Ok, it's not a jungle, it is just my garden, but it feels like a jungle! My garden is in three parts- the "main" garden, the "lower" garden and the "upper" garden. It used to just be the upper and lower, but this wear dad built new raised beds between the two, thus christening it the main garden. I was supposed to pull out the lower garden, but give me a chance and I will plant anywhere, so I got it planted before anyone got the chance to make me rip it out. And next year we hope to expand both the main garden and the upper garden, so then I can get rid of the lower garden without loosing too much harvest.
All together I have about 160 square feet (a 10'x16' equivalent). This doesn't seem like much, but when everything is going and needs care and harvesting at the same time it can get pretty overwhelming.
This week dad and I harvested squash, zucchini, and cucumbers, Swiss chard, and beets. I picked about 6 quarts of cucumbers, and we cooked and froze about 12 quarts of squash and zucchini (with more in the fridge to eat). Today I cooked about three gallons of chard and beet greens, most of which will be frozen as well most likely.
I also spent about two hours clipping back tomato plants gone crazy, and pulling off all the fruit with blossom end rot. This is my first time experiencing this and it is depressing to have half the harvest just rot on the vine. Luckily I think I know why it happened and how to keep it at bay next year. I gave gotten some alpaca poo, which is a great fertilizer, and will plant a little further apart next year. Luckily, the interwebz tells me that the end rot should only bother the first fruits, so I should still get an acceptable harvest this year. I hope.
Tomorrow I have to finish up the main garden, just some broccoli, peppers, and kohlrabi to harvest, an then start on the lower garden. It's also time for me to start thinking about the fall crops and what I should plant soon for that time of year. I also want to see what I can over winter- like kale, and turnips, and explore that, or yeah, and garlic too :)
So if you have any garden tips, or favorite things to plant, let me know. I am an adventuresome gardener and will try to grow anything once (except fava beans, I tried them twice and still got none)...
1 comment:
This week dad and I harvested squash, zucchini, and cucumbers, Swiss chard, and beets. I picked about 6 quarts of cucumbers, and we cooked and froze about 12 quarts of squash and zucchini (with more in the fridge to eat). Today I cooked about three gallons of chard and beet greens,
good lord!that's awesome and i thought i had some produce coming in - nowhere near that lol! yum!
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