Well, the summer project to get all the gravel moved to the garden pathways is complete, before the official start of summer. I am not quite sure how we managed to do it, but we did, and gosh it looks good. We are so pleased, and every time I go out to walk around, to harvest, to work in the garden, it all brings a smile to my face.
Since last week we have had more rain, and a tornado warning, mixed with equal days of sunshine and warmth. It really is the perfect weather for the garden, and everything seems to be thriving. The tomato plants grew overnight, the first planting of peas is flowering, the pole beans are starting to climb, the first sunflower is blooming, the first poppy has burst open, the yarrow is ready for harvesting, the calendula keeps sending out new flowers, and all the asparagus is up. The cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and pumpkins are doing well, and the arch is up and ready to help support their growth upwards this summer. The garden is alive, and I am loving it.
We have our first bug of the season, the leafminer. It has been attacking my beet greens and Swiss chard. I have been trying to stay on top of it, and so far, am succeeding. I can't ever remember seeing it this early in the season, but I did plant quite a bit earlier than usual this year, so maybe that is why. Whatever the case, I will do my best, and hopefully keep it under control.
Our harvests consist of the same things as last week....kale, Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, salad mix, basil, parsley, and chives. I did clip a small branch of rosemary for some roasted potatoes the other night too, so good.
Over the next week I have plans to move more straw from the chicken run to the gardens, and I will begin layering in the hugelkultur bed, slowly getting it ready for a fall planting of bulbs, and then a ton of wildflowers next spring.
For those of you interested in the chickens, the two flocks are still in separate coops, but do spend time in the chicken run together for an hour each morning, and then spend the day free ranging in our yard, together. They seem to be blending well, and we hope in the next week or so to open up the wall between the two coops and make them one big happy family.
And that's the update for this week, how are things around your garden?
Goodness it does sounds so alive. Do you keep a record of the quantities you harvest?
ReplyDeleteI’m having real kale problems this year - the first lot didn’t break the ground and the second lot got eaten (and not by us). The rest doing well, seems to be a strawberry year for us. I will try and do a post this weekend. Hope you are having a warm one, the weather here doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do today.
It is Emma, and has this magical vibrating feeling whenever I am out there :)
DeleteI don't track the quantities, but I do have a rough idea of how much food we put by each year, so that is kinda the marker I use.
Can't wait to catch up with what is happening in your garden.
Hello Kim! I haven't stopped by your place in some time. Your garden is looking so beautiful. Lots of changes since I last visited. Fences, and gravel, and new arches. Oh my! You all have been busy! Enjoy, enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHello Lisa, so nice of you to drop by. Thanks, yes, lots of changes, all good ones, and keeping us busy, in a good way. We will enjoy, thanks.
DeleteWow doesn't the gravel make it look so smart! And so very lush too!! I'm glad the chooks are getting on well, they must be a lovely sound to garden too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carie, I am so pleased with how it all looks, and Justin is pleased because it shaved about 90 minutes off his grass cutting time yesterday :)
DeleteBeautiful! I think you must have the tidiest garden I've ever seen. One of the kids spotted a woodchuck in our garden last night as we were running out the door for my son's graduation, and by the time we got back, it had eaten all of the lettuce and carrots!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea. Ha, only tidy right now because it is the beginning of the season, you wait till mid summer, it will look like a jungle.
DeleteOh no! Not fun.
my update is simple, I think there are volunteer basil plants. We haven't started anything and who knows if we will get to it, I've got that wedding crowding out other bits of life. I loved seeing your beds and how little the plants are and the mulch is visible. All too soon you will not see the mulch.
ReplyDeleteTotally understandable that the garden might get a little break this summer with the big wedding on the horizon Karen. You can only do so much, right?
DeleteThank you.
I know I told you this before, but I adore your garden!! It looks wonderful with the gravel spread between the beds, so clean and tidy!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks Anke.
DeleteIs that metal archway with the tree branch in the middle new? It all looks so great! How do you deal with the leaf miners?
ReplyDeleteIt is, just put it up on Tuesday :) It is for the pumpkins, squashes, zucchini and cucumbers to grow up. Wish us luck.
DeleteThanks KC.
I have been picking the affected leaves, and considering row covering everything so they can't lay anymore eggs, but we will see. For now, I seem to have it under control. Will know more in a few days.
Did you put plastic or something down under your gravel? I love the look. Beautiful garden!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle, and yes, plastic under all the gravel so the weeds can't come through :)
DeleteWOW! Such an amazing garden you have! Looks like such a fun project! ☺
ReplyDeleteThanks Tiffany, we have had a lot of fun working in the garden this spring, and love the results.
DeleteYour garden looks stunning! Happy (almost) summer!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kerry! Happy Summer Solstice to you too!
DeleteIT all looks amazing Kim. We are struggling here, the heat has hit and the plants [animals and humans] are just wilting.
ReplyDeleteWe harvested all the cantaloupes that were ready so I will be spending my day tomorrow peeling and seeding :)
Thanks Tracey. I am so sorry about your heat and humidity, not fun at all, and so hard on everything.
DeleteI saw all your cantaloupes, they were making my mouth water. I love a good cantaloupe. Enjoy your weekend Tracey.
I wish I could share a few dozen with you, I am overrun. I have spent the last several hours putting up bags for the freezer and this afternoon I am making preserves.
DeleteHappy Weekend.!
Oh that would be wonderful Tracey, maybe one day....
DeleteI spent the afternoon in the kitchen with strawberries...jam is made and lots frozen.
Happy weekend. xo
Kim your garden is awesome!! So nice and neat I can tell you have put a lot work in it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. Lots of good, happy and soul filling work :)
Deletethe gravel paths look wonderful...I think it's beautiful to have rocks mixed in with all the greenery...what a big job and it must feel great to have it done!!! Have a great weekend Kim
ReplyDeleteThanks Erica. Big job, but it is done, and I am so pleased with it. Now on to other projects :)
DeleteYou too Erica. xo
You got that all finished so quick! Hope that means you get to relax and enjoy it all later in the season! :) Not sure I like the sound of a tornado hitting but as no one else has mentioned it I guess that's just my protected UK sensibilities coming into play...hope it went without too much damage, everything looks so lovely xxxx
ReplyDeleteI know, it wasn't the plan, but once we started, we just couldn't stop :) You know, even though we worked hard to get it done, there was still time to relax and enjoy the garden even while we were working at it. We just get so much enjoyment from the garden, even the hard work, it really is a special connection.
DeleteYes, that wasn't fun. It didn't actually touch down, we were just under a warning for a few hours. When the storm picked up, we had warning messages on the radio almost every minute, which has never happened before, so that was kind of freaky. It all passed, and with the exception of some heavy rain, and winds, and a little bit of hail, all was okay.
Thanks Em. I got your letter on Friday, haven't read it yet. Planning to do that with a cup of tea tomorrow. Hugs. xo
Your posts always make me think of your garden as a living being! Almost like another, very important, member of your family. It looks beautiful as ever.
ReplyDeleteOh Sally, you just made me smile. The garden is alive to us, and is such a big part of our family, and our life here on this little piece of land we call home. To know that comes across in my posts, well that warms my heart. Thank you my friend. xo
Deleteohhh!!! Your gardens are SO beautiful! I love the walkways. It looks like a slice of Heaven. So far strawberries and lettuce are the only things thriving here... Well, and thistles, but I'm not trying to make them grow.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you. I am pretty pleased with them, and I have to admit to loving my morning walk out there.
DeleteHa, those darn thistles.