This growing season is over. I noticed that the temperature this morning was 46 so I know that things are cooling off quickly. In one weekend, the air was much crisper and the breeze nearly earned a scarf around my neck as I made coffees at the Purple Moose. (I will definitely consider it this weekend.)

But before the cooler air this weekend I spent a warm afternoon in the yard. I picked some kohlrabi, some peas, onions and took one rhubarb plant down to the dirt. I also tore out some slug infested marigolds that I was tired of looking at. I still have more work to do to prepare for winter, but I got started and I always try to enjoy and blooms until they literally freeze. Then they go in the trash. I think I may have a few weeks left before I put up the planter boxes and pull everything out of the garden.

The leaves have begun to turn, the fireweed is red and the mountains are beatiful. I really want to do a hike before it snows. I think I will go take some photos of those mountains!!

Excitement and Disappointment

I have seen some beautiful gardens around town, flowers and vegetables blooming and growing. I am just a bit envious because mine just really sucked this year. I don't use this word a lot. I don't want the boys to hear me and repeat it, but it is the only thing I can come up with. I didn't grow much, the broccoli got root maggots, only a few lettuces germinated, it rained too much and my dirt was either soggy and puddley or dry from all the wind. Sucky.

Honestly, I am okay with it. I had a lot of fun. My hubby built my beautiful planter boxes and picked up loads of dirt for me. The boys kept their distance and didn't play in them or trample anything:) I learned a lot and got some good advice from friends. Even though everything is not done growing, summer is over...the summer we never had! and I am already looking forward to next spring to get going on this project again. Here are a few things I will do differently or in addition to:

1. Mix Potting Soil, Steer Manure and Coffee Grounds into the beds before I plant.

2. Use Miracle Grow Seed Starter.

3. Use plastic trays not the pressed paper seed starters.

4. Purchase more starters from Jacobson's. I really liked this greenhouse and everything I buy there does well/did well. Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Zucchini, Lettuce, Strawberries. Early May.

5. Look for a Mini Greenhouse for my own starts. Peas, Lettuce, Onions.

6. Prep Raspberry and Strawberry beds.

7. Plant Marigolds in both veggie beds.

8. Work on my Perennial plans...I have a lot of big ideas for lanscaping around the house!

I will take more pictures soon when the end is nearer and I have something to show for all of my work:)

July Photos

End of June

Well, this has been quite an adventure. My confidence has gone up and down like a riding a roller coaster as I have watched my transplanted onions, zucchini, lettuce, broccoli and peas poop out on me and then perk up again.

The zucchini failed and I pulled it out, fluffed up my dirt and added some potting soil to help hold moisture. Just yesterday I planted new seeds and covered them with some plastic to help keep them warmer. We have had a horrible June. A lot of wind, rain and cold temps have visited this month. Plenty of friends have told me that me garden has felt the effects and it has not just been my doing.

I also replanted my lettuce seeds right in the garden. I believe I saw some sprouts yesterday, but not in every place I planted. I don't think I will use the same seeds next year, the seeds I planted inside didn't germinate either. And the neither did the spinach.

But the broccoli, peas and kholrabi starts I planted are doing great. I am really happy with my first attempt at a garden and have some ideas and tips to try next spring. Now I just have to get out there with my camera and say some more prayers! :)

Visual Progress...I have SPROUTS!!

The zucchini sprouts are their favorite.

I have some very curious boys... who are so very helpful!

Procrastination or Divine Intervention?

I need to find out if there is a Saint I can pray to for my garden. (I will google that right after I finish this post.) I have been feeling a bit of guilt for planting my seeds what I thought may had been too late. But this afternoon the clouds rolled in and while it smelled like rain, there are some wet snowflakes falling outside my window. Actually, this is the second Spring snow in the last couple of weeks so I think God is saying it is okay and those little seeds will be just fine.

With everything going on in my family, remember that I have 4 little boys, a husband and a geriatric dog, I know that those plants are not going to make it into the ground the first week of June. And with this weather? Maybe they aren't supposed to be! So I have about 5 weeks or so to get the planter boxes built and the ground ready and the final decision of where on earth to plant everything!! And that is the most difficult part...where to put my garden??? Oh, and I need to find a place with some good dirt to order. I am going to need a couple a pick-up truck loads for the boxes, to fill the retaining wall for my ferns, and to till into the back area behind the shed for my Raspberry bushes that will be coming soon.

So I am off to google the Saints!!
p.s. I have Broccoli sprouts today. Are they supposed to be fuzzy or is that mold? Hmmmm...

Denali Seeds

PEAS- Olympia
Short Vines, Yeilds Double Pods

ZUCCHINI- Black Beauty OP
Mid Season OP Variey

BROCCOLI- Green Sprouting Calabrese
Early Heirloom Variety

LETTUCE- Salad Bowl
Leaf

SPINACH- Bloomsdale Long Standing
Bolt Resistant OP Variety

CARROTS- Tendersweet
Late, Very Sweet Nearly Coreless

ONIONS- Evergreen Bunching
Hardy Bunching Onions over long season

Two Jiffy Trays.
15 plants each
Planted 4/19/10