Gardeners: how's it looking?

[Puget]

Eggplants and a few pepper seeds have germinated now, and all tomatoes are up and starting to get their first true leaves. Meant to start peas this weekend but ran out of time, so will need to do that sometime during the week.

I did finish assembling the planter beds and arch, and it looks really nice! Looking forward to warmer weather to set up my outdoor living room.

Rescued the lavender, chive, and some kale. Also transplanted a couple new raspberry canes. Hope it all survives.

Now to source some box planters and start over.

I'm gonna try to sprout a tamarind, also.

I've gotten all my planters and raised beds here-- A bit pricy, but high quality and a good company: https://www.gardeners.com

[Parasaurolophus]

I've gotten all my planters and raised beds here-- A bit pricy, but high quality and a good company: https://www.gardeners.com

Thanks! There's a lot there that I covet...

[AmLitHist]

I finished planting my 4 hanging baskets and 2 whiskey barrels on the front porch, and the flower boxes on our little back patio yesterday evening. They look nice!

[Puget]

Itching to spend all my time in the garden including finishing transplanting all my starts outside, but work has been preventing me alas. Plotting to maybe take half a day tomorrow for the garden since I'm losing Sunday to commencement.

[lightning]

late start this summer

I finally got around to weeding the garden. It looks nice. I've got bigger problems, however, as gophers seem to be invading my lawn.

[Puget]

Oh dear lightening, what does one do about gopher invasions? I've never lived anyplace that had them.

My garden is looking good so far. All my starts have survived and are growing and looking healthy.

I think I now have just the right amount of growing space (something I'll have to remind myself of when I'm tempted to buy yet more raised beds next year!). I've been really enjoying the new "outdoor room" I've created with raised planters and arches, and have been working out there a fair amount now that I can work from home most days.

[AmLitHist]

Today I sowed flower seeds, planted dahlias, glads, and lilies in the raised beds; I also demolished the catnip jungle that had taken over the herb bed (left one nice plant), planted garlic, and sowed dill and basil seeds there. If/when it all grows in, it will look nice. 

I'm going to see if they have any half-price bulbs left at Home Depot tomorrow. The ones I planted today were really nice, and I have one more raised bed to fill, and can always find space to stick a few more into other places.

We have moles. Last summer we managed to trap some and drive the others off to the neighbors' yards; the last few weeks, though, they're back with a vengeance, in our yard and throughout the neighborhood. I'm really watching myself when I walk through the yard, lest I step wrong and break something else!

I'm beat. But at least it's all done, and most won't need much cleanup once I'm off my feet in the fall. Hopefully I'll also have a steady supply of cut flowers into the fall as well.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

My ginger, turmeric and lemongrass are growing!!! Tomatoes, peppers, peas, carrots, pumpkins, persimmons and many other things are growing! I'm sooooo excited!

[AmLitHist]

My on-again, off-again war with squirrels is back on with a vengeance.  Little bastards have been digging around the lily bulbs and dahlias I put out last week, with one dahlia tuber lying on the ground by the hole. ALHS helped me put down chicken wire over the plantings, and I covered the areas with mothballs for good measure.  We'll see.

[FishProf]

If you don't get a lot of rain, you can use cracked black pepper (walking on the pepper irritates their feet and they hate the smell) or used coffee grounds (dislike the smell and texture- no digging)

[poiuy]

Thank you for those tips Fishprof.

I have lived over 20 years in this house.  It's surrounded by trees - good for the planet but not great for gardeners. Just a few years ago some trees in the neighbor's house came down. We now have a teeny tiny patch that gets just enough sun for a few tomato plants.

In our mostly shady lot, we have a bed where some herbs do well - thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and basil annuals.  In this same bed we have planted lettuce - the moment it comes up some critter makes off with it. Nothing else grows other than the herbs I mentioned.  Not even cilantro.

I have a few pots with annual chilli peppers. Indoors in a sunny area I have a few tropical plants including what's called cuban oregano, occasional ginger, moringa, and curry leaf (murraya koenigii).

I fondly recall our prior house with a large sunny bed where we could walk between the plantings and grow okra, chillies, tomatoes galore, and other goodies. Oh well, maybe in the retirement home.

Just yesterday spouse went out in the dusk to search for something, picked up the turned-over wheelbarrow and there was a very large copperhead underneath it. He quietly replaced the barrow and retreated rapidly to the house. Myself and son had been in that spot several times in the last few days, wearing sandals, picking up things from deep leaf and creepers and other things on the ground with bare hands.  Two dogs - Jack Russells no less - wander all around the yard every day.  We have all had lucky escapes. Hopefully snake will relocate itself and hope it wasn't scouting a location to lay eggs.

We need to clean the yard up soonest, long overdue.

[AmLitHist]

I'll try the black pepper--it can't hurt!  In the past I've used cayenne (which the local squirrels apparently thought was a nice seasoning for the bulbs) and mothballs on top of the ground (Which I think they used to play volleyball with; I've actually seen them pick up the balls and run off to bury them).

[Puget]

How ARE everyone's gardens looking?

I've harvested my first tomatoes this week - just an handful ripe so far, but they are heavy with green ones.
Basil is thriving and I've been making lots of pesto.
Raspberries are just starting.
First cucumbers and zucchini are probably a week away from harvest.
I've got some baby peppers and eggplant. I got a late start with the green beans but they are looking good and have buds.

Peas and greens are basically done (too hot). Strawberries are done for now (they are ever-bearers but take a rest after the first heavy harvest in June).

My bush cherries that I planted four years ago produced their first crop this year and I've been turning it into jam and canning. If you find yourself in possession of sour cherries, do yourself a favor and make this: https://pomonapectin.com/cherry-almond-jam/ Good sourdough + cream cheese + this jam is honestly a transcendent experience.

[Kron3007]

My garden is doing great this year.  I did a lot of mulching this season, so I have actually managed to stay on top of the weeds for once.  I am usually good about getting my garden started, but dont manage to keep on top of weeding.   Seems to be making a big difference so far.  I think the unusually hot and wet spring has also helped jump start some of the crops.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

We have been harvesting blueberries like nobody's business for about the past three weeks! Tomatoes are coming in, basil, parsley, bell peppers, jalapenos, a few raspberries, blackberries (they're done now), corn is coming in, and tons more. Oh! And our persimmons are growing too!