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Summer Solstice


SpoonfulOSugar

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Well, happy solstice and full moon, World!  

The last couple of days have been some of the warmest of the season for us - highs in the mid to upper 80s.  I swear I could see the plants shaking off their doldrums and saying, "Summer?  Are you really here?  Oh, wrap me in your arms and make me yours!!!"

I realized that I really cannot see the progress everything is making because I am seeing it every day.  But we are getting finally into the legitimate growing season now, and things are "going."

I have 21 containers (various sizes) of tomatoes.  "What are you going to do with them all?" seems to be the dominant question.  But - you see - I'm accustomed to crop failure - so I am hedging my bets!

I have planted peas three times (actually also three different types).  They seem to be the only crop really happy with the current weather.  The bell peppers are in a whisky barrel; the hot peppers are staying in the greenhouse along with the okra.  I have two cedar planters, a Garden Tower, and a nice mix of other containers.  All of the house plants are out and mostly acclimated with the exception of the amaryllis (delayed by flowering) and the ginger (a new experiment that I do not know how to handle.)  I transplanted more herbs just last week, and I have a few more seedlings there that are slow growers.

I think I should mark an "x" on the pavement and try to take pictures same time/same angle more often.  When I try to make comparisons, I am not looking apples to apples because of the time of day.

Probably my next project ought to be making herbal vinegars.  We have so many options!

Here are some comparison shots:

Avocado comparison.jpg

This is an avocado - grown from refuse/pit - three?  years old.  It spent the summer out last year and put on lots of huge leaves - but just one stalk.  This summer, every node where those leaves were is growing an entire bunch.  I will be watching to see how it develops.

Garden Tower May to June.jpg

This is our garden tower - almost entirely herbs except for some beans on top.  Again, not quite exact on angles.  I may compare again on the 23rd.

And now, off to feed the hummingbirds!

 

 

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Karma

Posted

Isn't nature amazing. Great to see your plants growing in your long awaited warm weather :) 

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Grimalkin

Posted

    Gosh seeing your post makes me regret not planting any vegetables or herbs this year. I considerd renting a plot in our community garden. Maybe next year. I hope you get some beautiful tomatoes!

        I wanted to focus on getting my front yard looking nice. I am pretty happy with the results. Summer solstice means it's time to repot my house plants. I have scaled back to 23. I'm a bit of a plant hoarder.

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Ungodly Grandma

Posted

4 minutes ago, Grimalkin said:

    Gosh seeing your post makes me regret not planting any vegetables or herbs this year. I considerd renting a plot in our community garden. Maybe next year. I hope you get some beautiful tomatoes!

        I wanted to focus on getting my front yard looking nice. I am pretty happy with the results. Summer solstice means it's time to repot my house plants. I have scaled back to 23. I'm a bit of a plant hoarder.

Me too. It took me awhile to realize it. I remember standing on a chair in my grandmother's kitchen. She showed me how to prepare fruit and vegetables, and planted pieces of them. Grapefruit, a particular favorite, beans, green and lima, Potatoes, carrots, which will sprout from a cut end. Plants everywhere. I loved it. It was years later that my cousins complained she, and I, were plant hoarders. 

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SpoonfulOSugar

Posted

11 minutes ago, Grimalkin said:

    Gosh seeing your post makes me regret not planting any vegetables or herbs this year. I considerd renting a plot in our community garden. Maybe next year. I hope you get some beautiful tomatoes!

        I wanted to focus on getting my front yard looking nice. I am pretty happy with the results. Summer solstice means it's time to repot my house plants. I have scaled back to 23. I'm a bit of a plant hoarder.

I was counting last fall and I think I got to 32 house plants.  I actually have a spreadsheet for the garden and I started a list for the house, but I gave it up.

Mr. Spoon believes we should only raise "food" plants - he disavows plants for ornamentation.  So some plants get more love from him than others.  Some of mine are 20 years old and monstrous.

2 minutes ago, Ungodly Grandma said:

Me too. It took me awhile to realize it. I remember standing on a chair in my grandmother's kitchen. She showed me how to prepare fruit and vegetables, and planted pieces of them. Grapefruit, a particular favorite, beans, green and lima, Potatoes, carrots, which will sprout from a cut end. Plants everywhere. I loved it. It was years later that my cousins complained she, and I, were plant hoarders. 

We do green onions, celery, and a great part of the tomatoes were kitchen refuse.  I haven't done much with root crops this year, but I want to add those.  The ginger was started from a rhizome but it's not thriving - I think it might be better outside.

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Grimalkin

Posted

       This is the first year I ever really focused on gardening non edible plants. I plant a few flowers in pots on my stoop but that's it. My front was looking shabby, and I tend to be practical. I enjoyed it much more than I would of thought. I find it very satisfying pulling into my driveway and seeing the work Ihave done. We got cats in December and they love my plants. I got rid of my most toxic ones  and kept cuttings of my collection of different vining pothos and philos. They are all outside and I am figuring out new homes for them and trying to stick to plants safe for my cats. 

        If you make the herbal vinegars I hope you post about it! I am looking forward to seeing your garden's progress!

      @Ungodly Grandma what a nice memory to have. I would love a grapefruit tree! 

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Ungodly Grandma

Posted

Well, in NY they never grew to trees! But lovely dark green glossy leaves anyway.

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Jellybean

Posted (edited)

I love your herb tower! 

Like Grimalkin (love your username, btw - gobbolino has always been a great favourite of mine), I haven't planted anything much outside this year, which feels strange. It's lovely to be able to share in your beautiful garden, and imagine the warmth and sunshine, smells of fresh herbs and tomato leaves. Thank you!

ETA: We always have lots of blackberries and raspberries, and have made blackberry vodka a few times. It's great on its own, but I like it best added to a glass of prosecco - who needs kirsch?!

Edited by Jellybean
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SpoonfulOSugar

Posted

8 hours ago, Jellybean said:

I love your herb tower! 

Like Grimalkin (love your username, btw - gobbolino has always been a great favourite of mine), I haven't planted anything much outside this year, which feels strange. It's lovely to be able to share in your beautiful garden, and imagine the warmth and sunshine, smells of fresh herbs and tomato leaves. Thank you!

ETA: We always have lots of blackberries and raspberries, and have made blackberry vodka a few times. It's great on its own, but I like it best added to a glass of prosecco - who needs kirsch?!

The tower comes from somewhere in the Midwest - it's definitely an interesting contraption!  It was intended to be used a bit differently, but it worked out this way.  And it's lovely. :)

We had chokecherries last year, so I made chokecherry rum.  I haven't consumed much of it - it's great for a cough, but I haven't had many.

:)  Thanks to everyone who enjoyed my garden.  It really has been a long couple of months (such a slow start) and I'm so pleased that things are starting to look healthy!

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