Garden June 16

Spring

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. ~Proverb

What a difference a year makes

The garden she is a growing.

How Does My Garden Grow?

With heat, humidity, and rain.  And we had plenty of that last week!

Radishes are up...

Brussel sprouts are up...

Lettuce and flowers are up...

 

 

Cucumbers are up (in the green pails no less)...

 

 

The poetry of the earth is never dead. ~John Keats









Garden is In

Keith tilled the garden several weeks ago.  Between freezing temperatures, frost, down pours, ball games, and just plain laziness I didn't get the garden planted until today. 

 

 

 

I signed up for a CSA half-share through work so I had to rethink the garden some this year.  I tried to plant veggies that I can freeze so we can enjoy them throughout the winter.  Or at least I will enjoy them, hopefully Keith will learn to like them. 

 

I started out with some sugar snap peas.  I planted two rows close together and hopefully can some up with something between the two rows that they can grow on.

 

 

 

Green beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, salad greens, garlic, herbs, patty pan, pumpkin, and squash add to the mix.

 

 

I'm trying the salad greens and a few flowers in square foot garden style.  Not sure how it will turn out.

 

 

 

And yes, the green pails are back. 

 

This volunteer from last year was the inspiration.

 

 

It may or may not be patty pan.  I'm not sure.  I did plant more patty pan in this pail and some in another pail.  Cucumbers are planted in pail 3 (they never do well in the garden - something seems to always eat the seeds).  Pail 4 has acorn squash, which were seeds that were left over from last year.

We moved our wood pile.  Well, I should say we.  Keith and our two oldest grandchildren, Griffin and Hayden moved it while I was at work.  So I know have more room in the garden.  It may be a little misshapen but I'm hoping for a fruitful season.

So far no signs of a drought this year.  It was fun playing in the mud!

 

Getting the Itch

As I sit here at my kitchen window watching the snow come down, the first few inches of an expected 9 inches, my mind goes to my garden. 

 

 

My garden last summer was a disappointment.  Even though I watered daily, the heat and the drought got the best of it. 

My patty pan pails were a bust.  They started out strong but quickly went downhill.  I think I should have moved them so they didn't get so much sun.  I won't be planting them in the pails this year.  I'll be planting them in the garden.

I haven't given up on the pails.  I just need to figure out what to plant in them.  I saw where Burpee Seeds has seeds for container sweet corn .  Sounds like a real possibility.

Through work I signed up for a CSA.  Since its just hubby and I at home now I signed up for a half-share. This may slightly change what I plant in the garden.  I still plan on tomatoes and green beans.  I use these to stock the freezer.  With 9 inches of snow on top of the 6 inches we got last week I think I'll have time to make up my mind.

Patty Pan Pails

Every summer we try to make it up to Madison, WI, at least once to attend the Dane County Farmer's Market.  My favorite item to buy is patty pan squash.  I love to slice it, add some fresh thyme, and saute it in olive oil.  I can (and normally do) make a meal of it!

For the past two years I've looked for patty pan seeds.  I've only found them in seed catalogs.  Since I normally don't order my seeds I was hesitant to place an order for just a couple packets of seeds.  Imagine my delight when I ran across seeds at Farm & Fleet!  Not only did they have one kind they had two!  Both yellow and white!

Now, the next problem is I don't have a real big garden.  I've been reading quite a bit about container gardens so off we went to Menard's and bought four, 5 gallon pails, river rock, potting soil, and top soil.

Keith (hubby), who is not into gardening, was excited (kind of) to help with the Patty Pan Pails while I took pictures!

First step, he drilled holes for drainage.

Next step, adding the river rock.

Followed by the potting soil and top soil

And we're ready to plant!  Since we had four pails I decided to try a pail of acorn squash and a pail of zucchini along with the patty pans.

A little water.

Now all we need are some warm sunny days!

Update, one week later, April 29, no seedlings yet.