Summer 2008 Garden Update

It has been a bit since a garden update, so here you go. It is a little sad.

Pumpkin, one of two.

Volunteer sunflower - check out the size of that head!

Sad, wimpy, tiny, broccoli.

Finally, bean flowers!!

"Spring size" zucchini.

Carrots - you can see them, right??

Weeds, ...uh, I mean, green onions. You can see those, too, right??

Lettuce, and can we count those dandelions there as

a planned garden salad product?

You know, that super trendy dandelion green salad??

No?

Oh, sad.

Guess we'll have to mow again.

Bummer.

The lone radish.

And, the Master of the Garden, surveying his domain. Such as it is this year, poor guy!!

But just look at those new beds in front of the garden. They will be great for getting the squash out of the garden for more space next year. ...or how about a cutting flower garden out there??? Hmmm, that is my vote! ;-)

Salad Bowl

Yea! I finally got the "salad bowls" planted. There are three kinds of lettuce and some marigolds. I did Green Leaf ("Salad Bowl") and Red Leaf ("Red Sails") in the pot with one marigold and then a butter head type lettuce called "Bibb" with a tiny bit of the red leaf in with the three marigolds. We have tried these varieties all before and think they are all great, esp. mixing them all together for a salad, or the red leaf with just about anything. I didn't buy any new seed so Lord willing, these will germinate! Mmm. Yummy, yummy, yummy. Fresh salad.

Plant Plans

So I think I have to dig up my dahlias and see if they are rotting. I have seen no hint of shoots yet, even moving the soil around just a little with my finger. I think they have just gotten so wet with all this rain and no sun to dry them out. I might have to put them under a little umbrella for awhile 'till this crazy late spring rain stops.

Also, the sweet peas aren't really going gangbusters for me yet. Must also be the warmth factor. I think they like it cooler, but a little something from the sunshine would be nice. Also, only about 1/2 of them germinated. I wonder if I soaked them too long, not long enough, etc.? We will see what colors come up - see if I am missing one type.

I am so sad that we haven't been able to get off our behinds and start that garden. We could have had spinach and lettuce by now if last year was any indication. I am heading out today to purchase a couple "salad bowl" planters for some lettuce on the deck. (I don't like the pink plants in that pot, but the bowl is what I'm thinking for the lettuce.)

Or, check out this funny salad/herb planter at this website. Not a real attractive design to me, but looks functional and you don't have to go hunting around all your pots to remember where you put the Oregano. (So we usually have this all in the garden, but of course we didn't plant the garden this year due to the impending move. - I should really post about that sometime. - A LONG story. - It may take a couple posts to cover. Probably a boring story unless you are living it. I'll see if I can get my thoughts together about it enough to write intelligently on it.)

Do you have a salad bowl planter? Send me your picture of it! What do you do with your herbs? I'm really liking them just planted around with the other flowers. Where are yours?