zukes!

We came home to a note in our fridge propped up against a zucchini stating that it came from our garden. I thought Sara was playing a joke since I was certain I was barely going to yield anything from all this effort.

But it was true!

So I ran out there early the next morning and there was another one! WOO HOO! Notice there are also 4 yellow wax beans in my right hand. I wasn't sure to make of those, but David snatched them right up and had no problem eating them. So, I guess they won't go to waste.

There is one medium-ish sized tomato hanging on the vine right now, just toying with me about if and when it might turn red. Hmmm. But, my friend Kelli did make me feel better last night during our little garden inspection - saying she had read alot about tomato plants being delayed in production this year because of all the rain, and that heirlooom are "late bloomers." So, true or not - I'll take it!

Stay tuned for photos of award-winning tomatoes (I hope sooner than later).

colorless, odorless, tasteless and mostly inert diatomic gas overload

Or Nitrogen overload. I just learned my apparently steroid-infused garden is simply hyped up on nitrogen. i.e. big plants, small veggies. boo. better luck next year!

from this: (picture taken on May 9)

To This: (picture taken June 19)

grape tomatoes out to see the world!

look closely!! a few zukes are growing!

in motion

The garden project is moving forward!

David spent last Saturday putting the stone in the ground for our raised garden while I was in Fort Wayne for work - what a nice surprise!

Here is the david's handy work + 800 pounds of composted manure :)

The plants getting acquainted with the "real world" (i.e. wind, chill, heat, dark of night)


And the finished product!

I am sure the squash will take over the one end and I might have to remove/move them, but its a start! There are heirloom toms, sweet peppers, onions, marigolds, beans (ewww - but Sara said I had to plant beans), yellow squash, zukes and some squash plant that Sara couldn't remember what it was, so its a surprise!

The larger pot on the left is housing some grape tomato plants and the smaller one on the right is some extra marigold starts.

I am setting my expectations very low and will be happy if I get ONE tomato, ONE pepper and ONE type of squash. I keep telling David that next year it will be easier to get started because the infrastructure and dirt will already be in place.

A HUGE THANK YOU to sara & jenny for all working together on our seed planting and gardens - this is for sure an annual tradition! (next year with mexican food and margaritas, right ladies??)

Does anyone need some starts? I have 8 various squashes, 4 heirloom tomatoes and 3 sweet peppers.

what now?

that was the subject of my latest email to my gardening support group, Sara & Jenny :) Some of my starts were hitting the roof of their little green house, so I had to remove the lids. I knew they need to be transplanted, but how/when/where?

I took a stab and used solo cups for the squash and put the lettuce in actual pots. Note to self-just put lettuce straight outside next year, this is too much work! ha!

the labeled cups

getting the supplies and cups ready

voila!

the finished produc is now in the window sill upstairs and in the basement. the plants are taking over the house!

this picture is upside down for some reason...ugh! But, it is my lettuce starts getting some fresh air. Apparently some gardening guru types call this "hardening" of the plants.I also finished the compost bin:

holes drilled

brown matter (i.e. leaves I stole from the Sterleys yard)

some dirt

our scraps

mixed together and sprayed down.

I just hope it can withstand the rains from last night! I might realize the place I am storing it isn't going to work with the weather. oh well...trial & error, trial & error

what a difference a week makes

I really wish Jack & Reagan lived here to share in the excitement of our super-fast growing garden :) I seriously get so excited...David not so much - but he will be when he is eating it! ha!

Check out last week's post for a picture from only one week ago. WOW! Pretty much every single seed has sprouted aside from a few peppers and cilantro. They may not all survive, but if they do I will be sharing the starts with my parents and the Grace Garden.

The raised garden should ship Monday (we heart Costco) and then hopefully soon we can get it all prepped!

Today I will taking the larger starts and putting them into single containers and even getting the lettuce ready to get outside. Yay!

little dudes

Look who showed up to the party!! LETTUCE!

aren't they cute?

gettin' dirtier

Sara invited Jenny, Kelli and I over to plant some seed on Tuesday. Let me also mention that Kelli has taken master gardner classes and Sara could probably teach them. I was definitely a student, but it was fun to learn! Sara made it easy by buying all of our supplies, we brought our own seeds and then just divided it up. I can't wait to start my garden like this every year, how fun!

The finished product: two trays of starts. I think there are 72 spots all together... p.s. check out the full fruit and veggie bowl filled up by this week's farm fresh delivery, mmmmm

A little sideways, but without the lid

The cheat sheet they give you to track what you planted.

As you might be able to read, I am attempting to grow tomatoes, squash, zucchini, eggplant, a few varieties of peppers, lettuce and some herbs.

I also finally purchased my compost goodies.

This is the container that I will keep under the sink. Not bad for the first night. As you can see we had some pearl potatoes, avacado, lime and lettuce :)

gettin' dirty

I love new challenges, and most recently have tried to make our home/lives a little "greener" small step by small step. I like to call them "small, but mighty, changes" to feel a little better about our slow progress!

we recycle (doesn't everyone now?) but more items than ever before, we don't use paper towel to spray cleaner on the counters (but still use it in other ways), we also are now eating more local and organic through Farm Fresh Delivery. We have truly been inspired by our friends to do more - and a big shout out to sara & grant who have been able to show us (and not in that annoying, pushy way! ) that small changes are easy.

So...onto the next challenge: drumroll please!

Gardening & Composting! I grew up with a garden so that isn't that much of a stretch (plus my backyard could use something! anything!) but the composting is. My friend Jenny sent me an awesome article about how to do it in a rubbermaid tub. Well, I can do that! David flat out said "no" (which is funny if you know our Farm Fresh decision making history)...but then came home and pointed out that my salad "scraps" could be composted. haha. Love him.

It actually appears quite easy and I have been guiltily (word?) throwing out scraps since we have so much more now using Farm Fresh. Oh by the way, did you know people still peel carrots? yep, don't have to get the baby ones-ha! I would have never had carrot peel to compost without Farm Fresh.

Hopefully this is what it will look like once we start:

A wise gardener told me that compost is considered "gardner's gold" and will make a huge difference in our garden. yay!

I am getting together this week to plant to some seeds with friends and can't wait to see what we can grow! Now we just have to build a box garden since our ground is pure clay and rock.

I love a challenge and hope this is easier than it sounds right now...and we can eat our beautiful bounty all summer!

yum....