Things are going swimmingly in the garden, despite the rather ridiculous hot and dry conditions. We hope this continues to be the trend..the good growing that is, not the ridiculous heat. The
ditch is empty again (for the second time) because the local farmers are pulling more water than normal to irrigate their crops, but we hope it will be filled again soon. it was just a couple days the first time. Otherwise I guess we'll bite the bullet and pay for city water to keep things green and growing. I'm hopeful it won't come to that though.
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| Looking over the garden towards the west, with a little Matt hiding out back there behind the tomatoes. |
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| We're growing two types of eggplants this year--purple long and black beauty. We've never grown any kind of eggplant before. They are starting to set fruit and we are pretty gosh darn excited! Isn't this the cutest baby eggplant you ever saw? Okay, I admit I haven't see that many....but still. |
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| Matt had been admiring this little eggplant (at center of photo) all the while not noticing the much larger one laying on the dirt below it. He was quite pleasantly surprised. |
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| Looking over the garden towards the east. |
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| Matt in amongst the volunteers...who have really taken off in recent days. |
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| They are setting fruit as well. |
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| There are still a few kale plants growing strong out in the beds. This one is easily three feet across. We've never had such a good year with greens. |
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| A portion of the herb garden located out the front door in a raised flower bed. We're making pesto soon with the basil. Its been on the to-do list since last week. We'll also be drying several other herbs for later use. |
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| I never knew what a Clematis was before we bought this place, but they are on the fast track to being my favorite flowers. There are so many blossoms and they are so stunning and it seems to just go on and on and on blooming. They grow up the fence between us and the neighbors who are self-described as flower obsessed. |
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| Matt with the tomatoes that tied for the let's-see-who-gets-to-the-top-of-the-cage-first contest. I didn't even know there was such a competition, but apparently Matt did. It was the Old German tomatoes who won. Matt has taken to calling them The Rogers after his dad who is of German ancestry and as hearty as these heirloom tomatoes are supposed to be. |
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| Its nice to just be able to sit and enjoy the beauty of all your labors, listen to the birds, and breathe it all in. |
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| I became acquainted with Hen and Chicks plants when I moved in as well. They are so precious and have a striking resemblance to the lotus, don't you think? |
Things are in a constant state of rather rapid change in the garden. A good rain, a good watering, good sunshine, good compost and it can be like the difference between black and white. One day the squash are fairly small and a few days pass and they've become gigantic. I am sure that before I know it, and before I am ready for it, it will be the season to be overwhelmed with abundance and pressure to get it all put up or eaten up. But, I am up for that kind of pressure.
Your garden is so lush. I remember when it seemed to be bare dirt with a smidgen of green. For the water, find another source rather than paying for it. When the ditch is full, pump some into barrels or 5 gallon buckets. Set five gallon buckets in the rain. Catch water from your gutters or just off the house.
ReplyDeleteSome people shower with a bucket to catch the first water before it gets warm from the shower head. Others just leave the bucket in the shower to catch water that is going down the drain. I used to bail the tub since I take baths. If you have a window ac, catch that for the garden.
You can put goldfish in any barrel to keep mosquito populations down in the standing water. Or, a squirt of Dawn destroys the water tension so mosquitoes drown instead of being able to lay eggs. Eggs have to attach themselves to the water tension at the surface. Dawn drown the mosquito eggs, too.
If you use water in the sink to rinse vegetables or whatever, let none of it go down the drain; catch it for the garden, same for the bathroom sink. Use water that you boil pasta or potatoes in for the garden. Soap will not hurt the garden. So, if you wash dishes in the sink as opposed to a dishwasher, throw the dishwater on the garden. Women have been doing that for centuries. However, use only something like Dawn, something with nothing to damage plants.
I have used the water from a dehydrator.
I heard of someone who gathered all water bottles from a convention or meetings and brought the bottles home to water her garden. Collect those from anywhere. Soon, your friends and colleagues will help you by saving theirs for you, the crazy tree hugger.
You have more water than you think.
All excellent suggestions, some of which I do (veg wash water, veg boiling water, etc.)some of which I don't (shower water catching)and some of which I can't figure out how I would. (Like the food dehydrator. Does your catch the water? Mine doesn't. Or maybe I am being dense.)
DeleteThe ditch is full again today. Hooray.
I do think I will stash some containers while it is full. We're saving our pennies to have rain gutter installed on the metal roof which will make it ideal for rain barrels, but no reason we can't catch some in the meantime just in buckets.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to personally invite you and your readers to Moosewood Sunday July 29th. Very informal with no rules, just a cyber sharing of happiness.
I adore eggplant, and clematis!
Thanks, Mary! I look forward to it. We are camping, but I see no reason that should prevent us from joining in. It will be a real treat to have a Moosewood meal out in the forest. We might just have to be sure we're adequately prepared!
DeleteDo you know what you're going to make yet?