FIRST A MISTAKE, THEN AMAZING! SQUASH FOR DINNER

As in an earlier post, my seed starting knowledge was a beginning level this year!  After much research and what I thought was great planning, I started my Park Seed Organic Early Summer Crookneck Squash and Park Seed Early Spring Burpless Cumber seeds indoors under a grow light on February 26th, 2012.  As many of you experienced seed growers know, that is much too early for squash and cucumbers.  You can only imagine my dismay when I realized that my plants were growing far to fast for any reasonable outdoor planting time.  With my big gardening "heart", I could not just destroy the seedlings, so on April 9th, 2012 I placed my seedlings out in my garden for the adventure of their lives!  I babied them and covered them at even the slightest talk of frost!  In my mind I just knew they would not make it.  However,  to my surprise, with the help of the extremely warm spring we have had, THEY DID MAKE IT!!  On May 7th, my family had squash for dinner!  I can't believe it.  They are doing so well and are producing a very large amount of squash!  I have read that it is best to harvest them when they are younger for higher overall yields from the plants! 

 My garden is doing very well!  I have added many plants to my collection.  I was able to attend our local Master Gardener plant sale and purchase some new plants.  For my garden I have an Abraham Lincoln Hybrid tomato plant (bottom left on outside of fence) and a Sweet Marconi pepper plant (bottom right on outside of fence).  I am excited to see how these do! 

 My peas finally bloomed and are producing pods.  They took much longer than I anticipated, perhaps I did not allow for germination time when counting the days!  I direct sowed these on February 20th. 

My hanging tomato plants look great!  These were planted and hung the middle of April!  These particular plants are my (Burpee Big Boy) tomato plants.  This year I have planted 24 tomato plants in my garden!  I only purchased three of the tomato plants.  The rest of the plants are my own seedlings that I started in February and there are a few that were volunteer plants that came up in my garden and I just couldn't bear to destroy them, so I gave them each a nice new home in my garden!  The volunteer plants are Husky Cherry Tomato plants!!  They are very healthy and "husky" looking plants that produce great cherry tomatoes!

Best of luck in your garden! 

The Ebullient Gardener!

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GARDEN!

 

My "Hanging Tomato" system!



Today I wanted to share some exciting things I found in the garden!  I absolutely love vegetable gardening!  There is something very exciting about growing and caring for plants that in turn give you yummy food to eat! 

This is a picture of the "Hanging Tomato" system that my husband built for me.  We created this after many years of trying to keep our tomatoes staked up properly.  The only tricky part is that it is very important that they are waterered daily!


Here is a picture of one of the gardening systems that my husband has created for me.  This is an earlier picture so you can get an idea of what it looks like!  The plants are very grown up now and it is hard to see exactly what the system looks like!  I have a lot of fun with this!  As you can see I have a potting table in the center of the structure where I can work! 

Here is another earlier picture to give you an  idea of what it looks like!  This side has a raised bed on the ground, along with some container planting as well. 
I hope to add, this fall, one or two more raised beds next to this one with a walkway in between each!  I will have to fence in the area where I will plant my lettuce, as the bunnies love it way to much! 

I love it when the tomatoes begin to turn red!  They are so yummy!  We usually have to pick a few green ones early to make "Fried Green Tomatoes"
 In this picture I was able to get a green tomato, as well as red tomato hiding amongs the leaves!

In this container I have a "Tomatillo" plant, a "Yummy Bell" pepper plant, and the one closest in the picture is a "Mini Belle" pepper plant which I started from seed indoors back in April.  It is especially rewarding to start plants from a bag of seeds that was around $1.50.  I am very proud of this one, considering the entire bag of seeds cost $1.19 and I currently have five of these plants growing in my vegetable garden! 

 In this container I have: A regular "Jalapeno" plant.  A "TAM Jalapeno" plant (this is a mild Jalapeno that was created at Texas A & M University) It is very mild and delicious! Also planted here is a Bonnie "Bell Pepper" plant! 

This container system was all built by my husband.  It is all very nice because it is all within arms reach and very easy to take care of! 

In addition, the bunnies cannot get to the plants! 

To the left of the pepper container, in the white colored planter are some seeds that I planted of Wisteria!  I am not sure where I am going to put those yet, but will have to be deciding soon!

Of course my post would not be complete without at least one or two pictures of some of my flowers currently blooming

 

Pink Garden Phlox with Shasta Daisies

  

Triple Blooms on Hibiscus Plant



Pink Crepe Myrtle



Rose from my mini rose bush!

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE LITTLE TOUR OF SOME OF MY GARDENS!  HAPPY GARDENING!

Mini Rosebud

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES!