Friday, July 1, 2011

Garden Update 7-1-11 ** Vines everywhere

It has been about a month since my last garden update. Now all 5 varieties of beans are producing, I have been harvesting corn for a week, I'm getting about 5-10 pounds of tomatoes per week, My cucumbers are producing 8-10 pounds per week, not counting the Armenian Snake melons that taste like cucumbers.  I have also harvested a couple of Charentais melons.

My melon bed has doubled in size because of the vigor of the vines.  The squash vines are still producing, My tomato vines range from 4' tall for the short one to 8'  tall for the tall one.  My cucumber vines are maxed out on their trellis and still trying to climb. My grape vines are finally starting to catch up and grow vigorously.






























2 comments:

  1. Amazing garden!! Don't think I could be anymore jealous! This is my first year planting from seeds and I am having a heck of a time with all the heat we have seen in Virginia lately. Wilts everywhere :( Perhaps you could post some "how tos" on how you keep your garden so lush and happy??!!

    Best of luck!!

    -Katy

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will make a post in the next few weeks on what I'm doing, but for the most part it is deep mulch, tolerating a few bad spots on veggies till the good bugs can out number the bad ones, and allowing plants to go to seed to attract good bugs and bees. I have not used any fertilizers or bug sprays, even organic ones. I have picked off a few tomato horn worms and cut out some squash vine borers, but not much else.

    If you see your plants wilting in mid day, then water them then. Science has proven that it will not harm them, and that it is not normal for plants like squash, melons, okra, tomatoes, and cucumbers to wilt in the day as a defense strategy. It means their roots are not finding enough water. So give them some right away, then later in the afternoon, so that there is less evaporation, set up a sprinkler and let it run till it fills a 5 gallon bucket 1" deep. This kind of deep watering is what plants need, not frequent shallow waterings. There is no truth to water droplets burning plants in the sun. The shape of the drop diffuses the light not concentrates it.

    Also some recommended reading:
    How to have a green thumb without an aching back http://wouldieatitagainfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/nature-does-not-need-compost-piles.html

    Gardening without work

    Lasagna gardening

    Holy Shit
    http://wouldieatitagainfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/holy-shit.html
    http://wouldieatitagainfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/all-flesh-is-grass-book-review.html

    The contrary farmer's invitation to gardening
    http://wouldieatitagainfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/contrary-farmers-invitation-to.html

    Gaia's Garden
    http://wouldieatitagainfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/gaias-garden-book-review.html

    and anything on permaculture including Forest Gardening Vol. I & II and Perennial Vegetables.

    ReplyDelete