The party’s over, the pace is slower, and my “baby” is transitioning from high school to college. Meanwhile, the gardens are transitioning from spring to summer.
My sunny “kitchen garden,” in particular, is beginning to make great strides. While I neglected the weeding for the past week or so, it’s encouraging to see that the Zinnias are about to bloom.
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| Zinnia elegans 'State Fair Mix' |
The Tomatoes are full and setting fruit.
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| Lycopersicon esculentum 'Better Boy' |
The Purple Coneflowers soon will be ready for cut-flower bouquets.
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| Echinacea purpurea |
The Scallions planted around the perimeter of the garden to ward off rabbits (and to eat) are ready to harvest, and some are going to seed. I pull off the seed tops and sprinkle them nearby to encourage new onion sets.
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| Allium (various varieties) |
The Cucumbers aren’t doing so well. This is the first year in a while that I’ve planted them. They got a late start, and now the heat might be holding them back.
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| Cucumis sativus |
The Drumstick Alliums soon will turn purple. They’ll make great cut flowers, too.
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| Allium sphaerocephalon |
Oh, and the Liatris also will be exceptional additions to flower bouquets.
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| Liatris 'Blazing Star' |
There are other highlights, too, but now it’s time for me to transition on over to pull out those weeds…
Some of our plants we have in common are transitioning about the same pace; some of yours are ahead of mine, and some of mine are ahead of yours.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh about you transitioning to go pull weeds. I am finished with breakfast, and need to get busy as well. I won't be able to loosen the soil of the front beds today, like I had planned, though. Our electricity was out a few hours during a thunderstorm the night before last, and our sprinkler system was reactivated, and ran in the night last night. We so didn't need that!
I plnated some zinnia marylandica seeds this year that were quick to sprout, got a little weird, and are now starting to look like little zinnias. This variety is more heat/humidity resistant, than the old fash. ones which struggle here. That thick stand of liatris will be wonderful in bloom!!
ReplyDeleteSo many things are happening in your garden. I hope your cucumber will produce, I didn't plant any this year and am unhappy about it... My tomatoes are setting fruit too, I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, time marches on. I hope your 'baby' does wonderfully in college. Your garden looks like it's doing well, and will reward you with tons of blooms and produce. Good luck with that weeding!
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen garden looks like you'll have lots of yumminess soon! I'm trying to pretend the weeds don't exist right now...
ReplyDeleteHi Beth! I've seen your kitchen garden is going really well! Hope you'll post more photos as soon as it reach its top...
ReplyDelete@Sue: I can't believe how fast the weeds grow in this weather! I did manage to pull most of them out yesterday and got a mulch of marsh hay around most of the plants. I need to fortify the hay supply a little more though. :)
ReplyDelete@TS: I love Zinnias! Some years they struggle, but this year I think I'll have a bumper crop. As long as the Japanese beetles don't destroy them too much. I'll have to check out Marylandica.
@Masha: Yeah, sliced fresh Cucumbers and fresh Tomatoes with oil and vinegar--yum! Nothing like it!
@Holley: Thanks! With the slower pace, I'm enjoying the simple pleasures again. Even weeding!
ReplyDelete@Hanni: I hear you on the denial issue! If we look the other way, maybe the weeds will simply vanish. Yeah, sure.
@Dona: Thanks for the encouragement. I will keep you posted on the progress with the flowers and veggies. :)
My "carrot farm" consists of three big pots of red, purple, and yellow carrots. It's farming on a nano scale! :o)
ReplyDeleteWow, your garden has jumped into overdrive! Everything is growing at a very fast rate (or so it seems). It's such a great time of year. I hope you have a terrific summer with your daughter before she goes off to college too.
ReplyDeleteps I just sowed my zinnia seeds a couple weeks ago and they have germinated but that's about it. I hope they kick into gear soon!
@TS: Do you have photos of your carrot farm on your blog? I'll have to check! What fun!
ReplyDelete@Kathleen: Thanks! I cheated with the Zinnias and planted seedlings. Even so, they've grown like crazy so far this summer. Good luck with yours. too!
I love zinnia buds, though admittedly not as much as I love the flowers. I lost all mine to snails this year :-( Your cucumber looks a little like some of my squash plants, which were happy as anything in pots in the garden but have been sulking with yeloowing leaves ever since they got planted out at the allotment. Heres hoping for an end to all plant sulkings. Happy transitions!
ReplyDeleteWeeding is my favourite passtime. Your garden looks good but the best is yet to come. Happy weekend and happy gardening!
ReplyDeleteYou left a comment on the peony flowers in Gardens at Waters East. Yes they are beautiful. Glad they make you feel optimistic as you said on 6/27. They do add a rush of color to the garden. I will be posting more no doubt. This year they are "humungus", must be the kind of Spring we had. Jack
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