Journey11's Garden Journal 2014

[journey11]

We got 3" of rain so far this week and more to come. Another flush of weeds to be dealt with and everything in the garden has doubled in size again. I spaced my rows generously this year, but once everything gets going, you still can't walk down them easily. The squash, pumpkins, melons, etc. have spread out and are threatening to eat everything.

Ava has a little cantaloupe in her garden about 4" in diameter so far. The corn is as tall as me now and is tasseling. All the bush beans are loaded, the pole beans are just starting to bloom.

We've eaten summer squash, zucchini, cukes and various greens every night this week. I still have pickles that need canning! Tomorrow, I'll get to that I hope!

Made another round of pruning and tying the tomatoes today and realized that some of them have early blight (had it last year too). Made sure to bleach clippers between each plant. Tomatoes are just getting ready to turn too.

It has been sooooo rainy and rather cool too. We've not been in the pool for over a week now...too cold! Today only got up to 78 degrees and the evening felt like Fall. I've been hearing a couple of cicadas already.

 

[Collector]

Sounds like you have been busy this season your gardens look great. I could go for some cool temps for awhile, was working in Walla Walla for a few weeks and the temps were between 98 and 103 for a couple weeks. Its been in the 90's here for the past 5 days or so, Ive had enough heat ready for some 80 degree weather for awhile.Hope you dont lose all those tomatoes, That would be a shame after all that work.

 

[Hal]

You have a great garden!

 

[journey11]

Thanks! This is one of the best gardens I've had so far. I've had a little more time to work on it this year. I'm enjoying these pleasant temps and the humidity hasn't been too bad this summer, but the conditions are ripe for fungus and disease in the garden.

 

[journey11]

Pic update. It has been raining cats and dogs here lately and I can't believe how much bigger everything has gotten. The grass and everything is really green too. It's a jungle out there! Getting really tricky to step through to harvest things.

First pick of green beans came from Ava's little patch. She ate them all for dinner.


Ava and Superbaby (aka. Savannah) posing with Ava's flowers.


And in the garden. I took this one to mimic a pic my parents have of us as kids in their big garden.


Different angles of the jungle. Those big squash vines are "Big Moon" pumpkins (could get up to 200 lb.), Jumbo Banana squash and Waltham Butternuts mostly. The watermelon vines are tiny by comparison.


Sunflowers are finally blooming! My favorite part of summer...well, one of them.


Ava has 3 cantaloupes coming along in her patch. These two are softball-sized now.


Alma Paprika peppers. They are heavy setters. Can't wait to try grinding my own paprika.


Grow-out beans are turning into a jungle too. All the bush varieties in front are blooming and setting beans now.

 

[journey11]

Still waiting on most of the tomatoes to ripen, although I've gotten a handful of Stupice and Golden Eggs so far. These big and prolific tomatoes are on the one that I don't have a positive ID for (from seed saved for a couple of years now from a wonderful yellow tomato my neighbor gave me.) I believe they are Kellogg's Breakfast most likely.


Golden San Marzanos (hybrid) have a very heavy yield. Can't wait to taste one. Thanks @HotPepperQueen ! I hope your KB's are doing well too!


Pretty day lily I got in a mix. The day lilies have been blooming constantly for about 3 weeks now.


Orange mini-rose DH got me for Mother's Day. I don't usually go for orange, but I really like this rose. It really stands out. They fade to peach as they age.


One of Ava's Collarette Dahlias. They are a really nice dwarf border dahlia that comes in several colors and reach 12"-18" tall. Sooooo glad they survived their close call w/ weed killer.


That's it for now. Hopefully the next round of pics will be more ripe produce. We've mostly had cukes, zucchini and summer squash, beets and asst. greens to eat so far. I can't wait for that sweet corn too. I've canned 24 pints of dill pickles so far and am getting ready to do a batch of seedless (wild) blackberry jam and some bread and butter pickles and gherkins. Good thing about gherkins is that they help slow down the overflow of cukes. I could eat them like candy.

 

[canesisters]

HOW have I missed THIS thread!?!?!?!?!

Your gardens are LOVELY!!!!!
... adding picts to my 'planting the back of the house' wish-file......

 

[ninnymary]

My goodness! Ava looks almost like a teenager! I remember when she was 6 and wasn't that baby born yesterday? Glad you're getting some rain and that it's making your garden grow. Hope pests and mildew stay away!

Mary

 

[journey11]

@canesisters , I have a wish list file too that I keep on Pinterest when I see something I like.

@ninnymary , I know, right! They grow up way too fast. I don't feel like I've gotten to enjoy Savannah's baby days as much as I did with Ava's since things are so super busy anymore. We saw Ava's pediatrician last month for her 7-yr-old well-child visit and she said Ava's growth chart predicts she'll possibly be 6'1"!!! I'm average height at 5'6" and DH is 6'1". All of his paternal cousins are over 6' though, so I guess that's where she gets it. It is hard to keep her in clothes since she outgrows them so fast.

 

[digitS']

They certainly are lovely gardens, Journey.

I got a shirtpocket full of green beans today. The orange daylilies have had their day but the golden ones have only just started. Picked the 3rd tomato that was bigger than a Sungold and we have a nice lot of cukes and zukes ...

My garden is a little early with the heat, yours must be a little late with the rain. Better get over in the passing lane while you have a chance - the heat is supposed to be back locally next week!

Steve