Well, I have to say, that this year again was a bust for my garden and I was home all summer this year.   I got the garden in with no problems, and even was able to start weeding, but by the time my little carrots were showing their heads up, the rains came and then the chickweed took over.  I finally went out there while it was wet,  and tried to weed and thin the carrots and beets, but by then the chickweed was choking out everything.  Nothing else in the garden grew well, so I’m sad to say that I did not get anything but a couple heads of lettuce.

Now my greenhouses did a bit better.  I did put up lots of green beans and got tomatoes (which I have to do something with), plus some small pumplins about 8 of them and some spaghetti squashes and squash.  Of course there was a trickle of zucchinis that came in through the summer. My son John used up those pretty quickly as he loves to cook.

Now we are having hard freezes, a month and a half late, but getting them so nothing is left in garden.  All froze.  Hardly any snow on mountains either which is so unusual.  So as far as the garden blog, I don’t know what I can write here except for my houseplants and the peppers, tomatoes etc. that I had in pots and brought in.  I am going to start some more cilantro to grow in the house as well as some other herbs.  John has a variety of basil growing that he is using in his cooking.  Today I am going to make some corn chowder.  That is if John has left me any of the ingredients for it after he got done cooking 2 days ago. haha

I don’t know if it’s the mild weather this summer, but my garden was overwhelmed with aphids. Right now, my lemon cucumbers, cantaloupe and  crookneck squash are totally covered with the little buggers and their gross stickiness. I pulled up the corn yesterday because it wasn’t producing, and what little cobs I had were smothered with ants and aphids. Yuck.

Combine 3 1/2 acres of partially wooded property and a fenced in sunny vegetable garden with an eco-minded creative free spirit with ADD, and what do you get?  Half-finished paradise.

It seems there is never enough time to keep up with the weeds, and I dont dare use a chemical that might get into the food supply. Today my husband and I spent 2 hours in the sun trying to locate 2 apple trees and 2 peach trees I planted this spring. There is some sweet-smelling TALL “weed” that grows in the back of our property that has totally camouflaged my orchard-in-progress.

We purchased our own little section of paradise 2 years ago this August. The property was built for a preacher and his family in 1969, and he was a purveyor of gardening and homemade fruit wines. We had planted the apple and peach near 4 very established pear trees that are loaded with fruit until the deer have a pear-party (I still want to see how they reach the ones at the top!)

In any case, I find myself reluctant to cut down anything for fear it was out there purposely and has some value. Id really like to find out what this “weed” is. There is asparagus and Rhubarb growing nearby as well (I never knew asparagus grew into “trees” if it isnt picked as spears)

Below is a pic - it is growing to the right of my daughter (she is playing piano at my wedding!) - Im not sure you can see it clearly, Ill try to take more pictures - if there are any herb experts out there, let me know if you can identify it!!

    I am so glad that we finally had a morning with out frost on everything.  Maybe I can start planting some of my garden.  I have noticed that the Garlic is doing very well.  But my Peas haven’t come up yet, oh well it’s still early.

P.S. I’m in the great NorthWest.

We had 85 degrees at least two days last week… it’s not supposed to freeze!  And it’s supposed to be between 7 and 9, that is, I can’t be here to uncover everything.  Good thing the tomatoes are cuddled together under a patio table and surounded with those windows we have to make a greenhouse some day.  I think most everything else will be OK (lettuce, peas, cilantro, spinach, carrots and radishes, kale, kholrabi, chard…)  I am really worried about the two zucchini plants, and the 3 artichokes.  Well, I still have one artichoke inside if it comes to worse, and plenty of zucchini seeds.

Just new to the site.  I garden every year, but laST 2 YEARS HVE BEEN AWFUL.  I’m getting ready to start my cold weather plants…yaaa. means spring not to far away!! .  I live in northern michigan just below Mac Bridge.  I think i might try some container gardening this year.

Well for the past few days, or I should say week, we have gotten a LOT of rain.  I fully understand the need for Mother Nature to perform her work and help our gardens grow, but I am starting already to get concerned about blithe.  We got hit hard with it last year, and I don’t want another disappointment this year.  This is the first year we have used the garden matting, and I wonder if this is helping by giving us better run off, or if it is keeping too much moisture in the ground.  Guess the next few weeks might provide us with an answer to that question.

My daughter made a scarecrow for my garden and when I put it up, only the veggies that are out of its view are affected by the chipmunks which seem to be adept enough to mess with my plants.  Does anyone have experience with Chipmunks eating young Brussel Sprout plants?  They are the only thing really being affected.  What did you do about them?

After I plotted out my square foot grid for my frist 4×4 square foot, I looked at that one sqft and though WOW that’s small. Really, am I going to fit broccoli and all of these other things in this tiny square? It’s so small! They can’t all fit! I’m do it it anyway but there’s no way I can put two side by side and they grow to full size. Comments and advice wanted!

Hello to all who may be reading this.  I am about to make my new garden plan shared for you all to see.  It is a square foot garden, with six boxes, each 4ft sq.  Not real fancy looking, but it does incorporate companion planting.  The only thing I’m having trouble with is where to put the sage (the onions hate sage).  If you know about companion planting, then please feel free to write me a comment with your suggestion.

Thank you!