Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Growing is Good


We're finally getting some warmer weather 
and less rain which is helping the garden now
that the plants are established.
The cool, wet Spring was perfect for us
since we have to run a pvc pipe about 
60 feet from the house to the garden.
  It provides water but the pressure
won't stay steady which causes the sprinkler to get stuck
at times, over watering some sections.


The tomatillos are fantastic, the four plants
and just covered with husks that should be ready
late summer for salsa and chili verde.


The tomatoes have grown very tall, 
that's me behind them.
Of course, I'm short so to help you out, I am 5' 2".
Some of them are right at my height, some taller.  
I need a little more heat for them right now
but we've had a couple ripen.


The squash is thicker and more sturdy than ever.
I planted zucchini and crook neck varieties.
Tom tells me the bees are working my 
carpet-o-pumpkins too,. By the time I get home
the flowers have closed up so I  couldn't tell how 
they were doing.  The water melon is hanging in there too.
We've never been very successful with melons being
dry and rocky but the wet spring helped it along.


Baby Squash


Into big squash!
(Phone positioned next to them so you can tell the size.)


The first Cherokee Purple tomato
with some crook neck squash and zucchini.
I love the old patio table we added up at the garden.
It's perfect for setting the veges down or placing your
drink where the ants won't get it.
We go up there and just sit from time to time.


We've had our share of bugs
Squash bugs, cucumber/potato beetles
and now the Japanese beetles have arrived.
We set up those Japanese Beetle bags and have been catching
a lot of them.  I didn't see any near the plants tonight so hopefully
the bags are calling them in the other direction.

We have a lot of predators this year, lot of spiders
everywhere:  Daddy Long legs and other types that are 
lighter with long legs.  They move over when I need
to check the plants and then go back to their position
afterwards. We also have whatever the heck this bug
  is (picture).  Maybe some type of assassin bug?

I have Friday off for the 4th of July so we'll spend
some quality time up there pulling weeds and tying up
more tomato vines.  I need to replant the little side
 salad garden now that the lettuce and radishes are gone.








5 comments:

Sunnybrook Farm said...

We have tomatillos growing wild here, a much smaller plant but they are a weed. Maybe I should be growing them if the wild ones do so well.

Gorges Smythe said...

Nice old tractor.

Harry Flashman said...

I am always surprised at what big gardens so many people have. But I shouldn't be. It's a great idea, a money saver and you know what you are eating, which is more than I can say with things I buy at the store.

You put the time in and it shows in how well your garden is doing.

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Your Garden looks wonderful.
That squash ...yummie!
I don't know that I've ever grown a Tomatillo...is it like a tomato?
What else, besides Salsa can you make with it?
Japanese Beetles? a garden problem?
Whew!
Someone told me last year to buy them and that they EAT GRASSHOPPER LARVA... I'm glad now I didn't! That's the last thing I need is ANOTHER BUG TO CONTEND WITH.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Japanese beetles for grasshoppers? I can't imagine anyone wanting them. Tomatillos are more like a citrus fruit and not at all like a tomato but they grow sort of like them. Maybe like a ground cherry,