It was a case of be careful of what you wish for. I wanted rain. Just enough to fill the rain barrel. We only have one. Mother Nature thought we had a 100.
The spring started off wonderfully. Some days was like an English summer. We had some rainy days then some wonderful gorgeous spring days. Then it got dry very quickly. The plants were doing well but the soil got so dusty! The wind blew and you got dirt in your eyes. Ugh. So I wished for rain.
And it came! It seems we were on the thunderstorm path with showers and bucketing rain. When it wasn’t raining it was unbelievably muggy and humid. Ick.
The benefactor of all this? Our garden. It is doing amazing. So are the weeds but that’s another story. 🙂
I love our peas. Once they start growing it’s my favourite snack as I walk by. We’re almost to the point where I can start harvesting and freeze the peas for our risotto.
I am debating whether or not to plant broccoli next year. We don’t eat it much but on the flip side the flowers are so pretty. Tiny little yellow flowers just pop in the garden of a ton of green.
I plant kale because you can get a ton out of a very small space. My husband calls it rabbit food. 🙂 It’s become a little family joke “You’re feeding Daddy rabbit food!” LOL But he’s a good sport and if I come up with dishes that incorporate it he’ll eat it. And because so much grows I get to give a nutritious food to the community kitchen. We plant about a 4 x 2 foot spot and the number of meals we get is huge.
I’m looking forward to harvesting the leeks. We usually get 5 foot long leeks and I hope that happens this year. We do all organic gardening. Miracle Grow and other chemicals have nothing on us! I brought one to the community kitchen last year and they looked confused for a couple of minutes when I tried to hand them a 5 foot leek. Wish I had a camera. 🙂 But it’s a great place right round the corner from our house. They do such good work and I really hope there comes a time when what we grow might go to waste because no one is hungry.
Zucchini. Here’s the thing. I am a supertaster. About 25% of the population has some level of this. What that means is we don’t like mushy food, overcooked veg, or some veg like zucchini, squash, or Brussels sprouts. These types of veg taste extremely bitter to supertasters. I keep reading about descriptions of Brussels sprouts being nutty and sweet. They are one of the most bitter things I’ve ever tasted. Most veg that I can’t handle cooked I enjoy raw so something in the cooking process really changes things. Except zucchini. I can not handle that raw! But here’s the thing. I also have to be a good sport. Each year we ask the kids what they want planted and our daughter chose zucchini. I don’t want to discourage them in anyway when it comes to gardening or healthy eating so we planted a bunch and I’ve been pinning recipes for when they are ready. I’m wondering how much cheese is needed to cover the taste!
I can’t wait for harvest time for the peppers. We love to make hot pepper jelly. It is so good on cheddar cheese. I think we have about 6 varieties and 35 plants total in the raised bed. We’ll freeze more when it’s time. They work really well in sauces and chili.
We went a bit crazy with the tomatoes. We planted about 50 plants of 4 varieties. I can not wait for harvest! I love picking them fresh and eating them as I go by just like the peas. And oh the sauce we’ll make! Yum. We do pick a few and make fried green tomatoes. Such a treat.
Last year we did one potato tower and this year we did four. So far they are doing well and once the pile of dirt dries out a bit I need to add more to the towers. You only want 1/3 of the greens sticking out so you add as you go. Of course we’ll have to now figure out a root cellar system because I plan on having a lot of potatoes and I don’t want them going to waste. But there is nothing like a fresh harvested potato.
My son has a neat program as school where they give out cabbages to plant in third grade. He is getting such a kick out of watching it grow. Can’t wait to see how big it gets. 🙂
Virginia, You have a great garden! This brought back memories of of my mother… check out my post ‘My Mother’s Farm’ (Dec/12). 😀
Thank you! I’ll definitely check your post out. 🙂
oh the envy! thats a really awesome garden 🙂 Btw, I have suspected for some time that I too find bitter foods way too bitter. I can’t enjoy dark chocolate for example, and brussels sprouts taste nothing sweet to me, like you say, they are just very bitter.
Dark chocolate is a great example! :). That’s bitter to me as well.
hmmm.. maybe i am a supertaster too! 🙂
Lovely garden photos.
Thank you. 🙂
A wonderful garden tour! I love it.
Thanks! Further on I’ll post some more.
Wonderful raised beds….. a garden packed with good food. Love the idea of the pepper jelly..
It is so easy to make. I’ll have to do a post about it.
Lovely stuff indeed. Very nice to grow your own.
Thank you. It’s the ultimate local shopping!
I suspect you are a magician…..you have created magic to your lovely garden.
Ah thanks. 🙂 It gets slightly bigger each year!
Zucchini: try slicing longways, brushing with olive oil, garlic, and curry and then grilling. Or: top with cheese and tomato, then grill. Beautiful garden!
Thanks, Mum. Good ideas for the zucchini. 🙂
Looking great! The rabbits ate my peas, so I’ll have to enjoy looking at yours, and savor the few remaining in the garden 🙂
We had the rabbits last year and we got an organic thing with dried blood. Worked like a charm. We haven’t seen them this year touch wood. The year before was an abandoned chicken doing damage.
I’m already a gardener, but your efforts put mine to shame. Wow! You’ve inspired me! Also, you can store extra vegetables at my home, if need be. 😉
I’ll send them right down! Though I imagine gardening is a lot trickier in Texas. I am pleased where my garden is as winter hung around a long time this year. We start everything indoors. Some need to start in January.
It’s not so tricky down here, so long as the gardener isn’t lazy. In fact, most veggies love to grow here. 🙂
Isn’t it over 100 degrees right now? That would make me wicked lazy. Do you grow most of your stuff during the winter and spring?
Fantastic garden and I’m not the least bit jealous. No, not in the slightest. 🙂
🙂
Hi there. Your garden looks amazing. It makes me long for summer when my garden is full of plants about to provide an tremendous bounty.
My kids won’t eat zucchini unless I hid it, however they loved it when I used it to bake a chocolate zucchini bread, and they couldn’t get enough of it!
Enjoy your lovely garden.
Cheers Sarah : o )
Thank you! My mum did make a chocolate zucchini cake which was fine. But by itself, it’s horrible! 🙂
I didn’t plant peas this year and now I’m jealous looking at yours. Every year I have to decide what edibles we want to plant. As gardeners you always want to plant everything. Love your post.
Love that cabbage photo at the end! And what a great garden. You’ll be eating well…
Thank you! I’m getting close to where I don’t buy much produce for a few months. 🙂