Gardening season

I started my summer garden a couple of weeks ago, starting with summer squash

Yesterday I added an herb garden

And finished the large raised bed in the front yard (bush beans on the left are new)

And finally, some of the tomatoes. Love these super pots to augment the raised beds.

Gardening in early May

Clearly the summer squash are thriving. Saw some blossom beginnings while watering yesterday!

Tomatoes are also coming along. They seem to like the new space better than last year. I think they get more sun, a good thing. These are the cherry tomato, Early Girl and Mortgage Lifter, respectively.

The bush beans, eggplant and bell peppers are growing.

And the new addition to the garden this weekend is corn. Varying heights from two different purchased starts are all Golden Bantem. Then I started some more from Renee's Garden Casino (an early sweet corn). These were planted two seeds to a section in three six packs. I hope to plant a couple more six packs in a couple of weeks.

Veggie gardening

this is the second year I have been trying to grow veggies in my raised beds. Got a little earlier start this year, hope it helps. Last weekend I planted tomatoes, summer squash, bell peppers, eggplant, bush beans and peas.

Dinner ideas needed!

I am trying to get back into, stay into, cooking from scratch. Better for me, just hard to do sometimes. When the garden is actually producing food, I will need to cook from it! Just what is in the garden? When in the height of its production, more than we can possibly eat, so I will also be learning to preserve the output. Specifically, 5 kinds of tomatoes (2 medium sized, 3 cherry/grape varieties), several kinds of summer squash, also several kinds of winter squash, pumpkin, cucumber, green beans (bush and pole), bell pepper, eggplant, kale, and lettuce. More to plant, and actually still have room to plant a bit. I want to start some fennel and maybe some carrots. Need to check the when it’s a good time to start various veggies, and pick a few more.
Meanwhile, what to cook now? When I get home, take care of the garden a bit, and then start to cook dinner, I need something quick. Last night was butternut squash (pricked, microwaved for 2 minutes, removed, cut in half, seeds removed, peeled, cut into chunks and steamed, then mashed, served with butter if desired), and Tilapia on a bed of greens with homemade lemon, honey, low sodium soy sauce, dash of sesame oil (and some other stuff) dressing. Squash cooked while I watered, then the fish was super simple and quick.
Night before was a summer squash frittata and toast.
Tonight? Who knows!

Putting in a vegie garden

I haven't had a vegetable garden for many years, but decided that now was a good time to renew that endeavor. With the new front yard we got a 4’ by 8’ raised bed, then DH and I took a garden design class and he built 4 more raised beds. I weeded, then we placed the bed where they will stay and put down landscape fabric and gorilla hair wood for paths and weed control, and filled the beds with topsoil and compost. Last weekend I took a summer vegetable gardening class at Love Apple Farm, and now I am trying to plant plants. So far, 4 tomatoes, a dozen strawberry plants, basil, parsley, mint (in its own pot) and dill. To go, lots. What with working, I don’t have that much time to devote to the garden. At least it is light for a while after I get home! Tomorrow will be bell peppers, eggplant and summer squash. The winter squash will be later, and hopefully it will have enough time to grow to maturity. Next year I will start seeds in February!