Monday, May 23, 2011

Growing Garden - The Veggies

Hi Y'all - Paula's back...=)

Our veggies are growing fast!  We are having storms and rain today, so the veggies will probably shoot up overnight.  Rain water is so great.  Jennifer and I are considering getting a rain barrel.  Do any of y'all have one?  And if so, do you like it?  Is it easy to use?  Is it worth the effort and money?

Container gardening for veggies is something that I have tried before.  One year my squash  bloomed, but never produced any squash.  Last year we had 3 tomato plants in Topsy-Turvys and we only had one tomato.  The Topsy Turvy itself whitered in the heat and began to disintigrate.  Not worth the effort. 

Why do I keep trying?  I'm not sure.  We just want to eat healthy home grown veggies, even if it's just one "mess" of veggies!  This year I'm hoping will be different.  Don't know why - just hoping.  Corn in a container?!?  Well, we'll see how that goes!  If it doesn't work, I'll replant that container with something else and only the cost of the seed packet will be lost.  Noble is calling it popcorn!  Makes me laugh.  Maybe we'll entice the proper bugs in our yard to aid in pollination of blooms and such.   

Here are photos. Some plants will need to be thinned out and moved as they come up and begin growing. 

This basil actually came up from being planted last Summer. 
Cannot believe that it survived our cold, snowy Winter in a container!
 
Planted with the basil is cilantro.  It has not come up yet.  Still waiting.


Scallions.  I've never grown these before! 
Hoping they appear before long or I may not grow them now!


Little tiny spinach is peeking through the soil.

Sweet Peppers!  These will be chopped and frozen if not used fresh.


Squash - yellow & zucchini.  I'm guessing that some of these plants won't survive. 
If they all make it, a larger container will be needed!



We love green beans!  Hoping we get lots!  

The okra is for Jennier.  If okra likes hot temps, this should be the place for it!


Radishes - we really do know how to spell it!  =)
Looks like some thinning will be required. 
The seeds weren't all dumperd in one spot, but it looks that way! 
The other half of this container has carrots.


Tomato plants. 
One plant already had three little tomatoes on it when it was planted. 
I am a smart girl!
Do y'all pinch off the lower leaves of your tomato plants?
A photo of the platform that I built and the blue containers from Dollar General!
You can get a sense of the size of our yard, although the pool area looks a little skewed.
To the right of the pool is a small patio area and that't it!
The containers have tomatoes, radishes, carrots, green beans and sweet corn.

We'll see how everything grows.  Containers on concrete are difficult because they must be watered every day.  I'm trying to think of an inexpensive way to have some kind of irrigation system that could get water to each pot.  Any ideas?  Would love to hear them!

Had planned to paint furniture today, but we are having storms.  Need to sand and I hate to do that in a closed garage.  Such a mess!  Maybe later on this afternoon or tomorrow.  Won't complain about the rain.  Our areas needs it. 

Do you plant veggies?  What is your best growing one?  What's your favorite?  Do any of you container garden?  Do you have any tips or suggestions? 

Hope all of you are having a good day!  Let us know what you are doing!

4 comments:

Cindy @ Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home said...

You've got some great plantings there! I have learned that for me...if I plant in a pot, even if it does have drainage hole, I put a shard over the hole and a layer of pebbles on the bottom...this really seems to help things from staying too "wet" but they do stay moist longer. Won't it be so exciting to eat all of your goodies!!!
Happy Monday.
Cindy

High Street Cottage said...

Paula, those Veggies are lookin' good! Three is something about growing your own vegetables, having your own garden that just makes you feel as though, you can accomplish anything. I think it's a real stress reliever too. Great job.
On the chalk board clothes pins, nope, they're available at JCPenney's

stefanie said...

I was going to plant, but procrastanation!!! hahaha, yours are growing so good.
thanks for the sweet comment, the flowers are called Lobelia.

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