First canning

I canned my first pick-ins of green beans. I got 5 quarts from two pickings. It's been a long time since I canned last. I used to can a lot when the kids were small. Mainly jams and jellies. But now that I'm raising my own veggies it's nice to be able to preserve the bounty. As I go along I'll be able to estimate how many veggies I need to plant to be able to preserve them through out the summer months, that will give me an idea for next years planting. I've been trying to figure out what all I can do with the squash that will be getting ready soon. I still have time, their still just now getting blooms. The weather has been unseasonly cool so things have sort of been at a stand still. My corn is a "hit n miss" because of the temperatures being too cool. At least I think that's what the problem is, course I could have bad seed or something... we'll see!

Bean pick'in

Just a few photos of my bush green beans. They taste so good eaten raw right off the vine!

Bush Beans and Tomatoes are starting to really grow now! I have flowers on the beans and baby tomatoes growing. We had some very hot weather this last week and that really got things goin!
Oh, the orange buckets are full of water for watering of course. That way I'm not dragging the water hose all over.Flower bloom on bush bean. I can't wait. There's nothing like green beans straight out of the garden. Cherry Tomatoes. Lookin good!

Are you having problems with earwigs? Well they were eating up all my little seedlings that I had just planted in the garden outside. Step 1: fill a small bowl (mine is styrofome) about 1/4 fullStep 2: Close the lid, but leave a small opening at edge for bugs to crawl in. Put in garden anywhere you see earwig colonies, right next to the plants you suspect them eating on.

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The nex day you'll see some, leave it alone then check the next day and the next. Pretty soon you will see a pretty full bowl of the earwigs, maybe even some nasty ants too.

This is my garden layout this year. I made 3 square foot garden boxes. In the first one I planted bush beans by seed. The second one has okra and peppers. The third one still needs planting. I had to put some sticks in the ground by my squash hills to keep Lucy from digging in them. It has worked so far. I can't seem to keep the earwigs (bugs) from eating the squash seedlings. I'll have to go to the garden center and just buy some that are already big and strong enough and have gotten a head start. I have to find a natural way to kill those critters!!

Spring 2009

BUSH BEANS-TOP PHOTO AND TOMATOES WRAPPED WITH PLASTIC. THIS IS GOOD FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE WIND. WE HAVE HAD A VERY WINDY SPRING!

New Seeds

My new seeds arrived yesturday. I better get my seed trays and pots rounded up so I can start planting next week (second week in February.) Our last frost day is usually March 21 according to the local extension pamphlet.
The seeds I'm going to be planting this spring are:
* Tomatoe-Brandywine Red (Heirloom/Pole)
* Spinach- Renegade (organic)
* Peas- Super Sugar Snap
* Bush Beans- Nash (good for warm climates)
* Corn- Sweet Temptaion Hybrid
* Peppers- Dolcetto Hybrid (Italian variety)
* Peppers- Sweet Banana
* Cucumbers- Pickling Alibi
* Watermelon- Everglade Hybrid (seedless)
* Lettuce Salad bowl mix
I will be seed starting the Tomatoes and Peppers next week.

Christmas

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL CHRISTMASS!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter Carrots

Well I'm still pickin carrots! I added the photo of last months carrot patch. I hadn't picked any for a while and when I went out to the garden today I thought I would pull a couple up to see how mature they have gotten since the last couple of weeks. I think the carrots will probably last me for a while. I think I'll just pick a few each week to see for myself how long they can stay in the ground till they're no longer edible.