too organic

UGH!

The squirrels ate all the apples from the trees close to the house. I was happy they seemed to neglect the ones in the far pasture, but it appears they may have had good reason. Looking forward to the fall when we diagnose, trim and treat the trees so they can bear useful fruit.

And so here ends the garden blog

For the spring planting anyway. I pretty much failed.

The first watermelon was picked too soon a couple weeks ago. Three more watermelons mysteriously dissapeared. (raccoons?) I have one left on the vine and will give it another few days or few hours. Not sure. It should be ready.

This was tragic and pretty much nailed the last of my motivation to zero. One of the children left the gate open and the horses got in. The corn was leveled along with most of the green beans. They trampled the squash, pumpkins and tomato.

I am thankful that while they walked and pooped among the melon patch, only one cantaloupe seems to have fallen victim.

So there you have it. I'm sure if you weighed my harvest and added it up, everything was about $30 a pound. But you cannot put a price on the education.

When it stops raining I will clear it all out and think about a fall garden. Peas, lettuce and spinach.

Here and There

Keeping up, barely. I feel like I've learned a lot of positive things on what to do better for next year. Mainly... WEED. I finally give up. You win, weeds. It's just too hot for me to care. My back feels good and I'd like to keep it that way. Not worth the risk for a bunch of squash.

The areas I spent a lot of time weeding in the beginning have kept up with just a pull or two here and there. Weed aggressive in the beginning.

Since there probably wont be enough cucumber to do traditional canning, I have been making refrigerator pickles whenever I get enough.

Going to do a fall crop of peas. These are delicious.

There is no shortage of help when it comes to harvest.

Need to plant twice, or thrice the amount of beans if I want any hope of canning. We steam the beans/peas as soon as there is a handful.

Even the squash was popular.

Monday Morning

I seem to have thrown out my back this weekend. It happened a few months ago also. Feels like being punched in the lower left of my ribs. I had precious little motivation as it was, but this sealed the deal for nothing but watering this weekend.

Looks like I may have to force the offspring to help this week. It was my intention not to make them do it unwillingly.

They were excited when I came in the house with this. Maybe the sight of our first harvest will entice them a bit.

SADNESS!! It appears that one of the flats of 'pickling cucumbers' was miss marked! Thankfully it was the last flat planted so only three of them in the row.

Unfortunately the cucumbers are not doing well as it is and I was sad to discover that the three healthiest looking plants turned out to be summer squash. My poor husband.

You'll be happy to know the basil is surviving the 90 degree temps.

yay! the canteloupe and watermelon are finally spreading. the yellow wax beans are sprouting and the green beans are growing. The zucchini keeps getting bigger though I see no vegetables. The grass needs weeding so I can plant the dill.

a full shot. Notice my lame attempt to wire the tomatos. It got difficult and sweaty and I was burning so I decided I would start early the next morning. Right. Then my back hurt. Maybe I should just let the tomatoes crawl around the dirt like pumpkins?

Progress

I slept in today and didn't get outside until 7am. It was my goal to get the squash between the corn weeded but only managed 4 plants total.

The difference is pretty obvious. I wish I could apply this sense of satisfaction and ethic to the cluttery areas of my home. Baby steps.

I'm bad and didn't write which day I planted this row. I'm thinking it is not quite two weeks. I realized that more beans would grow between my melon patch so I've been staggering a couple extra rows. Our family enjoys canned beans so a successful crop would be welcome.


I did a longer row of green beans on 6/14 and they are popping through the dirt.

Yellow wax beans planted on 6/17. Nothing yet. I may do one more row if I can get the area ready in time. The extreme heat is almost here and it would kill young plants.

6am-9am

Those are the hours in the morning I spend in the garden. I've stayed later, but regret it for the rest of the day. That feeling like you spent all day swimming and just cannot shake the tired. Three hours in the morning seems about perfect.

I'll be honest though. I find the weeding overwhelming. I have the right side of the garden finished, but in the mean while the corn is pretty much growing in full grown lawn. I've never been good at keeping up.

The kids helped at first but they whine and argue the whole time. Wesley enjoys spraying the squash with soap water (in a failing attept to get the leaf rot under control)

Last few times I've just left before they wake up and leave a note. Only Wesley joins me by his own steam. "I kind of like it, but I am kinda mostly just scared that Daddy will get mad if I don't help."

He commented that he hates the work, but feels proud when he sees stuff growing. He was surprised when I told him I felt the exact same way.

I like watching things grow.

Wont count my pesto before the basil- but planting 40 of these was satisfying. Watching something grow from seed to table is fulfilling. :O)

Learning

staking tomatoes

She is the most interested of the children. Listens to what I am talking about and why we are doing something.

making slug repellent

She isn't aware that I know about as much about gardening as she does. I have a bit more trial and error under my belt- but not much.

Long Weekend

After much dedicated care of seedlings, it was time for a new home!


See him playing video games while Mommy worked on the fence?


Planting corn. It went from "this is awesome fun!" to "what? Three more rows?!" much too fast.

I warned the children that by the end of summer, there would be zero tolerance on the moaning over work. Good golly.


She planted most of the seedlings. Good little worker, prefers to be alone.


Daddy tore up a few rows with the tractor for their Sunflower Patch. Oh please little seeds, the girls are very excited about you.


Another boquet of flowers from here and there on the property.

Peas

This batch of peas has been more successful.


The garden is one weekend away from being ready to plant. Good thing since I caved and went to the nursery and blew a small fortune on tomato and cucumber seedlings- and they are quite desperate for bigger digs.



The barb wire has been lovingly strung (4 football fields worth, apparently!) and myself and the children are 1/3 way through burying the chicken wire. We should have the wire done this week and be ready for the gate to be put up.

Very few things are this beautiful

Fistfulls of flowers from a child.

Cold Snap

Better titled: I'm so glad I'm not a pioneer.


We had a late frost.


there are signs of life, but I just don't know. The weather can reach highs of 70, but then dips to frost or just plain cold drizzle.

My getting home from church late and forgetting to shut the cold frame lid before frost certianly didn't help matters any.


This is what my cold frame looked like last April around this time. Needless to say, this is not my year for seedlings. Somewhat upsetting seeing as last year I ended up throwing away most of my seedlings because of the move. This year I have a 30x40 tilled rectangle of perfectly good dirt.


sigh.

Flowers Flowers!

Spring is just too pretty for words. I'm noticing the magnolias around town have lost blossoms, but the dogwoods are in bloom. And the wisteria.

A moment of silence for my wisteria. I hope it is doing well. I miss you, wisteria.



I took this picture during the first inspection. It was the first week of May- when things were starting to become a reality that this house could be ours. (after a month of negotiations and another month would follow!)


and this is yesterday. I think I killed the clematis? :( So much of it is dead twigs, like a giant bird nest. The green you see is coneccted to one or two fresh whips growing from the ground up.


New growth on left, dead (original plant) on right. I'm lost on how to prune/revive this. I think that is mint growing rampant everywhere?


by the carport last year.


Yikes! This area got more water and seems to come back in full force. Weave it to the trellis?


Beside our bed. The lilac is incredibly fragrant. This humble bouquet brings joy to my heart.


These little guys popped up so I snagged them for the table. This is the double daffodil I was mentioning in previous post. According to some websites, I can purchase them in all white and salmon shades also. If the critters will leave daffodils alone, I want more of these beauties.

Blooms

She was all to eager to help re-seed.


This bush was in bad shape when we moved in. I was somewhat fearful and only gave it a hesitant pruning. Now that I know it blooms, I'll be a bit more agressive next go around.

I need to show off my lilac tree I've nurtured from cutting. It is almost ready to be planted! This bush also looks like it may have some babies I can dig up and nurture.


The apple blossoms are beautiful.


The trees are rough. We have four or five apple trees on the property and they have been ignored for many years. The neighbour has a friend that will teach us how to properly care for the trees when it comes time to prune this fall. Reading is good, but it is wonderful when someone can pass down their knowledge while walking the property with you.


Something ate my tulips. #@! I didn't take any pictures of the (now dying) daffodils, but most of them came up alongside the snow crocus and they were beautiful. There was one lonely double daffodil in the mix and the girls and I agreed it was the prettiest. I think I'll research purchasing some apricot or pink daffodils for planting this fall.