Monday, August 16, 2010

Monday Garden Club

It seems no matter how many trailer loads full of weeds I pull out of this garden, the weeds still overpower. It's only really bad in the vine garden so I figured I would just let the plants and the weeds duke it out, but still, it looks kinda bad. Which is why I love the sunflower/pole bean divider right down the center. It makes for such a nice privacy screen for the out of control weeds growing along with the pumpkins, winter squash and melons.

The other half isn't so weedy and is much easier to get around in for quick and easy picking.
I'm adding cauliflower to the list of veggies I have tried to grow at least twice with no success. Perhaps I'll pass on the cauliflower next year. My father-in-law only 10 minutes from here grows them every year but I've never had any luck. The heads don't really develop properly then start to flower and make a very unappetizing smell that is quite noticeable even outside in the garden. They will be tossed out onto the compost pile very soon.
I bought these red cabbage plants %50 off for a pack of 6 toward the end of the planting season and thought, for less than a dollar, I would give them a try.
So far so good except the bugs seem to like them.

My peppers are still working on turning red.
Some of the chili peppers are ready as well.
Here's another victim of the hungry bugs this year. These are my sad looking brussel sprout plants after being nibbled up by little green worms.
I don't know enough about chemicals and vegetable gardening to do anything other than pick off the pesky bugs when I see them, but obviously that's not a very effective technique.

The tomato garden is doing so-so. Some of the early varieties are already done and some other varieties are just getting blossoms. I've been picking about an ice cream bucket full of ripe tomatoes twice a week. Earlier in the summer, some of the tomato plants developed some weird leaf curl thing and looked like they were dying. Most have recovered by now but are a bit behind in growth. I guess it's a good thing I planted 25 tomatoes.
The vine garden...
The zucchini and summer squash are finally starting to give up the ghost after producing like mad for the past month.
I'm still piling them up on the porch because I don't have room in the house but actually some of the porch squash are keeping better than some I have in the fridge.

And one more of the sunflowers...
Love them!
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Now for all you gardeners out there who wish to participate, either leave a comment on what's growing in your yard, or post a Monday Garden Club update on your blog. Don't forget to drop your link in the comments and I'll add it to this post.


Participating Blogs:
Ma Vie Folle

8 comments:

sheila said...

I love your sunflowers too, very beautiful! And dang on those bugs! I heard sprinkling 7 on them was good, but I think that's a poison. I don't know anything organic. Your squashes look wonderful! You asked about my cauliflower. I didn't do anything special, except shane puts a little miracle grow on each plant every day or two or three. The plants are lucky if I water them...I have a forgetful watering habit, lol. So Shane usually waters too, lol. No cauliflower secret...just luck. And miracle grow, lol.

Riot Kitty said...

Out here, no one can get peppers even to sprout. It was the coldest summer on record until July.

Enjoy eating them!

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

Your sunflowers are beautiful. Hope you like zucchini.

Ashley said...

Isn't it a good feeling when the zucchini and squash show signs of slowing down? I am practically giddy that I don't have to come up with more zucchini recipes too soon! :)

Shady Lady said...

Darn weeds! Darn bugs! But still...your garden is beautiful!! Count me in to participate next year. :)

melanie giant said...

Weeds are my problems too. They always get the nutrients that should be for my plants. I always pull up all the weeds that I so growing beside my plants. About the bugs I cover nets all over a plant that eaten by bugs. You can try covering your plants too.

Typical Suburban Family said...

I need some gardening help!! I posted a garden update tonight and hoping someone can tell me what these bugs are and how to get rid of them before I give up on the garden entirely. Annoying.

http://www.typicalsuburbanfamily.com/2010/08/29/gardening-for-the-bugs/

crystal figurine said...

I really love your sunflowers. They are really cute and tall. I am so sad to hear about your Brussels sprout and the cabbages. Worms are really pests and they are really hard to fight with. Maybe you should just try planting new then cover the plants with nets that they can also have ventilation. Let’s see if that is effective.