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.

Winter is here!

Well I've still got Carrots. And I thought I'd better pick all the Lemons off the Lemon tree today because of the freezing temps that are expected overnight. There was definitly a chill in the air. I also pickup some more Swiss Chard and Lettuce. I think I'm going to make a soup for dinner tonight with some home made bread maybe it'll warm us up.

There's just not anything to write about as far as gardening, and with the Christmas season upon us I've got to get the rest of my shopping done. It seems that's the only thing on my mind right now. I've got nine Grandchildren I buy presents for and I've got to get movin' if I'm going to get it done before Christmas eve.

Oh, I am still adding to the compost bin a lot. Mostly kitchen stuff. And everytime I go to "Starbucks" I get a nice big bag of their coffee grounds to add to it. I dug through it the other day and it's "cookin" good. Maybe come spring I'll have compost to brag about. God Bless Ya'll

Carrots

I went out and thinned out some of the carrots. I couldn't resist keeping the teeny tiny ones. They taste good too. The fatter one is the "thumbelina" variety. The other ones are the usual ones that grow to about 7" long. We'll see how they grow now that they have been thinned out.

Just Garden Rant

Just a little fall color in the flower bed. There's nothing to do these days but rake up the "sticker ball's" as we call them (chestnuts). I wish I could of planted some more fall veggies but my husband has big ideas for the garden area. He has a big amount of dirt which he is going to spread all along where my summer garden was. This way it will bring our back yard more level with the rest. That's o-k cause I've got big plans for a completely different garden I want to build for spring. I really want to put in raised beds using the "square foot" garden method. I have several books on it and really want to try it. I think it will be less work for me in the long run. The gardening is very theraputic for me as I have osteoarthritis and it keeps me moving. But the rototilling and hoeing just makes matters worse for my hands, so that's why I decided for the alternative method of Sq. Ft. gardening. I know when the frames get built and the soil put in all I'll ever have to do is just plant the seeds. I think it will be less up-keep and more organized. Wish me luck!

Carrots

I dug around the carrots just to see if any were ready yet. This row is a "Thumblina" which are about 2" round and short. I think I'll pull a few up tomorrow for my salad at lunch time.

Fall Lettuce

My little Gnome watching over the lettuce. Probably making sure no rabbits come along...

The lettuce has been growing great. I'm surprised there aren't any worms or bugs trying to feast on it. I tried to grow lettuce before but always failed, probably because I always planted it when it was still too hot. I just wish I still had some summer tomatoes to go with it.

Fall veggies

Carrots 52 days old. At 65 days I'm supposed to be able to start picking, we'll see. Swiss Chard and Leaf Lettuce at 50 days old. I've already been picking the Leaf lettuce and eating nice salads for lunch. I've gotta get a move on pickin the Swiss chard. First I have to figure out what I'm going to cook, using it.

The Peppers and Bush Beans are still hangin in there. I'm really going to miss the green beans when they die. They are probably my favorite veggie.
The days are getting chillier, fall is definetly in the air. The afternoons are still nice and warm though!

Fall leaf lettuce

I went out to the garden this morning and picked my very first leaf lettuce. I had a very good salad for dinner this evening. I wasn't sure if I would have any luck growing it, thinking maybe it's too hot here in the valley (zone 9). But I had very good luck! And no bugs ate it before I could eat some of it. The spinach I planted the same time didn't even come up. I think it was just too hot still for the spinach to survive.
Those green beans I planted months back are still producing. I just love them. Next year I plan on planting several long rows of them and trying some canning so I can have some during the winter months. Yum...

San Francisco Trip

There's not much happening in the garden, so I thought I would post some pictures of our trip to San Francisco over the week-end. These sail boats are docked next to "Pier 39" a.k.a. a really touristy place to go!! Lot's of eateries and shops. This coming Friday I'm going sailing with Family and Friends in the bay- I'm really looking forward to it and also seeing some really exciting "Air Shows" with planes doing acrobats. This week-end is "Fleet Week" in San Francisco so there will be big Ships in the bay and Airplanes up above putting on some really great shows. I will post pictures after I go...
I thought this would make a pretty photo of some of the flowers along the walk way of Pier 39.
I had to stop at this little fruit stand. I wonder if the fruit was grown in San Francisco or further south where the weather is not as windy. Anytime I've ever been to San Francisco it is always windy no matter what! They do have their occassional mild days though, and sometimes a freak day where it is actually HOT.

Washington Apples

This is a photo of a Washington Apple compared to the apples I get down at the local grocery store. My husband just got back from a business trip there and brought back a box of these beauties. It's circumference is 14" round! I could probably make a pie with 2 of them. Sorry to say I don't know the name of the apples...

The pumpkins are turning orange. The weather has been cooler too. It's feeling a little like Fall. The leaves are starting to come off the trees little by little. It's a great relief from the hot temps we had just a couple weeks ago.
My little Swiss Chard seedlings are getting along o-k. I'm already collecting recipes for them when they get mature enough to pick. I love fall/winter veggies. They are so packed full of the antioxidents we need to ward off flu bugs and such. Most of all I love the soups and stews we get to make when the weather gets cold. Yum..
Carrot seedlings. I had to build a sun shade for the top of my carrot bed so the hot sun wouldn't burn them. I think it's working pretty good, there's no sign of heat stress. I planted spinach on sept. 2 and I didn't have hardly any come up. There was 2 or 3 and they aren't doing too good. Anyway, I planted some more seeds just yesturday. We'll see if I have any luck. I had such pretty spinach this last spring, I may only be able to grow it in the springtime...I'm going to experiment some more.

Drying Gourds

I finally cut all the gourds! I didn't realize how many I had. I grew some last year and only got about 4. I planted them too late and I think that's why. I made sure this year I planted them on time. I'll have to find a dry place in the winter months to store them so they can dry out real good. That will take about 6 months or so. I had this spare lattice leaning up against the garage so I thought I would just tie them all up there.