GinaY86441 said:Hi Everybody,
Here in AZ our veggie garden is in full swing. We just got hit with our first triple digit temperatures with 104 being the average during this 10-day forecast, so I pulled my 70% shade screen. If temps drop again, I may pull it back for morning sun, but then again, I may not. Winds are peaking at an average of 15-20 mph day-long.
We have much in the garden right now: zucchini, yellow and butternut squash, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, watermelon, muskmelon and pumpkin, as well as eggplant, corn (doing poorly), and first year asparagus. Most all are in flower with the zucs and yellow providing harvest already - in fact, getting ready to have sautéed squash for lunch! No fruit set on any melons, nor on the cauliflower or Brussels sprouts - although, I'm checking everyday! Oh, and I'm letting my bush beans go to seed before pulling to make room for the melons.
We did have patio & cherry tomatoes going, but the local critters decided against it! We are still fairly new gardeners with only a couple years of experience, and if it wasn't for ATP, I'm quite certain we would not be having the success we've had! I am so thankful for ATP! I had no idea how much knowledge is needed in gardening! My hat off to all members here!
Here's a quick tour:
chelle said:My tomato wall. Same as last year, but the inter-planted beans really never had a chance this year. There's like maybe one in there??
Those are 6.5' stakes...they're big plants. After I took this shot I added another weave.
The pea fence...with its ugly critter-deterrent netting. First shot: see the hummingbird on the fence? I have 4 feeders up, and if I had 10x that many I still don't think I'd have enough. I've sat out there and watched 3 feeders at once, with each one entertaining up to 20 birds. It's just amazing. One four-hole feeder actually had 5 birds feeding at the same time! It was only for a few seconds, but two birds were using the same hole!
My poor unloved lettuce. I think I'll eat it all tomorrow. I keep saying that, but I never seem to get around to it.
Extra tomatoes, a few beans, and peppers...these still have quite a ways to go. They've had much less compost, and more of our lovely root-clamping clay.
The sun finally came out today. It's really pretty and enjoyable to see when it's been missing for an extended period of time.
GinaY86441 said:Thank you, Rita!
I am having fun with it! Our Spring garden was very successful - I was able to save some pea seeds for next year and I'm expecting to save some of the bush bean seeds as well.
I had a real lesson with my Utah onions, tho. I planted from seed in November thinking they'd over winter, which they did, but I've learned that the cold causes them to seed. They ended up flowering and when I processed the 78 heads, most had a hard center. So, instead of storing them as heads, I processed them for the freezer. Funny thing: these onions cook down to a velvety mush that is extremely sweet! Overall, I can't say it was a total loss! Our peas and carrots seemed to be a bumper crop!
mandolls said:Happy Summer Solstice! Everyone's gardens are looking great!
The longest day of the year is sunny and warm here (low 80's)
The only things I have harvested so far are Bok Choy
(stirfried with ginger & garlic), Arugula (with toasted pine nuts & chicken over pasta) and Cilantro (bean salad with lots of cilantro)
Sugar Snaps are just starting to flower, so it won't be long for them. Most of the tomatoes and eggplant are flowering. Long beans and cukes are just sitting there so far. Daikons & carrots are still pretty tiny.
Bok Choy
Tomatoes & cukes
Potatoes
- Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
- Uploaded by mandolls
Peppers & Eggplant
Sugar Snaps & Baby Romaine
Napa, Arugula & Long beans