THE HEAT IS ON!!!

Well the heat is definitely turned up in our neck of the woods!  Our garden is growing great!  I can't believe the difference in growth from the pictures I posted just about two weeks ago!  AMAZING!  To the left of the garden gate is a piece of driftwood we found.  My husband buried it into the ground and placed a bird house on top!  I love it! 

Here are two of my very own tomato plants grown from seed.  The plant to the right is a "Big Boy" and I believe the one to the left is a "Roma".  I had some issues with the labeling of two different types of tomato seeds that I planted so I will not know for sure which plants are "Roma" and which are "Jelly Bean" until they actually produce fruit!  Next year I will definitely be more careful with labeling!

Here are two of my potted tomatoes.  The front plant is a volunteer "Husky Cherry Tomatoe" and the back pot is a Parks "Choice Container". 

This is a Basil plant I started from seed!  The herbs do very well in my garden.  I planted this one as a companion to the tomato plants!

Here is a new bed that I am working on!  This is an all natural bed.  I found the tree pieces on the front of our property.  They work perfectly as "trough" style flower beds!  I will be adding another row of daylilies to the existing row.  In the back of the pictures is my compost bin, hiding behind my Magnolia!

Happy Gardening!
Mindy

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!

THE LABORS OF LOVE!

There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling. 

~Mirabel Osler

Here is a recent picture of my gardening area!  I spend so much time in this wonderful area that my awesome husband has created for me!  It is definitely a wonderful therapy to be able to nuture tiny seeds to thriving plants that will become food for my family.  I am evolving this great area on a daily basis and will keep pictures posted so you all can see how it is doing!  I have direct- sowed beans, well as more squash and zucchini.  The cooler weather has slowed down the germination process and I am still waiting for the tiny seedlings to emerge!  I am having great luck with Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, and my peas are still coming on strong but have not bloomed as of yet!  Many things are changing in this wonderful garden!

Happy Gardening and Best of luck to all the gardeners out there!
Mindy

PLANT YOUR TOMATOES WHEN THE PEONIES AND BLACK LOCUST BLOOM!

I have been acquiring a great deal of gardening knowledge by reading Jerry Baker's Book Terrific Tomatoes, Sensational Spuds, and Mouth-Watering Melons.  This book is completely full of great advice and old-fashioned wisdom for gardening!  I have actually taken a lot of the information I have read and created a "cheat sheet" with the hints, tips, and information all on one piece of paper.  I then laminated this piece of paper, front and back, so that the paper can be taken to the garden with me when I am working!  Jerry's Grandma Putt always told him to plant your tomatoes when the Peonies and Black Locust bloom, and that is just what I did.  I had my transplants hardened off and ready for planting just in time!  My tomatoe plants have come along well, and I was very excited to get them in the ground.  As many of you know I also plant my tomatoes in handing buckets upside down!  I have also planted some plants in the ground as well.  I am hoping for a great crop of tomatoes this year!  Time will tell!

I also followed the advice of the additives Jerry recommends to use when planting each plant.  In the hole where I was planting each tomatoe I included some compost and well-rotted manure, a handful of Bonemeal, and a teaspoon of Epsom salt.   

He also advises to water your tomatoes with fish fertilizer two weeks after transplanting, after the first flowers appear, when fruits are golf ball size, and when first ripe tomatoe is spotted. 

If you get a chance, check out Jerry's book, you won't be sorry that you did!  I have learned a lot and will put it to the test this year to see how the advice works!

MAGNIFICENT MARCH 2012 - VEGETABLE GARDENING

My Vegetable garden is also coming along well! 
Top Left - Yes, these are cucumber and squash plants.  (Park Seed Organic Early Summer Squash and Park Seed Cucumber, Early Spring, Burpless).
I started these plants indoors with my other plants.   However, with my lack of experience with seed starting, the date of 02/26/12 was way too early to start these plants indoors!  I did not have the heart to just kill them, so I decided to give them a try outside.  With the warm weather we have been having they are doing quite well so far, not sure what the future brings for these
Top Right - Kale, Dwarf Blue Curled, Vate's Strain (Ferry-Morse). I have already had a harvest from this Kale in which I made some yummy Kale and Lentil Soup, for which I came up with the recipe myself!
Center - In the large bed my husband and I have transplanted my Broccoli (De Cicco), Brussel Sprouts (Catskill), Cabbage (Copenhagen Market, Early), Cabbage (Crisp and Cool).  In the small bed are my Radishes (Cherry Belle).
Bottom Left - My Lettuce (Grand Rapids) is ready for harvest! 
Bottom Right - Spinach (Bloomsdale, Longstanding Heirloom) is also very close to harvest time!

Happy Gardening!
Mindy

I am linking up with Tootsie at Tootsie Time for "Fertilizer Friday"
Check out all the wonderful blooms and excitement at http://www.tootsietime.com/

See Part II below (Flower Gardening)

MAGNIFICENT MARCH 2012 - FLOWER GARDENING

 

March 2012 has been such a magnificent time in the gardens!


The Azaleas are in full bloom!
For the first time, my Lilac bush is blooming beautifully.
Both my Foamflower and my Helleborus from last year, May 2011, purchased at the local Master Gardener sale are both doing very well. 
Mr. Goldstrike has lots of new growth!
Columbines (Aquilegia) are beginning to bloom!
The newest addition to my garden is Helleborus X Hyridus Double Ellen Picotee.  I just recieved this yesterday from Burpee!  I am looking foward to it blooming in the future!


Happy Gardening!
Mindy

GARDEN TREASURES

 

On my morning stroll today I was able to get these photos of a very busy bluebird who has a small nest built in this bluebird nest box in my garden!  My oldest daughter made this nest box for me when she was in fourth grade!  I have had it for about six years now.  The bluebirds are definitely putting it to use this year! 

In the past we have had problems with snakes trying to get into many of my bird houses.  This one is close to the ground and needs to be moved up, of course I won't be able to do that now.  Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep snakes out?

Next year I will definitely have to move this one up higher!

Thanks and Happy Gardening!

Mindy