Once again, we have broken a record here in Oklahoma. This March was the warmest one on record. It seems since we moved here we have experienced more weather records than I can recall. Last winter we broke records for the most snow, latest snow, something like the longest lasting snow and a couple of others I can't recall. Then this past summer we broke record after record for hot temperatures and little rain. And now this Month with spring coming so early. What's a girl to do? Well, Plant of course!
Warning!!! Garden talk coming! It's been awhile since I actually wrote anything here so.....I have a few things to catch you up on. We've been planting like crazy over the past month. We've also added two 50 foot rows for potato's and squash and the cucumbers next to the old foundation ruins.
Almost everything is coming up already and except for the squash and cucumbers, everything seems to be doing pretty well. I had to laugh when I realized just how many types of beans and peas we have out there. It's a good thing they are one of our favorite vegetables! We planted an entire 100 foot row of Black-eyed peas.
There are also two types of Kentucky Wonder green beans, one bush and one pole bean. There are four other types of beans out there as well as some sweet peas and purple hull peas. In the past we have grown things that we don't really like to eat much. I don't know why but it was just something to grow I guess. This year we are only planting things that we know we will eat. So no zucchini or eggplants grace our garden this year. We do have spinach, lettuce, Swiss chard, turnips, carrots, broccoli (started them late so they are tiny) and onions in as well.
Once again I'm trying to raise some herbs. I don't know what it is about them that I do wrong most every year. I have some of the worst luck with herbs. The only things that are showing signs of sprouting so far though are the cilantro and basil. I'll keep trying though!
My tomato and pepper plants are pitifully small. I got a really late start on them though and had already figured that this year I'll buy plants for the season. I'm waiting impatiently for payday this month to go pick some up. I can't go another year without homegrown tomato's. I've really missed them over the winter and even now. I just hate having to buy them in the cans.
With the rising price of groceries more and more folks are becoming interested in trying their hand at gardening. I think that's great. The growing food part not the price of groceries I mean! If you've never thought about growing something why not give it a try this year? It's a lot of fun and it's definitely time to start.
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
Looks like you got a great garden growing there. Hope you get to eat the fruits of labor and the weather is agreeable with it until harvest.
ReplyDeleteSci - you guys have been super busy!!! i started some seeds this weekend - that's always a lot of fun and we have the seed starting tray wrapped in plastic out on the plastic-wrapped porch - so nice to get that big thing out of my tiny kitchen. have to wait a few more weeks before starting the tomatoes and peppers tho. but i will be able to plant a few more seeds for the next few weeks and be able to get stuff in the ground for May24. i love seeing pics of your garden so don't be shy with them. keep up the good work girl! oh, one last thing - i have found that the herbs just love tires!!!
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
Despite the severe lack of a green thumb, between the cost of fresh fruits & veggies [of which I eat a ton of] and inspiration found on blogs like yours, we are going to container garden on our deck with half the back yard dedicated to plants that need the room to spread. It is free to do, literally we started our seeds from ones my epic gardener FIL, the buckets and soil from hubs work...etc. So I figure if I get one zucchini or a lone cucumber I will be ahead of the game, especially in the learning department. Please continue to share all your wonderful hints & tips we really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you didn't have a single tomato last year. I am trying to remember - did you plant them and they were flooded? Or something along those lines? I know here when people plants backyard gardens always at the top of the list are tomatoes. They are truly the only way to get a tomato that actually tastes like a tomato.
Your garden is looking magnificent. I can only imagine how much work it is, but the satisfaction is so worth it. Good luck. :)
Sci,
ReplyDeleteWow girl, I say you and Mars have been busy. Your garden looks really fabulous. I find that my herbs do better in pots than in the garden. Last year, I had so many herbs, I had to freeze them.
I planted various tomato seeds (they have sprouted but there small),I may have to buy some plants at the farmers market next week. Hey, what part of OK are you in, were central. Had plenty of rain yesterday, I'm thankful we didn't get those tornadoes. If we didn't have that cold front we probably would of had them.
This is the first year I think I can have a fairly successful garden albeit a small one. Nothing in the ground yet. I'm waiting until Easter. I did plant some blueberry bushes and hope they'll do well. The only things started now are tomatoes and peppers. One of the tomato plants committed suicide (it got too tall and bent over and the stem broke)so I sort of buried it in one of the big pots to see what it'll do. I wish you success with your endeavors. If everything grows you'll have a busy time freezing and canning. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI STILL need to get my 'taters in the ground; but I have NO idea where I'm going to put them!! I also told myself I'd not plant anything we really don't eat, but I did it anyways. I planted radishes. I don't even LIKE radishes, in the least bit. But it was warm, I had seeds in my hand and dirt nearby....it was a weak moment. But at least DH will eat some of them.
ReplyDeleteKeep on planting! :)
Thanks Dizzy, If we can just keep the bugs from eating more than we do this year it should be nice!
ReplyDeleteKymber, I don't know how you guys can stand waiting that long to get things in the ground! I'd be going nuts!!! It's great that you have your "plastic porch" though. That's like a big ol' greenhouse!!! I haven't given the tires much thought before but they just might be what I need, especially for perennials. Hmmmm.... now if I could get Mars to cut them for me..... LOL!
Skippy!!! YAY FOR YA'LL!!!! I'm excited for you. I just love it when folks decide to give gardening a try. Especially since you've got all the things to do it. And you are SO right about the rising price of groceries. Like you said, if you can grow even one thing you will be ahead of the game. And there is absolutely nothing like a homegrown tomato! We got a few tomato's last year but not enough to be able to can any. Got my fingers crossed this year though! Have fun with your garden, you just may have a greener thumb than you thought these days!
Hey Sandy, You know that might be what my problem is. I might have to try growing the herbs in pots, or try the tires like Kymber suggested. Maybe I'll start some today! Like you I'll probably end up going to the Farmers Market and picking up some more tomato plants. We are up in NE OK here. Boy, did we get lucky about that tornado staying south of us or what???
Momlady,a small garden is sure better than no garden! Easter will be here soon too. We only started early because of our freakishly warm and early spring. Awesome on the blueberries, I hope they do well. I'd like to try growing some one day here. I just LOVE berries of all kinds. Thanks for stopping by!! (Oh, and don't you just hate tomato suicide? Messy business!LOL )
Wow your garden looks great! Our weather here still doesn't know if it wants to go head long into summer or back track into early spring yet. All temps in the next week are in the upper 50s to low 60s with lows in 40s/upper 30s. My tomatoes plants are dying to go outside lol.
ReplyDeleteI see all that green grass, and just want to dive in! We are still brown here in Nova Scotia, so seeing all your plants (big or small), and the grass growing in your photos looks devine.
ReplyDeleteGood lookin garden.
ReplyDeleteSwiss chard. My Dad would be over there in a heartbeat as that's his favorite. Even though his health is such he can't have a big garden, he still does a little swiss chard and some tomatoes. You're going to have a great looking garden
ReplyDeleteVery happy to know that your garden is coming up well. Hope you could have enjoyed the benefits of your gardening right now. Your garden looks great out there.
ReplyDelete