Thursday, June 18, 2009

Strawberries



I have two types of strawberries growing. I have one that produces in May or June and then nothing for the rest of the season. Then I have wild strawberries. They tend to be not as big but full of flavor. They do not have runners which I like as well. The one on the top are June bearing strawberries. One on bottom are wild strawberries. I covered my June bearing berries and discovered that I had some bugs in them that ate some of the berries right off the plant then left the bottom halve for me to find later. The birds and bugs don't bother the wild berries as much.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Harvest

I just wanted to write an update on what I have picked so far. This monday I picked 5 ounces of strawberries. I have had at least two similar harvests prior to monday. Then I picked about 1/2 ounce of lettuce. So I have had about 1 pound mostly of fruit and a little vegetables so far. My garden space is very limited compared to most but I think I will exceed the 10 pounds I committed to do. If all goes well, it won't be from lack of trying.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Weeding again

It seems like so much of gardening always involves weeding. I have found that if you neglect parts of your garden and get a good amount of weeds growing that it is quickly cleaned up if you start in the spring when they start growing fast again. I cleaned out all my flowerbeds and my garden patches in the back. I still have to finish in front of the raspberries. It also seems that the last little bit takes twice as long as the huge amount you do at first. I have maintained what I previously weeded with great success this year. Now the weeds are beginning to slow down there growth and there are not as many of them to worry about. I hear if you keep them weeded diligently after that you don't have many weed problems. I am looking forward to a more maintained look with less time taken up by weeding. I have already seen a decrees in how much time I spend weeding.

The front has had the most improvement since I don't have as much space taken up with flowerbeds as I do in the back. I also like the front to look as good as I can get it since a lot of people pass by and notice our lawn.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Take the Challenge

I know I don't have too many people reading my blog yet but that is okay. I just wanted to let those who do know that I took a challenge recently. It was from Gardener's Supply Company to find the info on line copy link below, paste in browser and it will take you there.

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Service-GrowWhatYouEat?SC=MNA7024A&utm_campaign=control&utm_source=direct&utm_content=kneelerfs&utm_medium=email

I had already planned on planting a garden so this should help keep me excited to growing more of our own food. 10 pounds is not a whole lot. You get a few prolific zucchini plants and some tomatoes and that would be easy also I plan on some watermelon, cantalope and popcorn. I have peas, lettuce, green beans, and zucchini growing right now along with some green onions, I planted more carrots and radishes but I think I am going to have to plant them elsewhere I can't seem to get them to grow where they currently are. I should also check up on my cucumbers I planted and replant if they didn't sprout yet.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Esther's Garden update

We had some disapointing news. She planted some flower seeds and none of them grew. It was a great disappointment. It wasn't because of lack of watering them or over watering. I didn't buy the seeds so I should have known not to try them. I am growing some watermelon and cantalope and when they get big enough to transplant I think we will put watermelon in the grow box. I might also try to get some pansy's in later in the season so they can be growing next spring. If you do a garden space for a child to do I highly recommend going and getting the plants already started from a garden center. Then the can have success the first time around. I might also get a few flowers to plant around the outside while the watermelon is still small so it doesn't grow too many weeds. I will have Esther choose the flowers and plant them. We should have something growing by next week then we can take pictures.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Garden progress

My flower beds with my garden space from the back porch.






Here are by raspberries. They are growing well. I hope to get some raspberries this year. I planted them 4 years ago. The birds ate all of them last year.


Here are by green beans. Something has eaten up a lot of the leafs on the right side. The ones on the left don't have a lot of damage. I did spray them with Seven it is an insecticide.


Here are the zucchini. They are small but doing well. I was worried for a while since once they sprouted the sprout leafs didn't look good at all. Something has been eating holes in the leafs but not many so I haven't done much but observe.
These are the peas. They are growing real well. I always have good success with them. I plant so many I rarely have much seed left.
These are my green onions. I got about 6 of them growing I planted 12 to 16 of these as well. I have older seed so not much came up.

This is the only carrot that came up I planted 12 to 16. Something ate most of the top off of it.

This is my lettuce. I planted about 12 plants and only 4 grew.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Garden Journal

I have been meaning to write about what I have been doing in my garden.

Monday June 1, 2009
-I weeded The Flower Patch
-I watered lettuce, peas, cucumbers.

My cucumbers are not up yet and my tomatoes never grew. I am growing my melons and some more tomatoes in a flat I hope to get them fairly good size before I set them out. I hope to reduce the bug population before then. I am sure keeping the weeds down has helped.

Tuesday it rained so I didn't go out into the garden at all.

Wednesday today

I weeded the flower bed out by the mailbox. Watered all my new plants in the front and back yard. Flowers, Hostas, hanging baskets, beans, lettuce, carrots, green onions, zucchini, peas, cucumbers (If they don't sprout soon I will replant)

I have fertilized all my vegetables with an organic all purpose fertilizer from Garden Supply company. I do it that way since it claims that you only have to fertilize once since it is a slow release formula. I have had good success since I am so bad at doing that every week or two. I also fertilized the raspberries and mulched them with Nutra-Mulch which you can get at IFA sometimes you can find it at one of the local nurseries in town at least here in Utah.

Monday, June 1, 2009

What to do?

I have this patch of ground. It grows grape Hyacinths in the spring but they die back and now I have only dirt. It is a place that gets only part sun mostly morning. It gets forgotten sometimes and it is a bit dry. So it isn't watered regularly. I would like a plant that likes mostly shade doesn't mind getting watered once to twice a month would be ideal. I was thinking some kind of ground cover or a nice short flower. Any ideas!!!

When I decide I will post pictures of what I do with it. If it is someones suggestion then I will make sure they get credit.