Friday, August 7, 2015

How the Garden Grows

I haven't posted about my garden in a while, but it's growing.  I had to pull all my zucchini and summer squash due to vine borers, but I have other things that are doing well.

The sunflower below is pretty special.  Pierce brought it home in a tiny cup as a mother's day gift when he was in kindergarten.  I planted it in the garden, and for whatever reason it has come back bigger and better every year since.  This year it was probably 9 feet tall.


I have some other flowers around the house that are also doing well.  I thought these were really pretty.

I have had good luck with the tomatoes this year.  I have some heirlooms that are marvelous.  This batch I dehydrated with sea salt and basil (also from my garden).

These little sunburst tomatoes are my favorites!  The boys love them too - I leave them on the counter and they munch on them all day long.  Pierce will go down to the garden and just stand there, eating them right off the plant.  I don't spray them, so I guess it doesn't matter that he does this.

I also have butternut squash (pictured below) growing, as well as cushaw squash.  And I have some limas that are almost ready to harvest. 
I have replanted lettuce, spinach, beets, and peas, in hopes I will get more before the first frost.
Readers, how is garden season going for you?

19 comments:

The Cranky said...

Love that sunflower, I'd like to plant some along one of our fences next year. Which heirloom tomato did you grow??

Sunnybrook Farm said...

That nice rain last night will help things grow. I got fall greens and beets planted this week so maybe they will get a start before things dry and get hot. Only a couple of ripe tomatoes so far, lots of green roma to turn into sauce. Pierce won't like the imported tomatoes when he gets one, I don't eat them as fresh out of the garden is wonderful.

Out on the prairie said...

Nice harvests coming, love the sunflower.I canned tomato juice yesterday.I am anxious for my okra to get going.

Endah Murniyati said...

Lovely harvest! I like your zinnia and sunflower, they are so beautiful.

TexWisGirl said...

glad most is doing well for you. i like that returning sunflower. :)

Alica said...

That sunflower is gorgeous! They always make me smile...so cheery looking. I'm jealous of your limas...that's what my family likes the best from the garden, but due to back issues, I didn't plant anything that I had to bend over and pick (in rows) this year. I might have to buy some at the produce auction so we have some for the winter.

Sally said...

Everything looks so good, Lisa! I've never, ever seen those little tomato's!

I've only tried sunflowers once, and now I think I know why they didn't take. Next time I'll try Pierce's method of a seed in a cup. :)

xoxo

Debby@Just Breathe said...

It all looks delicious. I had trouble with tomatoes this year.

Anonymous said...

We are garden twins! I grow those tomatoes and tall sunflowers, too! And vine borers destroyed my pumpkins--every darn year they get something squashy-no matter how hard I try to stave them off.

Unknown said...

As a kid, the Sunflower was my favorite! My Grandmother's tomato's were always sweet. Hope you enjoy some butternut squash soup soon!

Unknown said...

I am a day late in commenting, but your garden looks wonderful.

Harry Flashman said...

The food you raise always looks so delicious. One of the things I enjoy about reading blogs written by women is that they often write about their gardens and then show the nice meals they make with what they grow.

Montanagirl said...

LOVE your happy Sunflower! and The rest look very inviting!

Lin said...

Don't you love a warm tomato right off the plant?! There is nothing better. They just taste better when they are warmed by the sun.

An Apel a Day said...

We had green beans, peas, strawberries, and that's it this year.

Gauri said...

Such a great garden... the yellow tomatoes are a visual treat :) Its so sweet of your son to gift you a sunflower on Mother's day :) Lovely clicks there

Eat To Live said...

My garden did pretty well for all the rain we had early on. My zucchini is about done with but I got a lot of zucchini from it

Anonymous said...

Gosh those tomatoes look yummy! I got my raised beds in this year but not planted. Looking forward to next spring/summer/fall for full beds of veggies of all sorts! I'm thinking about a dehydrator... I see you have one... what are your thoughts on using one to preserve certain foods for the winter?

Hugs for now,
Beth P

Anonymous said...

Great garden! The tomatoes look so delicious. We don't have a veg. garden this summer; thankfully, we live close to a farmer's market that has orchards: peach, apple, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and grapes. We are really spoiled and dread fall/winter!!! lol
Wishing you guys a nice weekend. Mildred