Wednesday 22 July 2015

July goodness

It's a month since I posted and so I think we are due for another garden update.  I was just reading on someone else's blog about how their blog is a great reference guide for their garden from year to year.  In fact I remember looking up what I planted last year and what I wanted to plant this year on my blog this past spring.  Last year I planted too little and this year it's only July and I'm anxiously waiting for things to be ready to eat.  I have to keep reminding myself that it's only mid July and I likely won't have tomatoes, radishes, beets and green beans until the beginning of August.  The weeds are seriously driving me mad.  I can happily weed my upper "kitchen garden" for 30-40 mins and get about half of it done but the lower garden is so big we till between the rows and then hand pull all the weeds between the plants.  The lower garden has been a challenge this year for sure.  It's very sandy and probably needs a few yards of peat and manure to bring the soil back.  We have plans to do this in the fall.  And I think I'll try to convince the hubby to make the garden smaller next year as well.  What is growing in my garden you ask?  The upper garden has kale, pole beans, hot peppers, red peppers, green peppers, onions, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, peas, rainbow chard, carrots and sunflowers.  All are doing well except the peppers which seem small but they are flowering so there is still hope.  Peas - I planted a whole row of them and only about 6 plants came up.  They sprouted to around 3 feet tall before flowering and producing peas.  Even with 6 plants it's still not enough for even 1 meal of peas.  I don't think I'll bother with them next year.  In the lower garden the vegetables that are doing well are the beets, radishes - although something is eating the leaves, corn, more carrots, yellow zucchini, a volunteer squash plant and bush beans.  The other things I've planted but I will have to wait to see how well they do are - more onions, watermelon and cucumber. 


The weather has been just wonderful with a good mix of rain and sun which means not only are the weeds and the veggies thriving but so are the trees and the grass.  On a weekly basis I'm trimming, mowing and whippersnipping everything so it doesn't get ahead of me.  I just keep telling myself what good exercise it is.  In fact last year 30 mins with that gas trimmer and my arms would have shook for hours but not this year!  All of that hay and straw throwing over the winter has made me stronger.  As one of my favorite bloggers said today "I just do."  It needs to get done so you do it. Indeed. 


It's been a busy month here with some vacation thrown in, lots of company, a few parties, a new kitten, bon fires, birthdays and swimming.  I'm hosting a big family get together August 1st and at some point I really need to paint the walls in the living room.  I've rambled on long enough, my lawn mower is calling me.  Thanks for stopping by.