The weather this spring has been much wetter and cooler than the past several years. We’ve had a few hot days after months of wet and things are growing exponentially. Above is the most mature blueberry bush. Last year there was a late frost that killed off a lot of buds and the year before was so dry that it didn’t produce much, but all along it has been growing and this year the conditions have been just right.
Looking left from the blueberry bush is a bed with beans and peppers in the foreground and tomatoes in the back. The beans have been producing like crazy and I have younger replacements in different areas - when I yank the beans the peppers will be ready to take over the beds. Right now the beans are also acting as a living mulch for the peppers - why pull weeds when you can pull beans? There are 4 tomato plants planted around each (2) 5 ft tall cylinders of concrete reinforcing wire. 68stationwagon - the ones on the left are lemon boys and under all the foliage are 3 generations of fruits - the 4th generation is blooming now.
Looking right from the blueberry bush. 2nd planting of cucumbers with a stray (but beautiful!) kale. 1st planting of zucchini to the right of that - been picking them for a couple weeks now. The concrete reinforcing wire in the background has my 3rd planting of cukes and tomatoes -pickling and canning varieties respectively.
Walking backwards from the blueberries - 1st planting of cukes. Made my 3rd batch of refrigerator pickles today, ate my 10th cucumber salad and shared a bunch with the neighbors. . .
A different perspective - standing by the fig tree.
This is a new garden where I used to have a chicken coop. The trash can is the start of a drip irrigation system. In the front I have kind of a Southern gothic theme going on - cotton, love lies bleeding and castor beans. Dramatic plants with dramatic histories and uses. Behind that it is back to the basics: basil, tomatoes, peppers, malabar spinach. More cukes and beans and tomatoes on the former fence with the vegetable shapes hanging on it.
A sweet potato bed. I also have them planted all over both of the gardens to act as a living mulch as everything else gets taller.
Perspective from the back of the former fence.
Also planted but not pictured: okra, potatoes, buckwheat, corn.
Wow Helen no wonder I haven’t talked to you in a while! hee hee. Looks beautiful and delicious.
Tell me about castor beans. Scott wants to grow them to get rid of the moles…
I am making terrariums to sell at the Farmer’s Market!
Oh Helen, I could spend days going through your garden. It’s so amazingly big so early! Michigan gardens are just getting started. I’m so excited because I decided to make a few raised garden boxes on the back of our house (it’s all we’re really allowed to do in our homeowner association), and I can’t wait to get them in. We have to be happy now with 3 tomato plants and 2 bean plants. What a beautiful garden. Do you think we can grow sweet potatoes here?
Jane - would you believe that I’ve spent more time harvesting than anything else? Mulch mulch mulch is my mantra!
Merrill - Castor beans are super easy to grow from seed but have super toxic seeds so many people w/ kids won’t grow them. The seeds are so freaky looking that I can’t imagine anyone thinking that they would be good to eat - they look more like a psychedelic cockroach than a seed. I don’t know anything about using them against moles.
Angie - I wish you could come over and see my garden! I think you can grow sweet potatoes - you’ll just have to get a variety that grows well in a short season. And your HOA would probably give you the yard of the month award, they are a really beautiful ornamental vine!