Most of the garden is in!

I have been dragging my feet on finishing the garden. I am great at procrastinating. But when my wonderful husband, who was not feeling good, tilled up the small garden for me, I went ahead and put more seeds in the ground. Guess what? It wasn't bad at all! Even with the wind.

I am switching things around from the big garden to the small. Just because I felt like it. HAHA. So the small garden has tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, pumpkins and spaghetti squash. Bordered on two sides with calendulas. (marigolds)

The big garden has cabbage,beets, kale, spinach, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, herbs, garlic,onions, beans cantaloupe and popcorn. I might add more to the big garden as there is still a lot of empty spaces. Not sure what though.

So that is the latest around here.

Have a great day!

Leat

Almost Ready

I am almost ready to tackle the garden again. Almost.

I have my seeds inventoried, I just need to figure out my layout. I want to put things closely together in groups to help keep weeds down. I also have an area of the big garden that gets less sun than the rest, so I need to put more shade loving things there.

I guess I'm waiting for the weather to be just a tad warmer and out of night frost danger. I also am waiting because once I put the seeds in the ground, I'll be committed to watering or having the kids water regularly. Lazy sounding, I know.

I am usually so excited every spring to get the garden going. Then come the rains, followed closely by the weeds.

My plan of attack this year will be mulch. If it doesn't get blown away.

I am kind of excited to try some new things this year. My attempt at herbs last year failed miserably. This year I'll try putting them in the big garden where the soil is not clay. I'm also excited about growing cabbage and making our own sauerkraut. Kale, different lettuces, beets, and the usual tomatoes, peppers, squash, corn and beans.

Leat

Garden Fever

I've come down with a serious case this year. Hoping and praying the garden in my reality will somewhat resemble the garden in my head!

The garlic we planted last fall is doing well. It is nice to see the little bit of green in the sea of brown.

We have several tomatoes and peppers starting to sprout indoors. All of my herbs in the kitchen widow have also sprouted! This is my first time to start things from seed inside. They have a long way to go till they look like the plants we saw for sale at Dillons last night. But I know it will be worth the wait.

I am also trying several new things this year. I want to plant a few rows of wheat just for fun. Pretend I live in Bible times or be the Little Red Hen and "do it my self" With the boys help of course! Also I want to plant some pinto beans and see what happens.

We also have the usual wonderful things. Corn, green beans, squash, cantaloupe, potatoes, popcorn,carrots and others I can't think of right now.

Today I'll have the boys help me plant potatoes. We'll also see if we can get an avocado to root by sticking toothpicks in the middle and letting the bottom half sit in a cup of water.

Happy Gardening!

Leat

Bread and Butter Pickles

Bri said at the beginning of the gardening season, "Plant lots of cucumbers, I love cucumbers"! So we did. Because of this I have since made two batches of bread and butter pickles for a combined total of 15 1/2 pints of pickles sitting prettily on the shelf downstairs.

Here is the recipe and pictures.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Canning and Preserving

4 qts sliced medium cucumbers (about 4 1/2 pounds)
8 medium white onions,sliced (about2 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup pickling salt
3 cloves garlic,halved
cracked ice
4 cups sugar
3 cups cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed



1. In a large bowl combine cucumbers,onions,salt,and garlic. Add about 2 inches of cracked ice. Refrigerate for 3 hours;drain well. Remove garlic.

2. In an 8 or 10 qt dutch oven or kettle combine sugar,vinegar,mustard seed,turmeric,and celery seed. Add drained mixture.



3. Bring to boiling. Pack cucumber mixture and liquid into hot,clean pint canning jars,leaving 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles,wipe jar rims,and adjust lids. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing after water begins to boil).



4. Remove jars from canner;cool on racks. Makes 7 pints.



Have a great day!

Leat

Garden Update

Thought I would share some pictures of our garden and some landscaping. We have harvested a few things so far, but from the looks of the blossoms on the plants, we'll be super busy in a few more weeks!

The hostas love thier new home after being transplanted last fall.


Black eyed susans in the front of the house. These are Bri's favorites


Our siamese yellow squash


A bird's nest and eggs in the potatoe's


Cantaloup gone wild. (Now, some ten days later,you cannot even see the ground!)


Have a great day!

Leat

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Are you wearing green today? Watch out if you're not, my boys will pinch you!

Following another March 17 tradition, we are going to plant our potatoes today. We are also going to plant onions for the first time.

Last Saturday I picked up some seed potatoes from the local Ace Hardware store. Luke and Jacob cut them into pieces making sure each one had an eye. They have been sitting on cookie sheets toughening up as the instructions said to do.

Yesterday Luke and Jacob tilled both the big garden bed and the small patch. Then we took up our shovels and spread the aged horse manure we had gotten on Saturday from a local horse riding place. Then that got tilled in and we are ready to garden!

The rest of the garden vegetables will wait a few more weeks I think. Last year I planted a little too early and we had a few cold nights.

Along with the potatoes and onions, we will plant:

big tomatoes,cherry tomatoes, jalapeno peppers,bell peppers,cucumbers,zucchini,broccoli,lettuce,snow peas,yellow squash,butternut squash,popcorn,green beans,pumpkin,and more garlic.

Have a great day!

Leat