Monday, May 20, 2013

No Menu but a Garden Update

We are eating from the garden now so the menu is up in the air.  I did spend $10 on groceries last week.  Actually it was W who spent it as I sent him by the grocery store to pick up items for his lunch.  He bought grapefruit, bananas, and cheese puffs.  He has enough grapefruit left for this week.  I have $40 to spend on groceries this week.

Now for the garden update.  Everything is growing very well.  This is an overview of the main garden.  It has tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, string beans, squash, zucchini, corn, and cucumbers.


 
 
 
 
 
My tomatoes in the raised bed are growing like crazy.  We should be eating yellow pear tomatoes very soon.  We also have cherry tomatoes that will not be far behind.
 
 
The peppers are doing well.  I have some early ones that have put on peppers.  The ones on the other side of the greenhouse are later and have not bloomed yet.


 
The dill in growing well in a container.  I put a piece of fencing over it to keep the chickens from scratching in it.  Fortunately they do not seem interested in snacking on the plants.
 
I have leaf lettuce growing for the rabbits and head lettuce growing for us.  The bare spots are where I planted more seeds last week.  I will plant more at the end of this week.  I am trying to keep a steady supply of organic lettuce for us and the bunnies.
 
These garden pea pods are being dried for seed for next year.  While I know that I can buy seeds, I am trying to learn to save seeds myself.  I will pick these soon and allow them to finish drying.
 
 
 
W built me a raised bed for my raspberries.  We have more these poor plants several times.  This will be their permanent home and hopefully they will have a chance to thrive and produce now.
 
I have one little lemon on my dwarf lemon tree.  It is doing great.  I am excited to have homegrown lemons - well at least one - and more in the future.    I am saving to buy more dwarf citrus trees.
 
The smallest pineapple bloom has formed into a pineapple.  The large pineapple below was harvested this weekend.  It was super sweet and became pineapple sandwiches for supper one night.

 
The strawberry plants that we share with my parents are producing well.  This is a bowlful that was picked last week.  I made a batch of strawberry jam, put some in the freezer, and saved some for eating fresh.  I expect we will be picking lots more over the next couple of months.
 
Gardens are time consuming and work.  When you start to harvest all of the produce, they are totally worth it.  I have even ordered more herb seeds to plant.  Growing your own food is a bit addictive.

1 comment:

terricheney said...

Your garden looks terrific! I was telling a young man today how much I enjoy fresh vegetables from a garden. I really need to find a way to have more garden plants. I do have a healthy looking cabbage and some fresh green peas yet...