How Does Your Garden Grow? Part 3

[Butterflyrose]

Garden Talk continues! How is your garden growing? What is growing and what grows best in your garden?

Please share tips and ideas that will help our gardens be bountiful!

We'd love to see pics of your garden too!

[Butterflyrose]

I checked my gardens this morning. I spotted the first flowers on some of the tomato plants...so excited! That tiny 'lil cabbage plant (only had one seed) is doing so well! Cantaloupe vines have flowers too!

On Tuesday, I picked some basil leaves and tried them on a tuna sandwich. A poof of freshness with nearly every bite!

What's happening in your garden?

[Nova55]

My husband decided to plant some vegetables this year. Most of the time his gardens are disasters - doesn't water it enough, doesn't pull weeds, doesn't pay attention to soil needs, etc. Well, a lot of the first planting didn't make it. The second, though, did come through pretty well. Right now we mainly have butternut squash and tomatoes (we already ate the peas, beans, and cantaloupe). The cantaloupe was fantastic! I'm so tired of the store bought ones tasting like chemicals. And I really wasn't a tomato fan until I tasted these - they are sooo good! Now I know what my mom was talking about when she said there was nothing like a vine-ripened tomato. So, do any of you have any recipes for butternut squash?

[LI Roe]

Have already picked more tomatoes and some cubanelle peppers. The bells are very slowly coming out. I hope they pop out more, waiting to make stuffed peppers.

Ooh, never thought of basil on tuna. Basil is growing nicely, guess I know what I am having for lunch tomorrow.

LI Roe

[ILikeCrochet]

I don't have a green thumb. Wish i had a garden or at least soil that forgave my negligence.

[LI Roe]

[QUOTE=ILikeCrochet;93843]I don't have a green thumb. Wish i had a garden or at least soil that forgave my negligence.[/QUOTE]

Not sure what kind of room you may have but did you ever consider container pots? I used to put the veggies in the ground and in container pots but after he passed, I had too many so I just kept the container pots and I put the veggies in there. Before we bought our house, we had an second floor apartment with a balcony and we had the pots outside on it. You really don't need a green thumb, they come up just fine. I keep my pots behind my garage since it is kind of an unused space and they are doing very nicely. Any large flower pot will do also. Just a thought.

LI Roe

[Butterflyrose]

~Lee~, Freshly grown veggies are truly the best! Thanks for sharing how your garden is growing! I'm so glad your garden is producing so nicely! As a fairly new cook, I usually google recipes to use.

LI ROE, your veggies sound mouth-watering! Congrats on their production! I have to use that basil some way 'cuz I'm not intending to make sauce any time soon. I enjoy food and I'm adventurous enough to try using veggies and seasonings in an unconventional way!

ILikeCrochet, yes try container gardening! This is my first year growing veggies in containers. Use organic garden soil and regular potting mix, mix it together and plant your seeds or plants. I also used potting soil/fertilizer mix for some of them. I am using large garden pots and flower pots. My plants are growing well and look quite healthy. It will give you such a sense of accomplishment to watch your veggies or flowers grow. Please try it! I also have an in-ground garden and a new one waiting to be planted.

[Lili]

All your gardens sound wonderful and so much nice produce. It sounds like I probably put my veggies in later than some of you did. I do have a couple tiny zucchini and one summer squash. Lots of green peppers are growing. Many yellow blossoms on the cukes but none to eat yet!!! Tomato still looks a bit sick but am hoping. Shirley

[Butterflyrose]

Shirley/Lili, your garden sounds wonderful! Wow! You have veggies growing! Soon those veggies will be on your table!

I am waiting to see my first veggie or cantaloupe. Patiently, I will wait! I do have basil leaves to harvest. I am so thankful!

[Lili]

Bev: Can you dry or freeze basil to have later in the winter? Shirley