Thursday, August 14, 2008

More Trellissing


Unknown volunteer - probably a spaghetti squash. This plant had barely survived transplanting and was very sad looking for its first couple of weeks.


Lemon cucumber plant with many many flowers.


Another spaghetti squash plant.

Gigantic Corn

It seems that I turned my back for just a moment, and the corn grew up higher than the garage.









Beautiful purple tassels.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Gourmet Living


Salad of Siberian Heirloom Tomato, Homemade Mozzarella, and Basil Trio (Sweet Genovese, Dark Purple Opal, and Thai) plus olive oil and salt.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Movin' On Up!

Recent picture of the garden, with newly trellissed squash plants.

My hope is that this will prevent the plants from growing all over the patio (where they're likely to get trampled) and also make it easier to harvest hidden squash. They say you can trellis any plant with fruit smaller than a volleyball... we'll see!
A spaghetti squash plant.

This one was a volunteer and hasn't revealed itself yet --- we'll see what it turns out to be!

Beans win the award for super-duper self-trellissing. They easily climb up string, over tomato cages, etc.


And just some pretty cherry tomatoes. Don't they look beautiful all lined up in a neat row like that?

Next Year's Carrots


One of this year's carrots, growing between the potatoes and the arugula. During the last 2 years I've planted Kuroda Long carrots.


Carrots are a biennial plant (as I discovered this year). If you leave a carrot in the ground, in the second year it will feed on the orange root and use the energy to send up a big flower.


The flower produces seeds over the course of the summer. When the seeds are about ready, the flower gets dry and brown.




The start of seed harvesting.


All of these carrot seeds are from just one flower. I will plant some this year to try for some late fall carrots, but most of them will be saved for next year.

Delicious Homegrown Meal


Last week we had a delicious "breakfast salad" made with golden beets, sauteed beet greens, and green beans from the garden. The mozzarella was homemade, too --- thanks to a wonderful cheesemaking kit I got from my mom (http://www.cheesemaking.com/) that gives you the tools to make fresh mozzarella in 30 minutes!

Friday, July 25, 2008

It's Not Easy Being Green

I'm not a naturally patient person, so gardening is good for me. It's especially good for me to grow tomatoes, since it seems to take so long for them to ripen. But, I know it will be well worth the wait!


Cherokee Purples.

Giant Valentines.


And the Green Zebras. How are we supposed to know when they're ripe? :) They will be lightening in color and will get subtle yellow stripes.