Thursday, August 9, 2012

Garden Notes









The gardens are doing well thanks to some much needed rain last week. Until then it was a little iffy.  The need for water was high, not just for our vegetable gardens but for our well established perennial beds too. I never have to water the perennial beds. They usually do just fine by themselves. They are well established, have great root systems and we usually get just enough rain that I don’t have to worry about watering them. Not this year. Things, the perennials and the vegetables, were beginning to shrivel up. The rain barrels were empty and using the well to water plants is just not the best case scenario.  We do have a very deep well, but you just never know.

So when it rained last week, not just once, but three times, you can bet we were doing a little happy rain dance here. Everything perked back up, well almost everything, I don’t think the zucchini plants are coming back...I am holding out hope, but I think they are done. The butternut squash seemed to fair a little better, but not much. Other than those two, everything else is doing just great and we are enjoying some pretty amazing food right from the backyard.

This week we are:

  • Going out to the garden to harvest food for every meal
  • Enjoying big delicious salads
  • Eating a ton of kale chips
  • Watching a watermelon grow a little bigger every day
  • Admiring the beautiful blooms on the eggplants
  • Trying to keep up with the tomatoes, every day there are more ready to be picked
  • Enjoying the lovely heirlooms we decided to plant this year...they are so good
  • Getting ready to do some canning
  • Enjoying the sunflowers
  • Cutting fresh flowers to fill the vase in the kitchen
  • Sharing some of our bounty
How is your garden growing?

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Linking up with Taryn from Mama Gone Green for August Garden Party

22 comments:

  1. beautiful and yummy! much the same is happening around here. we're already set to canning some tomato sauce but i think we're seriously about to be overrun with tomatoes. our 40 plants will have us busy, busy soon! your plate of salads and whatnots looks so divine! enjoy it all!

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    1. Maybe if I had planted 40 I might have gotten more then two tomatoes!

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    2. Thanks Lisa. That is a lot of plants, we have about 25, and that is enough for now because we are overrun with tomatoes :)

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  2. How wonderful! It looks so great and yummy!

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  3. You have a fabulous bountiful garden! It reminds me of when I was growing up. Ours is tiny but mighty!

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  4. What a bounty despite the drought! I have nothing in my garden. Just some zinnia's coming up. :)

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    1. I know, I am shocked at how well it is all doing despite no rain...it hasn't been easy but with a little extra care things have grown well.

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  5. Your garden bounty looks amazing!
    Want to give a rundown as to what all the goodies are on your plate?

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    1. Thanks Tracey.

      That plate of goodies is: spinach, kale, Swiss chard, grated beets and carrots, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, sauerkraut, pickles, hummus, a boiled egg and some red cabbage.

      The kale, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, tomatoes and cucumber are all from the garden.

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  6. Oh lovely Kim. So happy you've had some rain. That plate of salad and egg looks delicious! How much of that is from your garden? Yum! My garden is in my head on on paper at the moment. Once the house is finished the garden will be my number one priority {other than parenting;)}. Can't wait to get into it and create again. Happy gardening days to you xx

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    1. Thanks Kim! Quite a bit of it is from our garden - the kale, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, tomatoes and cucumber to be exact. The egg is from our local farmer, and hopefully soon the eggs will be coming from our backyard :)

      I bet you are so looking forward to getting in your garden and creating something new. Have fun!

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  7. I hear you on the rain - we need it too. Your tomatoes are gorgeous, and that salad look amazing.

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    1. I think everyone does. We are getting a ton right now, and it is suppose to rain until Saturday.

      Thanks, I am pretty proud of those tomatoes and the salad was delish :)

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  8. Hi Kim, Love reading about your garden. :)

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  9. We ate kale chips tonight.... picked from our garden. despite our lack of sunshine.. the kale is doing awesome!!!

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    1. That is awesome! Reece asks for kale chips daily :)

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  10. oh my look at that plate of deliciousness!!!

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