Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Baby broccoli and berries!

Nope this guy is not looking for broccoli and berries through those binoculars.

He's just taking a break from gardening and observing this red-bellied woodpecker enjoy our suet cake across the yard. I can't do a garden update without showing what's blooming in the flower garden. Right below this feeder is a new columbine my mom gave me for Mother's Day. I had to put it near the bird feeder and under the red bud. The beauty of these flowers amazes me. I have some solid pale pink and some white, but nothing as fancy as this bloom.





Here's a rhodedendron we've had for 17 years. It's one of three we planted, and still blooms it's little heart out for our enjoyment.



Here's Maggie, the Queen of the deck! She's 13 years old and spend most of her days sleeping in the garage in her crate. This is her choice. We crate trained here when she was a puppy and she still likes the comfort of her own space in the crate. She's moving slowly as arthritis is settling in her hind quarters, but she still dances when my husband comes home as he's the one who feeds her. This dog lives for food.




The mastermind behind the garden is my husband. He's been great about doing all the heavy lifting when needed, and is just like a little kid in his enthusiasm. He's enjoying a rest in the hammock swing while petting Shadow.


The potatoes are growing quicker than we can keep the straw and grass cuttings piled up under them. We'll put a some kind of enclosure around the outside of the box so we can continue to fill and cover the plants to encourage vertical potatoes.




The onions, carrots, lettuce and corn are doing well. We'll replace the lettuce with other crops as soon as it gets hot. Probably peppers seedlings I have ready and waiting. The spinach has already bolted and I miss adding it to my salads.





Our blueberry and strawberry plants are covered to protect them from the cat birds and others who like berries. My husband built this lightweight covering out of chicken wire and a four-sided bottom. He lashed it together with plastic trash ties. It's easy to lift off to access the berries. Ooooh, I can't wait to pick these lucious blueberries some morning in June and enjoy them with some yogurt.


Above are the tomato plants we put in May 14. We've planted Celebrity, Old German, Brandywine, and Better Boys. There's one more yellow variety in there also.


Below is the tomato box with the broccoli/cabbage/cauliflower box in the foreground. These three vegetables were bought as plants in tiny six packs from our local Farmer's Coop. We planted them on a cold rainy day in March.



" .......but God gave the growth." Look at them now! Big healthy plants. Some didn't make it, so we immediately filled those available squares with extra beets and swiss chard.

This past week we began seeing the baby broccoli heads.

We're amazed at how easy square foot gardening has been for us. No digging and no weeding has been the best part. Looking forward to a boutiful harvest! I'd love to see other gardens, so if you've got one tell me what's growing in your corner of the world.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor. 3: 6-9

7 comments:

DebD said...

Everything looks so nice. I hope it continues to be an easy way to receive bounty from the earth. Love the bird pictures too!

Hope you are well, haven't come here in sometime and wanted to catch up.

Renna said...

I do love how your garden grows, Dana! I really enjoyed your post, and the Word that you wove into it.

Maggie's still a very pretty girl. :-) Our little Leyna also likes to go into her crate when she's tired and wants to get away from everything.

All your pictures were so pretty. You guys are going to be eating good this summer. Yum, yum, yum!

Tammy said...

Oh you're gardens are beautiful. I wish my husband would make ours look so neat and organized!

Thanks for stopping by my blog which lead me to yours! :) It's nice to "meet" you!

Ma and Pa said...

Beautiful garden and flowers! Your garden is ahean of ours. We just got ours planted 2 weeks ago... everything is sprouting.

Pastor Rick said...

Enjoyed your blog.
I have just read Mel's new book and am looking forward to starting my on SGF!
Time now is at a premium.
Thanks for the inspiration.

Pastor Rick said...

I should have mentioned we too live in MD -- Bowie!
And we're empty nester's as well perhaps just a little longer than you are.

Toni said...

Maggie first, because I'm a HUGE Lab lover. Can I just say, she seriously looks GREAT for being 13. Do you remember when my Duchess (Chocolate Lab) died about 7 years ago? I think I was on the Swap then. I was heartbroken (seriously; she was our first "baby"). Hope to get another when we create a dog run. Duchess loved her crate as well.

And Dana, where did you learn about the square foot gardening? Did you read a book? Online? Would love to know. Our HOA doesn't permit gardens, but I know we could pull off a small sqft garden or trough-like boxes divided into sqft. Yours looks amazing. TFS.
Blessings,
~Toni~