MID JULY GARDEN TOUR!

Even though we had another very hot and dry week last week, I did manage to spend quite a bit of time working in my vegetable garden, and I have to say, I was quite excited to see some progress there, even with the drought.

It was time to spend some time with my tomato plants.  Many needed tying up, some needed the bottom leaves removed where I thought some blight might be about to happen.  When I actually stopped and worked in the tomato bed, I realized that I do actually have a lot of fruit on my plants.  Even though the plants themselves are somewhat puny, they are loaded with tomatoes.  None are ready for picking, but another week or so, they will be ready to eat, can, freeze, or whatever I decide I will do this year!

 







On to the beans.  I have three different varieties of bush beans that I grow every year, Dandy Green, Dandy Gold, and Provider.  Last year I froze over 10 gallons of beans.  So far this year, I have picked and froze this lot:  Maybe a pound, all said and done!

I am also growing a bush drying bean that was given to me by a friend.  There are a lot of beans on these plants, but I will be leaving them to dry on the plants, and then will just pod them.

One of the plants is a renegade climber.  I totally love when this happens.  So I gave it a pole and hopefully it will grow something amazing for me.  

The corn is a big surprise.  Even though the plants themselves are quite short, every plant has a couple of ears growing on it.  So far I have only planted corn for us to have fresh, but next year I hope to plant more so that I can freeze some.  

I think my favourite thing in the garden this year is this Kale.  Oh my Gosh, it is so good.  We have been eating it and the Swiss Chard for a few weeks already.  I almost feel like seeding another couple of rows for an autumn garden... I will have to check our fall frost dates to see if I would have enough time.  It just has the most amazing flavour.

 







I have yellow, red white and Spanish onions growing, they are not a great size, hopefully they will have a good flavour, and they do have some time to fatten up before they come out in fall.

My pumpkin and squash bed is crazy wild, blossoms everywhere and there is a lot of small fruit on the vines.  I have butternut squash, Zucchini and a small pumpkin planted and so far it looks like I will have some of each to harvest come fall.  I really want to try some different varieties next year...

My cucumbers are totally pathetic.  I have picked 3 very small ones so far... not the best year for cuc's, I'm afraid.

I didn't plant potatoes this year, and my carrots never did come up ( after 3 plantings) it was just too hot.

I have a few beets but I think it has been too hot for those as well.

It hasn't been my best garden ever, but I am thankful for what I do have growing.

We had a really good rain yesterday - I can't wait to see if it will make any difference to the garden this week, or not.

My herbs are doing great since I moved them out of the hot sun.  I have been steadily harvesting and drying mint, lemon balm, chamomile, basil and sage and oregano, so far.  We have already had some teas from our herbs that were really really nice.  I am definitely going to expand my tea garden next year, for sure.

So that's my garden tour...

Can't wait for my first fresh tomato sandwich.... yum!