Chronicles of a Noob Garden and Gardener

[Ben E Lou]

I bet it will be easy to get the girls to eat their vegetables!

The eldest (age 10) has eaten at least one large serving of sauteed spinach for four consecutive days now. The garden is going to run out soon, but I've planted some more.

 

[Ben E Lou]

The good and the bad from my morning garden inspection: spotted my first tomatoes, but also something ripped a drip irrigation line and destroyed one of my red bell pepper plants. I’m guessing it was a squirrel digging.

 

[flowerbug]

The good and the bad from my morning garden inspection: spotted my first tomatoes, but also something ripped a drip irrigation line and destroyed one of my red bell pepper plants. I’m guessing it was a squirrel digging.


View attachment 31570 View attachment 31571

if you can prop the plant back up it may heal and keep growing...

 

[baymule]

Little tomatoes!

 

[Ben E Lou]

A few shots from yesterday and this morning...

The largest broccoli head is now bigger than my fist. Probably harvesting in the next day or two.

I think I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but the vegetable section of the garden is aligned to get maximum sunlight. This picture was taken at 7:30 AM today. The shadow line falls right on the walking path between the vegetables and the flower-only portion. Full sunlight covers the entire area by around 9am this time of year.

Flower-only section, taken this morning. Starting at the fence, the sections are sunflowers, a “bee feed” mix, a “butterfly/hummingbird” mix, calendula, and California poppies.

One of my four squash plants. Looks like I’ll be harvesting this soon.

 

[Ben E Lou]

Other notes...

• The temperature dropped to around 45 each of the last two nights. As of this morning, I hadn't seen any tomato blossoms having fallen off.
• In other weather info for here, the long-term forecast calls for today and tomorrow to feature spring-like weather (mid 70s hghs/mid 50s lows) but then HOT (highs 87-94, lows 65-71) for two solid weeks. That's midsummer type weather around here. I guess I need to go ahead and harvest the cool-season stuff?
  
• I recall that the basil really took off when the weather got hot last year, so looking forward to that.
• It does feel like all the work I did on composting is paying off. The plants pretty much all look quite healthy and I'm pleased with how they're growing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Other notes...

• I guess I need to go ahead and harvest the cool-season stuff?

What cool-weather stuff? What shape is it in?

 

[Ben E Lou]

What cool-weather stuff? What shape is it in?

broccoli, kale, lettuce, spinach. All are in good shape, but doesn't that stuff bolt, get bitter, or both in hot weather?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Broccoli should send out small side shoots, one on each sucker, for a while. Different varieties give different amounts but over time I often get more broccoli from side shoots than the main head. I do not notice that much of a difference in taste but maybe you will. Eventually they shut down in the heat or they get so buggy you will not want to eat them, but I keep these going as long as I can.

Kale does taste better in cooler weather, it can get strong in warmer weather. But again it will keep growing until it does turn really hot as long as you keep it cut back. I usually keep kale going until it becomes so buggy I don't want to eat it. The problem for me is those little green cabbage worms.

Lettuce will turn bitter and bolt when it warms up. Go by taste instead of the calendar but this will soon be done.

Spinach is one I never had luck with, I quit planting it because the productivity was so bad even in a "good" year. It was heat sensitive, one of the first things to die when it warmed up. Again make your decision by what you are getting out of the garden but I don't think this one will remain a mystery very long.

 

[baymule]

Too bad that you don't have chickens, they would love bolted lettuce, spent broccoli and vegetable trimmings.

I keep picking until the plant is done.