Mid-summer Garden Update
Can you believe next week is August? It feel like just yesterday I convinced everyone that we should make a front-yard garden and then feeling like we took on too much.
In April, we started the garden, it took like three weeks to get it done and then we slowly started buy plants and seeds to put into the garden. At the end of May, it was warm enough to plant everything and it's great because we got an extra week of growing. Since then, there was an intense hail storm that killed the cucumbers, we added a few more vegetables to the garden, and we added obelisks to help the squash grow up.
We have been successful with everything thus far, but since I just pruned the entire garden, I thought I would give you an update on how everything is growing.
The front flower garden is doing so well. The sunflowers are taller than me and keep going. We did learn that mulch should only be added after the trees have flowered because the debris can clearly be seen. We also had some friends who played with Styrofoam and it got into the garden beds. Henrold the lawn ornament is doing well.
Our Zucchini patch had to be tamed to allow for airflow. We also removed the radishes and planted carrot seeds, which should grow, but we will see. The garlic is also growing, I left the scapes on too long, so we will see what happens.
I recently just got an eggplant patio plant and think it's amazing that it has fruit on it already. Last year, I couldn't get mine to grow and it was disappointing to say the least.
We dug up the original lettuce garden because pests had gotten to it and the weeds were uncontrollable. Thus far, we have no weeds and everything is growing. We planted kale, arugula, and spinach.
Our beets took a hit during the hail storm, but are bouncing back. We have three cabbage plants that are just there and not doing much. I did spray them because they were being eaten alive by pests. The oregano that separates the beets and cucumbers is thriving.
The cucumbers are just starting to fruit and the green onion is almost there. Glad it's growing at a slower pace.
The butternut squash is starting to produce fruit and we had peas that were super pretty, but peas tend to die off at the end of July and so we pulled them to plant carrot seeds.
The tomato plants I grew from seed are thriving and just starting to produce fruit. I grew indeterminate tomatoes so they are slower and will continue to grow and produce fruit. Next time, I will just buy the determinate plants since it's a little overwhelming, but will be a lot of fun.
We have banana peppers growing and I am still not sure what to do with them.
These are the most successful cabbages, I had to spray them, but they seem to be forming together.
The herb garden is doing really well. I do have to prune them down because they are flowering. The jalapenos are also starting to pop.
Our peas are not snow peas, but regular peas you have to shuck. I really need to read the label on seeds before I buy them and plant them, but they make a nice snack.
The strawberries are flourishing and so is the basil. Can't wait for pesto and the strawberries are just fun to eat.
That is the garden update for July, I will do one when more fruit/vegetables bloom.
All my love,
Samantha