Garden Update

Plant growth fascinates me, and I find myself wandering out to the garden plot several times a day to see what's happened. Green bean plants are beginning to send out their feelers and climb the cattle panels - I'm anticipating a large harvest and plan to can several jars. These are a great addition to winter soups. Cucumber plants are moving slowly, but my fingers are crossed. I'm on my final jar of last year's dill pickles and savoring each bite!

Most of the garden plants have been in place for about a month, and the tomatoes are my biggest encouragement this year. Apparently I got them into the ground at just the right time (last week of April, before a major rain), and they've really taken hold. Cherry tomatoes are already visible and I cannot wait to start picking them - one of my favorite summer snacks. Last year these plants didn't do quite so well - it appears that the new location, compost, and rain barrel water was a huge boost.

Zucchini are doing well so far, but about halfway through the growing cycle last year they died on me. That was most likely due to my failure to water in the heat of summer. I tend to forget that step and think the plants can subsist on their own. I intend to do a better job this year - zucchini breads are a wonderful breakfast treat.

The lettuce bed has had some hits and misses. I much prefer spinach to lettuce, but for some reason spinach just does not do well for me. Leaf lettuce, however, does quite well. Rather than do rows, I just sprinkle the seeds into a square area and clean up the edges to keep the plants neat. I've fallen in love with this shade of green - it jumps out at me each time I look outside and makes me want to munch.

The herbs are growing wonderfully too - which only makes my mouth water at the thought of fresh salsas, rice pilafs, and stews. The cilantor/coriander plant intrigues me - it has tiny white flowers that remind me of baby's breath. Garlic plants look very much like onion plants - huge green stalks above while the work goes on below.

Check out this flower - I'm pretty sure its a lily, but if you know otherwise please let me know! My back fence line has a huge bed of these plants (looked like they'd never been separated) and I've moved them throughout my new flower beds. The plants are quite tall - as tall as myself, in fact - and the flowers are a lovely shade of orange. They are flowering much better thanks to the transplantation, and I'll likely move some more this fall.