soaphouse's Blog
soaphouse's posts about: spinach
Jun 12, 2008 | 7:10 AM PST
Tags: great , gunnera , gunerra , companion planting , squash , beets , beans , bush beabs , pole beans , spinach
At the beginning of the season, I set out on my first companion planting vegetable garden. Well, some things are doing great and some aren't . So, I thought it about time for an update...
We had our first harvest of bush beans the other day. My girl helped me pick them :)
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The bed they are in is looking pretty good. The sugar snap peas that were supposed to grow up the teepee never quite made it (I think it got too hot too fast) So, I picked up some zucchinini seeds to try instead. I also have sweet potatoes, calendulas and radishes in this bed. The radishes are ready to be harvested, but I am still waiting on the other things.
The beet, carrot, okra, brussel sprout and broccoli bed is looking good. The marigolds in it are about to bloom. I picked up some spinach seeds to try to use to fill in the corners of this bed:
The Spaghetti Squash and Pole Bean bed is explosive. I think we may have squash growing all over the place - HAH!
No production yet, but lots of flowers! The corn is looking good too:
As far as the companion planting goes, most of the flower seeds that were intended to be the companions for pest control did not germinate, or if they did, they did too slowly so the veggies just crowded them out. However, so far not much is affected by pests. The most I have seen is ants and they never seem to do too much damage. I am missing the shot of color that I was hoping for with all the flowers though...maybe I should have bought more as plants.
The blackberries are starting to ripen and we enjoyed the first picking last night. Funny thing is that a thornless rasberry that I bought off the internet last year has fruit on it but it appears a though they are blackberries. HMMMM???
The grapevine that I planted last spring is growing nicely and I have high hopes for it!
I worked on some weeding back by the creek and did resort to using roundup of some of the privet and grapevines. Its proving to be a lot to keep up with back there and I can't let all of my hard work of clearing it out go to waste!
On another note, the Great Gunnera bulb that I purchased a few months back never grew, so the company sent a replacement and we got that replanted by the creek. This time, we planted it more in the water with a chicken wire cage around it for protection. Hope it works, I can't wait to watch this plant grow if it does.
Till next time...
Sep 27, 2007 | 10:22 AM PST
Tags: brussel sprout , spinach , red russian kale , onion , garlic , parsley , trumpet , fall , veggie , fence , beet , carrot
Today I was able to put in the first planting of my fall veggies seeds. Temps here finally seem to be staying under 90! I put in 3 rows in my 8'x8' raised bed. In the first row went kale, mesculin mix, salad onions, garlic and spinach. In the middle row I put in brussel sprouts and parsley, and in the last row went beets, carrots, and salad onions.
It doesn't look like much now...but it will soon!
I used some companion planting techniques that I learned about from a book I recently purchased, so I do hope it proves to be effective. If nothing else, I do think all the different varieties of things will look very nice together :)
As you can see, my husband finished the new chicken wire frame fence. This is very effective in keeping out the 3 dogs, the toddler and the various other wildlife in my neck of the woods. Once he gets the others made for the 2nd bed, I can get that all planted too!
I also had help from Liliana and Dora the Explorer :)
Once the little one goes down for her nap, I will do some various clean up tasks. My city issued a compete outdoor water ban (except for edibles) so, this is going to put a major cramp in my fall gardening style...but I will try my best to manage and not to cheat too much!
Here are a couple of shots of my backyard in the early fall (taken today)
I am getting a second flush of blooms on my trumpet vine...
Sep 21, 2007 | 4:57 AM PST
Tags: veggie , fall , tomatillo , red , bell , pepper , okra , flower , spinach , kale , carrot , beet , parsley , brussel sprout , mesculin , peas , broccoli
Good things are happening in the garden! The other day I pulled out the spent veggies in one of the raised beds and added some compost. This weekend, my hubby is going to make some frames to support the necessary chicken wire barrier. Hopefully, this will make it much more attractive. When he has them made, I will then put down my seeds. I plan to plant spinach, kale, garlic, onions, mesculin, brussel sprouts, parsley, raddishes, beets and carrots. I am so excited!
Some things in the other bed are still producing, so I haven't yet pulled them out.
An okra flower:
The peppers are looking good and some are even starting to turn red!
Once this bed is finished, I will clear it and make way for broccoli, peas and probably more greens :)
Here is a fun picture of what happens to a tomatillo when the ants find it....
Almost prettier than the fruit itself :)
Happy weekend everyone!
Jul 31, 2007 | 3:57 PM PST
Tags: tomato , purple , okra , kohlrabi , spinach , tomatillo , eggplant , beet greens , patty pan , squash
We have been consistently enjoying harvests from our garden. Its so fun to go out before dinner and pick some yummies to come up with something with for dinner! Healthy, yummy and cheap! Gotta love it!
Beet Greens, Patty Pan Squash and Tomatillos:
The much anticipated giant Cherokee Purple Heirloom ready for eatin':
Okra, Kohlrabi, tomatoes, patty pan squash, eggplant, spinach and tomatillos!
More maters!
The joys of gardening!!!
