It has been two weeks since my last garden update...so much has happened in my little garden box, and I have some new little baby friends to introduce you to. Speaking of new babies, the other day I was somewhere and someone asked me how my garden was doing. I was so excited to talk about it...I instantly pulled out my phone to show my most recent photos. I looked at my Mom and laughed saying my garden is like my new baby in that I whip out new pictures any time someone asks me about it. That is so annoying, right?! I should totally name my garden. Why did I not think about this until just now?! It is a fantastic idea!
Let's go on a garden tour...
As you can see everything is HUGE!! I have cucumber, and watermelon vines so long now that they have grown way out of the box into the grass. This is no surprise to me. I was warned that this would happen so I was totally prepared for it.
We cut the lettuce back because it was massive, and we should have cut it weeks ago. It was growing into the beets and the broccoli. Smothering them really. I am hoping that it will grow again, so that I will actually be able to enjoy it...on my salad plate. So far, no new growth.
Let me introduce you to my first born watermelon.
Is it not the cutest little baby watermelon you've ever seen?
Did you know there are more than 1,200 varieties of watermelon?
This little one is an ice box watermelon.
Baby watermelon #2.
A watermelon contains 6% sugar and 91% water by weight.
Last week my corn finally tasseled.
A tassel is the male flower on the plant, which produce pollen grains.
When the pollen falls off the tassel it is blown by the wind to reach the silk of the ears.
The silk is the female flower of the plant. Once the pollen lands on the silk if it is receptive then fertilization will occur.
There are six reproductive stages to corn growth.
In a week to ten days I should be able to see kernels.
The beets are huge! I am not a fan of beets. I literally turn my nose up when I'm cleaning beets, or opening a can of them. My Dad loves them, and so does my husband, so when I am making either of them a salad I always include beets. They smell like dirt...now I know why.
I have several new broccoli stalks coming in. I think it's super cool how the plants hold water.
It's very pretty!
Sweet banana peppers
I finally have some baby bell peppers growing. I hope I get a ton of them..I love cooking with bell peppers!! They are probably my most favorite vegetable to use for flavoring and/or texture in a recipe.
I still have a gazillion green tomatoes.
Upon further investigation I spotted a shiny red Roma hidden underneath a bunch of leaves. My first ripe tomato!! I was pretty excited!
I have harvested seven cucumbers in the last two weeks. They seriously grow overnight. Like I'm not kidding...anyone that has ever grown them knows exactly what I mean. For canning purposes I have had a difficult time catching them at the right time for harvesting. They are either too small for pickling, or too big. I am determined to make some homemade dill pickles.
Earlier in the week I decided to make cucumber salad for a Fourth of July cookout I was going to. On the way home I was thinking about having to stop at the store...then I remembered I had my own produce section right in my back yard. I got home, and cut three cucumbers off my vine to make my cucumber salad recipe. That was the coolest, and it was as fresh as fresh gets!
I have at least 50 cantaloupe blooms, but so far no melons.
They sure do make pretty flowers though.
My Lemon Verbena is getting so tall. My Dad was stopping by one evening, so I made a goody bag for him. I gave him some strawberries, a cucumber, some banana peps, and some Verbena. If you have never smelled Lemon Verbena then come on over..It may just smell better than having a huge bowl of fresh lemons right in front of your nose. It is a sweet, relaxing scent and can be used in a variety of things from baking, to tea, or for aromatherapy. I love smelling this everyday!
Weather means more when you have a garden. There is nothing like listening to a shower, and thinking about how it is soaking in around your green beans.
Thanks for stopping by!
xo
Carrie
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