EiEiO..........

    Looking GREAT!
    :)

    My carrots had almost ZERO germination this year.
    Bad batch of seeds? Or incredibly bad luck??
    Guess I should have swung by and stolen, er, I mean, VISITED, your carrot patch...........

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You'd have gone quite hungry, Sue. I'm buying carrots from the grocery store now, except for one little bag I scavanged up the other day. Nematodes ruined 2/3 of my carrots. I've replanted in other areas, but none are ready to eat yet, and most won't be for weeks.

      Delete
    2. Sue, turn your back, 'cause I'm going to steal your new butter crock. It matches my cannister set that I use as (medium size) a utensil holder and (large size) a by the sink compost keeper. My (small size) is too big for butter :-(

      Delete
  2. Wow! Does this part of the garden look awesome! I love looking at your pictures and seeing my contributions. Your sweet peas are gorgeous. Mine are finally climbing and I did notice some buds. I hope your 'Grandpa Ott' will soon take off. Mine have been blooming since late May.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed, the sweet peas didn't get 6' tall like they were supposed to, but they're still pretty and sweet smelling. I don't know why Grandpa was so slow. Maybe because I had peas shading them too much. I always plant morning glories in that spot, but usually have pole beans across from them so the MGs are well up the fence before the beans take off.

      Your contributions are certainly visible...beans, squash, lettuce, cabbage, MGs. The Four 'O Clocks are up, we're still eating Minigolds and Victor is thriving. The only things missing are New Big Dwarf tomato (didn't germinate) and Diva cucumbers (seedlings died).

      Delete
  3. Hollyhocks are one of my favorite flowers, yet I've never ever grown them. Some year I'll have to try them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daphne, they are so pretty, but they really need something to hide the bottom couple of feet that gets chewed ugly by earwigs. My Sweet Williams aren't tall enough to do that.

      Delete
  4. Beautiful. You are a wonderful gardener.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So pretty! Your garden always looks so clean. Maybe you can come over and clean mine up? I'll pay you with bread.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Langela, let me spoil Buddy and Kiss and it's a deal ;-)

      Delete
  6. Everything is gorgeous this year! All that hard work enlarging/rearranging the gardens this year is really evident!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin, it sure got the "ugly" over into the east garden, where I don't have a straight on view of it from the house. But, ugggh, if I rotate the beds next year, as I should, I'll have to look at dying and floppy potatoes and onions where this year I have pretty stuff.

      Delete
  7. The garden is looking fantastic. I had to laugh at your Waltham Butternut squash... Mine is about the size of a dinner plate right now. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anywhere, that's why I left that vast empty space in the middle of the garden. I knew, from past experience, the Walthams would soon overtake the world :-) Last year I planted Butterbush to save room, but the yield was much lower on them, so I'm back with the Walthams.

      Delete
  8. Your garden is beautiful Granny! Next year I'm going to try to incorporate some flowers over at the plots. I really didn't have the time to think about this year. I'm also going to get another plot. Hopefully, it will be the one directly behind me. He is not doing very well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robin, why don't you just give it up and buy a farm? LOL, girl, you just about have one now, just in bits and pieces!

      Delete
  9. Wow, everything is so lush and beautiful in your garden! You have to be my role model for garden neatness and beauty! The flowers do add to the beauty; something I always seem to forget in the mad rush to get the vegetables in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nutmeg. Your garden isn't exactly shabby, girl!

      Delete
  10. wow your garden looks like it should be in a magazine! Its just so darn perfect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Mrs. P. If your weather ever gives your garden a chance, it will soon be beautiful too!

      Delete
  11. Yes indeed. Your garden is beautiful Granny! How did you ever get the whole thing done in time for the new season? Have your Brussels sprout begun to sprout yet? We have 3 plants that have done nothing yet. What about your cauliflower? We have a long row plants that just keep refusing to head up. Is it too hot now? I'm thinking I should probably pull the entire row and count my losses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jody. I worked hard at it, and since I have to do 100% of it myself (after the kids tilled it up), I surprised even myself that it turned out so well and that I've been able to keep up with the new addition.

      My Brussels sprouts are so tall and pretty, but not a single sprout so far. The cauliflower is big, green and healthy....and not a sign of a head on any of them. I'm not giving up yet :-)

      Delete
    2. Jody, I checked again, and I am getting tiny sprouts forming on one of the Brussels sprouts! None yet on the other two.

      Delete
  12. Looks absolutely fantastic. I knew those beans would catch up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stefaneener, I'll probably be known as Granny Bean after this year. As the bugs kept chewing, I kept planting....now they're all beginning to grow!

      Delete
  13. Everything looks just wonderful!! My vote goes for make some sauerkraut! I just love home made kraut. I use a recipe that krauts in the jar. Its super easy and so far I have yet to have a jar not kraut!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Texan, I hate sauerkraut, but my husband and youngest daughter love it. I used to make it (in the jars, as you do) when we lived in the bigger house with basement, but never in this smaller house! I don't know if it would be too warm in the garage or not. I guess it would be worth a try with a jar or two.

      Delete
  14. Very nice pictures Granny, your garden deserves to be in a garden magazine. Your corn is getting on up there too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kris. There is a period when the garden is just so pretty, but it's fleeting. Soon it will just become an overgrown jungle, with some plants beginning to fade. Some of the flowers are already finished blossoming, and others are ready to be deadheaded, so all too soon many of the bright colors will be gone and it will just be a sea of green. Which is better than a sea of brown! LOL

      Delete
  15. This really is a pretty section of garden - like a display of what a good kitchen garden can be. Those cabbages lined up are just picture perfect. Cabbage was the featured vegetable in our dinner last night (made a skillet version of the crockpot ground beef and cabbage recipe) and it was much enjoyed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kitsap. I cut off a head of cabbage last night, and it was like removing a pretty lettuce. Every time something comes completely out, it ruins the effect of the perfect rows. I sent the cabbage and a couple of onions home with my daughter. She loves hamburger and cabbage casserole.

      Delete
  16. what a beautifully productive summer garden, something to be proud of.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have a wonderful cabbage salad that is so nummy that i can't quit eating it, its very hard not to eat the whole bowl in 1 day!

    Cabbage Noodle Salad

    Serves:6

    INGREDIENTS
    Ingredients for dressing:
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    3 tablespoon vinegar
    2 tablespoon sugar
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

    Ingredients for salad:
    1 small head red or green cabbage (or 1/2 of each)
    2 green onions, chopped
    1 carrot, peeled and grated
    1 package Ramen noodles, crushed

    DIRECTIONS
    1. Make dressing by combining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar.
    2. Combine the first three salad ingredients, toss well. Add crushed ramen noodles and dressing to salad and toss again.
    3. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend.

    NUTRITION INFO
    Calories: 148.4
    Fat: 8.6 g
    Carbohydrates: 17.4 g
    Protein: 2.3 g

    ReplyDelete