soaphouse's Blog
soaphouse's posts about: harvest
Jul 6, 2008 | 7:22 PM PST
Tags: harvest , corn , rain , hydrangea , carrrot
We had a great summer rain this afternoon! The garden was in desperate need...it even hailed a bit. But, luckily not enough to do damage to the plants. For the most part, things are just truckin right along in the garden. Most things are even holding up to the dry weather. I am having a hard time keeping enough water on my hydrangeas though. I am thinking I may install a soaker hose around that bed this fall, to help with watering next season...
Here are a couple of shots of the afternoon rain as seen from my front porch:
We have also been enjoying a very bountiful harvest from the veggie garden. Today was no exception!
Here
is a pict of the harvest bowl...
This was our first harvest of corn! I have never grown corn before and its fun that its turning out! Also, this is my third season to attempt carrots and my first season to get anything! Could it be that the companion planting is working????!!!!
Here is the bounty all clean and ready for munchin and cookin:
So rewarding!
I am already starting to think about how I can improve my plantings for next year and I am getting excited about doing a big fall veggie garden...I can't wait!
May 29, 2008 | 8:37 AM PST
Tags: radish , harvest , rose , miniature , perennial , day lily
We had more wonderful rain last night and it is really helping along the garden! Also helping cut down on my need to water which is wonderful!. A couple of nights ago, we enjoyed our first harvest from the veggie garden: RADISHES...I know, they are always the first things, but still exciting:
I cooked them up, greens and all with some salt, pepper and olive oil and they made a great side dish to go with our rotissiere chicken.
I also had a chance the other day to work on some weeding and capture some recent happenings in the garden:
The Clematis (that we planted when my oldest daughter was born 2 1/2 yrs ago) is looking great this year:
My miniature rose bushes are in full bloom right now and just such a sweet accent in the front yard:
The front perennial bed is just bursting and the daylilies have just begun:
The annual planter that my girl and I planted up together is filling in nicely and really looks good when she hasn't picked all the flowers off - HAH!
All the rain has certainly helped along the weeds too...so when I have a chance I will get to some of those in the front yard as well, to keep things tidy. I am still enjoying the results of working so hard over the winter and not having as much to do right now, except enjoying the garden and watching things mature and fill in :)
Aug 24, 2007 | 2:47 PM PST
Tags: heat , drought , fall , elijah blue fescue , strawberry , harvest , zebra grass , brussel sprouts , autumn joy , sedum
Despite the heat, some things continue to do great and more happens in the garden each day! I spent some time watering and weeding this afternoon as the weather dropped from 108 to 96.
The angels trumpet has started to bloom and I look forward to nights through the fall when it will be loaded with blooms!
The Zebra grass has all its plumes now and they are so pretty in the wind:
All of the autumn joy sedums have their buds:
Makes me yearn for fall even more :)
We continue to have good harvests! Guess the veggies like all this heat!
I have had some casualties due to this heat wave and drought:
I have lost:
- 3 Elijah Blue Fescues (the new ones :(
- The strawberry plants may not make it
- the brussel sprouts got the worms...they just dont like this heat
- Even my vinca is crisping up and what was once a nice, dense groundcover...looks pathetic!
- My blue juniper is suffering
But, fall is just around the corner!
Jul 23, 2007 | 3:40 PM PST
Tags: kholrabi , pine straw , chores , harvest , purple , heirloom , cherokee , dachsund , petunia , hyacinth , bean , vine , mushroom , wild , annual
Another good productive day in the garden! I pretty much did routine chores. I posted an ad on craigslist this weekend stating that I needed pine straw and that I would rake if someone would let me take. Well, we got quite a few responses and my hubby went to pick up a load for me on his way home from work ( I had to twist his arm and beg a little :) So, I got that spread. I can tell its "used" but hey, beggers can not be choosers! He is going to go get more for me day after tomorrow! yippee!
I also harvested my first Kholrabi:
Susie, the dachshund says "hey, that would go good with hot dogs" So, I took her advice and shredded the kholrabi and will cook with onion to make a relish that will dress our dogs this evening. Yum, Yum!
Looks like I'll be harvesting my first cherokee purple heirloom tomato soon. This guy is huge and I have been watching him for sometime now wondering if he was ever going to ripen...looks like he's startin to!
Looks like 3 tomatoes in one doesn't it?
I also got some more creek clean up done and consolidated some branches and brush to get ready to haul to the curb tomorrow for wed. pickup. Other than that, I did routine weeding. Here are some moments captured along the way:
Mystery crop of shrooms growin out of compost...
Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine against Annual Sweet Potato Vine. I know I took a lot of picts of this one, but I couldn't stop myself...so pretty:
Close up of Liriope Bloom:
Some of the surviving petunias from my "annual saga" They look pretty good when isolated close up! LOL!
'Till next time...
Jul 12, 2007 | 2:49 PM PST
Tags: patty pan , squash , yellow squash , children , dinner , heirloom , eggplants , vegetable gardening , harvest
Its working! Its working! I invested $ on seeds and raised beds and I am just getting to the point in the season where I can consistently pick something to have that very evening for dinner! What fun!!! Tonight, its patty pan squash!
The Tootle Bug likes it too :)
Funny, she will hardly eat anything we put on her plate, but if she picks it off a plant, she's game
Its so rewarding to see the "fruits" (and veggies) of your efforts!
Gettin geared up for heirloom tomatoes and eggplants too!
Jul 2, 2007 | 5:18 PM PST
Tags: eight ball , zuchini , zuchinni , beets , vegetable , harvest , dinner , fence , pruners , pruning , zucchini
Harvested this beauty a few minutes ago and I can't wait to slice her up and cook her!
This is the first year I have had a real summer vegetable plot. I ordered all of my seeds from Burpee and Mostly picked things I like to eat and chose varieties that mature quickly. The reason I did this is I have never had much success starting seeds indoors. They always die! So, I prefer to sew directly into the plot. I had heard bad things about growing squash and zucchini, but so far I am having luck. This is the first one of this size that is big enough to justify cooking. the others have fallen off the plant at about the size of a golf ball and I have just eaten them right there in the garden. Not sure what causes this. I am also going to cook up some yummy beets from the garden. I have been harvesting these guys pretty regularly over the past month.
I also started on the back fence clearing project today....wow, its going to be a lot of work! Using my hands and pruners, take a look at what I accomplished in about 2 hours:
BEFORE: ( I know its not the best pict... but its all the growth you see on in the back)
AND AFTER:
