Monday, August 2, 2010

Garden Updates

Blackberries ripening in some shade
Our Kumquat tree is really off this year, it's in full bloom now! Normally, they blossom in the spring, like the rest of the citrus. Perhaps it's related to it's big move 2 seasons ago. It could also be that it's liking the phosphorus and potassium from the chicken bones we buried back a few months ago.
A lot of figs ripening...  we have lots of june bugs flying around and landing to enjoy some of the fruits.
The Amish Paste tomatoes were a big success this year. Unfortunately, we didn't  purchase the wire meshes to keep the plant up, and it's looking tired and saggy now.
This bed is the mix-match bed right now. It was growing the daikon radishes until recently.  It's got nappa cabbage, radishes, bush bean plants, hyacinth bean plants, okra plants and cosmos.
This bed had the kabocha pumpkins, corn, beans and cucumbers. I took most of it out except for a few bean plants and the cucumber. The cucumbers are starting to look sickly now with powdery mildew. The bed is "littered" with the remains of the plants I yanked. It's keeping the soil moist until I'm ready to plant our next batch of garlic and alliums.
The Pepper bed is the healthiest looking bed right now
The herb garden is looking quite shaggy now.
The elephant head amaranth is starting to bloom

5 comments:

Mr. H. said...

I really like the way your herb bed is set up, a very nice design...so park-like.:) Your blackberries are about two weeks ahead of mine, I can't wait for ours to ripen up.

You asked about our acreage, we have approximately 13 acres and the gardens comprise around a half an acre of that. It keeps us very busy.:)

AJK said...

Thanks Mr H! Originally, this herb garden was a pond. My Mother thoughfully buried the pond so that my son who was a baby at the time, would not drown. Now that he's much older (nearly 7) we may dig it up again, move the herb garden to the front yard and eventually use this pond for aquaponics to raise tilapia. (I'm dreaming big here)

WOW! 13 acres and half of it a working farm?? That's incredible and envy-some! My property is about 1/5 of an acre with the house taking up at least half of the property, so we've got less than 1/10 of an acre to work with. I suppose the long growing season helps offset the lack of space.

Cindy said...

good to see your garden thriving! our fruit trees have been off this year too, our kumquat tree was packed with fruit then had another set of fruit that was still green in early spring I left to finish ripening, so now theres ripe kumquats and blossoms on the tree at the same time-in August to boot, weird. Our apple tree is blooming for the 2nd time as well, and theres apples on it already. Must be something with the weather.

AJK said...

Hi Cindy, thanks for dropping by, our apple trees both blossomed twice too! Strange...

-Janice

cards4ubylouise and other treasures said...

MMMMMMMMMM those blackberries look delicious!!!! Your garden is looking wonderful.