Garden 2013

I forgot to get pictures of my garden when I first planted it in May. But it has really been enjoying the rains and warmer days.

This year, I planted tomatoes (after not trying last year when they were sprayed by the lawn behind us the year before), but I moved them to the front of the garden box hoping that keeping them away from the fence would help.

I also planted green peppers, broccoli, cucumber and started carrots and lettuce from seed.

Last year, our vertical pumpkins experiment would have worked better if we didn’t have a drought. They just didn’t receive enough moisture in the tubs. So this year, we removed two bushes (they were taking over and I wanted my spirea bushes to have more space). I’ll eventually put something else in their spots, but decided to try putting two pumpkin plants in them to see what happens.

Of course, Hank always loves spending time in the yard with me – especially the shade. :)

My goal was to get the garden in, but I’m making no promises on how much of it will be harvested by the time Baby Pope gets here!

Emily in Olathe

Last weekend, Ronny and I got to visit Emily in Olathe! She now has a big girl job, big girl apartment, and just seems so grown-up. Waaahhh. But I’m so proud of her and it’s hard not to see her as the “little” sister when she is doing so many awesome things!

First, we got to visit KAT Nurseries where she works and she gave us a rockin’ tour on the Gator.




This was my favorite part – muddin’ in the shade tent!

Near KAT and where Em lives is this place that she’s always wanted to get RP’s picture by. :)

We also got a great dinner at Jack Stack BBQ.

Shopping was on my to-do list as she lives so close to Legends so Em picked up her new dishes that she ordered. We of course had to watch the AMAZING K-State football game against OU and got to spend some time with one of my best friends, Georgia, who lives very close to Em.

On Sunday, we checked out a new church with Em (which had an orchestra – so cool!) and saw some of Ronny’s family friends from Olsburg – small world!

Thanks again for hosting us, Em, and for the great weekend! We love you!

September Garden

I went into my backyard tonight wanting to conquer the garden. I was tired of looking at at the drying-up vines and overgrown broccoli that had changed from last month.

But I was pleasantly surprised at what I found.

I knew that there were a few carrots growing, but last year they turned out so puny that I didn’t have any great expectations for this year.

I was even more surprised when I pulled them out – they were nice and long!

My favorite carrot though seemed to be hugging it’s big brother.

Amongst the drying-up vines were even five cucumbers. There are also three pepper plants that have never come to fruition, but they were still pretty green and thriving, so I didn’t have it in me to pull them out or the cucumber vines. We’ll see what next month brings.

August Garden

I must admit, I’ve been neglecting my garden – but it must still love me because it has been producing some great cukes and zukes.

Hanky can attest – he really likes when I cut them up and “accidentally” drop some on the floor.

My sister, Emily, came for a weekend visit and she – the horticulture girl – gave my garden and bushes some love and discovered this little carrot growing. In a few more weeks I should be able to harvest the rest.

We also are officially a one-pumpkin family after our effort with the DIY Vertical Pumpkins. And a weeny pumpkin at that. At least  he turned orange, but Ronny was pretty disappointed. 

I was able to slice and freeze three of my zucchini’s and will look forward to lots of recipes this winter I can use them in.

Pumpkins, peppers and cukes

Even though we are very dry here, the garden is surviving, except I’ve given up on my lettuce and broccoli. For one, the broccoli gave me one good crop and didn’t produce much else afterwards – and Ronny thought it tasted funny. :) With the lettuce, I ate enough salads to make me sick of it, so I abandoned the last few weeks.

But my vertical pumpkins are doing just that. Going vertical.

And then horizontal again. These long vines are really stretching out – but as long as they stay on the rock, I’m ok with them. And do you see that in there?

We have our first pumpkin growing!

As far as the cucumbers – they are officially taking over the garden.

I’m loving my cucumber harvest, however, and have been taking them for snacks to work and am glad to have more growing.

Lastly, my peppers (that I started from seed) are growing pretty big! Hopefully they’ll produce some peppers before the first freeze.

Anyone else having good luck with their garden?

a little birdie visits the garden

When I went out to check on my garden after being on vacation, I found a little visitor to the garden.

This baby bird still had its little soft feathers and did not want to move from the cucumber vine.

I left him there and he was not out there the next day – I just hope that Hank didn’t get to him!

Speaking of the garden, I found four great, delicious cucumbers. I know they are delicious because I cut one up and ate it before getting its picture. :)

DIY | Vertical Pumpkins

My pumpkins are ready to go vertical. This past week they started to grow over the edge of the Purina tubs, so Ronny put up a nice (slightly redneck) chicken wire fence around them. This is in effort for them to grow up and over, like a fountain.

As we don’t have much space in our box garden, we decided to experiment with the Purina tubs that my dad gave me (thanks, Dad!) and grow UP instead of OUT like pumpkins tend to do. And they’ve really been growing fast.

I was inspired to do this from an idea on Pinterest. I’m sure we’ll have to provide more support as the vines grow and the pumpkins develop. I will update on the progress!

In other garden progress news, my broccoli is huge and my cucumber vines are growing like crazy. I’ve put tomato cages around them (since my tomatoes failed last year – I decided not to replant this year) and am training them to grow up and over as well. I also have a zucchini almost ready for harvest. Oh and I’ve been eating lettuce like crazy.

And he is just too cute not to post a picture of. But I couldn’t tell when I took the picture because I was blinded by the sun. :)

Growing greener

Since planting my garden in April, it has been loving this warm weather. I started most of it from seed this year, so it has been fun to watch everything sprout up and grow. I’ve had to replant some peas and peppers, but everything else seems to be growing really well.

I can’t wait to put some cool ranch dressing on this crunchy lettuce!

Not everything is just green around here. My favorite little orange flowers are blooming and my daylilies are getting ready to burst all yellow.