Work

I've been working so hard at this new job that the garden looks like a jungle. I don't really know what to expect in the next school year. Too many gray areas with the job description. I've had to go salary rather than hourly and they're making the most of it.

The garden looks like a jungle. Tomatoes got the blight so many others have been hit with. It's unusual here for that, but it's been a very cool and damp season. I thought blight conditions were hot and moist? It's new to me. So, not very many tomatoes. We did get some of the paste type and we've made some good spaghetti sauce.

Eggplant was destroyed by flea beetles. Zucchini plants all died. Not a squash bug assult either. I don't know why they died. Maybe neglect.

Carrots, leeks, parsley root, fennel and broccoli sprouts are being harvested. I'm appreciating the harvest. Purple broccoli is about 3-1/2 feet high and no sprouts. I'm not sure what should be happening with it. Perhaps it just still has a bit of growing to do yet?

I'm preparing to plant up the contraption my husband built for use on the porch deck. Maybe I'll at least have time for that!

Cool Weather Payoff

It's been a while since I've posted. We're closing down operation with one company and setting up with the other. I'm working more now than ever.

The garden is demanding at the moment also, so I haven't much time for pictures or posting. I had to show you all the fantastic heads of broccoli we've been harvesting thanks to the cool weather we've had. We've just harvested the fourth and last head of the green broccoli. Side shoots have already started!!!




























They were all one pound heads.

Latest Project

Well, here is the latest of our garden projects. It's not quite finished, but you can see what it will do. It will sit on our deck and hold salad veggies. Cedar would have been our wood of choice, but that would have doubled our cost and since I'll be unemployed as of June 30th, we just couldn't spend that much money. The frame is treated lumber and the boxes are pine. Husband is using a wood deck stain on the boxes.














Broccoli is finally heading up.

Clean up and harvest

The weekend was great. I finally had time and good weather with me. Although I got a lot accomplished, there's still a lot that needs done. Here's some highlights:














This was the second planting of fennel. I also have a third planting in a flat. I'm determined to have fennel. I'm really happy to see this taking off.

Below is the purple sprouting broccoli. Three plants survived. The third planting! (it's been a very difficult spring)














Carrots and parsley root.














Spinach














First real harvest














Buttercrunch lettuce, thinning of bunching onions, spinach, and the few berries whose blossoms escaped us. I was told that the first few weeks of blossoms should be removed so that the plant can gain strength and production of berries will be better.














Tomato blossoms

Tiny Post

Some garden growth. I'll post more tonight.

Homemade, Homegrown, Pesticides

I came across a great article at the Mother Earth News website that gives detailed information on growing and using your own insect repellents.

It is called, "Safe Homegrown Pesticides", By Diane Downs. (Using pungent herbs to repel insects: pyrethrum, garlic, feverfew, marigolds, pennyroyal, tansy. )

Here is the location:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1980-03-01/Safe-Homegrown-Pesticides.aspx

They have many articles which are in the archives that you are surely to find useful no matter where you live.

A Few baby pictures

My Grand Baby :D