Squash

Summer squash

I talked about zucchini plants in a pot in a former post. Here they are!

We were waiting to see how they were doing. I decided to try them in containers, every year squash bugs would just destroy the plant from the roots. I am hoping the bugs live in the soil and won't find the plant, I used potting soil and compost from a nursery. I purchased 25 gallon pots made from degradable fabric containers on eBay. ( they were really cheap ) Zucchini need a lot of space. 

They are doing great for now and are about to bloom. I planted some Italian zucchini and some round zucchini, I like those to cook them stuffed in the oven.

Winter squash

I know it is hard to think of the fall while anxiously watching your tomato plants and wanting the fruit to be ready but you will be so happy to enjoy your winter squash!

This year we planted some “potimarron” or "potiron".  They are a gourd that kind of look like a pumpkin but the “meat” is quite different.  They preserve well too. We brought seeds back from France last year.

We are also planting butternut and acorn squash.

As they take up a lot of room we are planting only one plant of each kind, squash are insect-pollinated but they have the male and female flower parts in separate flowers on the same plant, insects transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers while going from flower to flower. Some people recommend to help them by hand-pollinating them but I will trust the bees.

It makes me come back to the idea of having a bee-hive.

Did you plant any squash ? Which ones ?

vertical growing

to maximize my growing space (when i grow up, i want to be like amy!), i'm doing my darndest to grow as many plants as possible vertically this year.  here are a few of my new vertical growing methods.

the first is a pea trellis that i constructed out of salvaged branches and some twine.  i tied the three branches together at the top and then ran a line of twine around the bottom between each branch. i then took about 4-6 pieces of twine on each "side" of the trellis and tied it from the top point to the line at the bottom.  pretty easy.  those peas are climbing up like gangbusters, can't wait for them to start producing!

the second is a simple hanging basket with two chard plants and one calendula plant. i have a couple other hanging baskets this year, but i need to get some more brackets to hang them from.  hanging baskets are a great way to save space, but remember to water them regularly as they tend to dry out pretty quickly.

the last of my vertical growing adventures (so far!) is the one i'm most proud of.  i came across this photo earlier in the spring, which was the inspiration for it, and later realized that there is also a similar photo in you grow girl.  i salvaged these large tomato and tuna cans from my neighborhood cafe's recycling bin (with their permission, of course), poked some holes in the bottom with a nail, and two holes on the side near the top.  i spray painted the outside and inside to pretty them up, and prevent rust.  i looped some coated steel wire though the two holes near the top and hung them on screws on the side of our garage.  i have basil, lobelia, chamomile, and orange mint planted in these four cans.  i have one more can waiting to be painted, and i'm hoping to collect a couple more as well. 

i have a few other vertical growing ideas up my sleeve for later in the summer once things really start growing.  it's just one more way to save space and fit as much as you possibly can in that garden of yours!

final garden tour

take a final walk with me around our front yard garden...

the swiss chard is ready to be harvested for our favorite meals

the snap peas are crispy & perfect for the pickin'

the radishes are bright & round

around the corner, the container garden is waiting for its big move south

the strawberries are ripening & so sweet to the taste

soon, this goodness will be transplanted to raised backyard gardens,
bigger pots & flower beds.

little red house with its edible landscaping, small garden plots, cold frame, & compost pile- you will be missed. not for too long, though. we have bigger plans in our home down south.

front yard gardening

my husband & i are firm believers in growing food wherever you are.
we moved into our little red house a little under a year ago. one of the first things we noticed about our home was the shady backyard. after much thought, we knew our only option was the front yard.

once we heard the approval from our landlord, we began transforming our space into an edible landscape & small garden for personal use.we have a large bed along the front of our house & a south-facing bed on the side. we also made a cold frame from windows found on the side of the road in order to harden off our starts from seed.

in making the transition from this home to elsewhere, i am finding the value in container gardening. it is definitely possible to grow an abundance of food in pots while moving from one state to another. i have already planted a variety of edible flowers, herbs & strawberries. i also plan to grow tomatoes, peppers & a variety of greens in containers for the summer.

until our big move, i am enjoying the fresh lettuce mix from our beds & the over-wintered spinach & kale from last season's bounty.

it is truly satisfying to be so closely connected to your food, watch it grow, harvest it & enjoy it with others.