changes - garden I

We got back from vacation to find our gardens had changed. They all grew! Here they are - first with a wide view, followed by what's in 'em.

herb - basil, cilantro, rosemary, dill, a volunteer gourd in the back

garden 1

horseradish (finally! We've tried to grow this for three years for Passover.)

peas (These are the straggling vines in the back. There are a few peas left. Tomatoes are coming up in front of them now. One crop is done and another takes its place.)

turnips

changes - garden II

This one is a bit wild, but full of food.

garden 2
cucumbers

tomatoes

radishes

carrots

yum!

changes - garden III

Things are growing here too, in garden 3 and Leah's box.

garden 3
summer squash

peppers

onions

sunflowers!

strawberries (finished for the year)

mystery plant spreading into the yard

There's also some volunteer gourds, another cucumber and then some pumpkin behind the summer squash.

Leah's patch

mint

a small forest of volunteer tomatoes

The beautiful, big tomatoes took over what she actually planted - one strawberry, one onion and some carrots.

leaves

This is what was picked this evening, winter lettuce. Leah picked some yummy radishes for me last week. The peppers and tomatoes are in. The carrots and onions look like carrots and onions. The peas are as tall as the fence. That's my garden update.

Almost forgot. Plant your tomato plants when the oak tree puts out its leaves. Oaks don't like frost, so they are the last tree to leaf. Tomatoes don't like frost either. Our oak got its leaves on April 15. Jess waited a week to plant the tomatoes. He trusted the weather people more than the tree. It did get cold, but did not frost. The tree was right.

finished growing

I woke this morning to discover a published post. "Who did this?" Jesse soon confessed. But I wasn't done! So, here is the rest.

The spring lettuce is 4" tall. There are turnips in front of it with greens a foot high. They were planted in the fall and began to go to flower. Jess harvested some turnips today. They of course were nothing like this, but still tasty in soup.

Also in the ground is mint, carrots, over two dozen strawberry plants, radishes, more turnips and our peas. The mint and strawberries are transplants and look like something. The peas are doing splendidly - 5" tall and sturdy. Everything else is two little leaves popping up out of the soil.

In the sun room are tomatoes, basil and thyme. They aren't ready for the outdoors yet. In the plans are peppers, cucumbers, summer squash, pumpkin and watermelon.

There, now you know what is going on in our garden. Go get digging! (Unless you are Lydia. ;)

How does your garden grow?

1/3 of last year's garden

winter lettuce

spring lettuce

Numerous friends have asked how and when we garden. First, I don't. Well, I guess you could say I am the planner, not the planter. I have a say on what goes into the ground and where. Jesse and the kids do all the rest. I have bragging rights too. =) He uses Square Foot Gardening, (but the 1981 version) The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, (again, the old one is on our shelf) and his love for the earth/experience growing up. Now this is being passed on to our children, and I love it.

The spring lettuce went into the ground the beginning of March. It had the cold frame around it for the first few weeks. Now it is frame free and tall.