2012 Garden Report 1

Since is seems that the garden season is starting early this year, I guess the weekly garden report will, too. We may make it bi-weekly until the season gets in full swing.

Not a whole lot to talk about right now. The garden has had it’s first official till, but will be tilled again before planting tiime. The sprouts are doing well in the window sill. Well, except for the ones that cat dumped out before he was hit with water from the spray bottle. You know, the one that says, ” GET DOWN FROM THERE!” He hasn’t been back up there since (that I know of). A good squirt bottle is a necessity around here for more reasons than one.

Outside the herb garden is going well. In the picture below…..the plant in the front is oregano.

Behind it to the left is thyme and to the right is chives. The plant in the very back I thought might be flat leaf parsley, it turns out it is just weeds and has since been removed.

The garlic is doing well considering it was planted over a year ago, before I realized it should be planted in the fall and harvested the following summer (remember this is my first experience with garlic). I will be harvesting it this summer and saving some of it to plant in the fall.

So how is your garden growing?

Happy Monday!

TFP 😉

2011 Garden Report 11

We’ve got watermelon!

Notice I said “watermelon” and not “watermelonS”?

There are a few still out there that are not ready yet. Only one has been ready to eat. The one that was ready earlier split wide open and spoiled before I found it. Hopefully we’ll be able to eat the others.

Do you know how you tell when a watermelon is ready to pick?

Those little curly runners (or tendrils) that reach out and grab things are how you tell. If the runner closest to the watermelon has died, it’s ready to pick. I was never sure exactly when to pick before but I had read this somewhere and decided to try it out this year and it is right on the money.

Did you also notice that it has been cut in quarters? And that one of those quarters was missing from the picture?

I tasted it while I was cutting it and couldn’t wait for pictures. I grabbed a bowl and a fork and before I realized it, it was gone. LOL It was absolutely delicious!!!

Don’t worry, I did share the rest with the other farm residents. But it was tough not to hide it and eat it all myself. You can bet I am saving seeds from this one.

Man, was it ever sweet!

The original seeds are seeds that my Dad had saved. And I thought of Dad and his watermelon seeds with every bite I took.

I have also harvested a few herbs. In this picture is mint, basil and oregano.

I promise, the oregano is hiding in there somewhere.

I hung them up to dry and then crumbled the leaves up to store in a mason jar.

AFTER the crumbling, I did read that you should leave the leaves whole until ready to use. Oh well, I’ll remember that for the next harvest.

I will use the oregano more than anything else. I make garlic bread when we have a pasta dish and I sprinkle the oregano on the bread just before baking.

I cannot wait to taste the difference between the store bought oregano that I have used for years and the fresh oregano.

Do you grow herbs? If so, tell me your tried and true ways to use them.

Happy Monday!

TFP 🙂

2011 Garden Report 7

This week is an update on the herb garden.

If you’re wondering what that thing is at the bottom right….

It’s the lid to a plastic container, that I no longer have, that I put some river rocks in and add water each time I water the herb garden area. It’s there for the birds and other critters that need water.

So far, “most” of the herb garden is doing well. Some things are not.

For instance, the rosemary never sprouted. Neither did the daisies.

Dill – seems to be doing well. I can’t help but think it would do better outside of this pot it’s growing in. If I remember correctly it gets rather tall when grown in a garden area.

Cilantro – I’ve never seen this grown before, but it looks about the same as what I seen at the grocer. So I’ll say it’s doing well.

Chives – not much of it sprouted. And what did doesn’t seem to be doing well.

Oregano – this sprouted from being planted in this planter box last year. Seems to be getting rather spindly. Maybe it needs to be where it gets more sun.

Thyme – I’ve never seen this grown before either. It looks as if it’s doing well. What’s your opinion?

Basil – this is probably the most healthy plant in the herb garden.

Mint – this is very healthy, too. It quickly outgrew its pot and had to be transplanted to a larger pot. I’ve heard that mint spreads very quickly and will take over the garden. I’ll be keeping it in a container of some sort!

And a couple of things that are growing here that are not herbs.

Forget Me Not – seeds sent to me by Darla after the passing of my brother.

Thank you, Darla!

Peach Tree – peach trees were planted on the farm after the passing of my Mother, Father and Brother. One of them had sprouts coming up from the roots of it. Not wanting the sprouts growing, I began pulling them up. This one came out with its roots. So I put it in a recycled flower pot with some dirt and began watering. It seems to be doing just fine. YAY!

If you have any suggestions, ideas or advice about any of these, since I am new to herb gardening, please add in the comment section. There may be others who are interested, too.

That’s it for the herb garden update.

Tomorrow I will have a couple of questions about some things I’m having problems with.

Stop in and share your seasoned expertise!

Happy Monday!

TFP 🙂