Late spring garden...

This Sunday, where normally there is a crafty YOP post,  gardener me is popping in with a progress report on growing things. 

It's been a great spring here for gardening - better than I was prepared for in March and early April.  I wish I had planted peas earlier this spring so we'd have gotten more.  As is, I planted peas in April, and now in the middle of June, with temps in the 80's they are slowing down to the point where I'm trying to decide when to cut them down and plant something summer-loving in their place.

I only planted two trellises worth (above).  My thought process in April, not really knowing if I was too late planting peas, was that I'd plant this many and if they produced enough, I'd practice blanching and freezing some to see how they fared.  Well, I was so excited to see peas, I just started picking them and eating them, and now, all of a sudden, the plants are slowing down and I may have missed the opportunity to do a trial run on processing them.

So...  my very loose plan now is to plant some more peas later in the summer and hope for enough peas come autumn to process.  But we'll see if I have the gumption for that when/if I see winter any winter squash on vines healthily sprawling. I didn't have success with winter squash last year, so this is another test.  If I don't grow autumn peas, there will be next spring to try again.  

Three kinds of green bean plants are thriving so far.  I labeled them at the time of planting, but some of the popsicle stick labels have disappeared and any that remain are pretty badly faded.  So, I'm discovering what some of them are as they start to produce.

While I've been picking peas, and harvesting garlic scapes (more on that in another post), next in line are Dragon Tongue beans (above).  While their purple speckles are fun, these beans evidently turn a yellow-green when cooked.  

I failed to read the seed packet or the online description when I ordered Dragon Tongue seeds, and I only just realized today that these are bush beans. The trellis I planted them around is completely unnecessary, and frankly a bit in the way of future picking.  I also planted a couple of cucumber plants on the other side of the trellis and they are just about ready to start climbing.  Since it's supposed to rain tonight, I'm leaving it all "as is" for another day or two and I think I'm going to pull the trellis out, and maybe transplant the cucumbers and plant more in a different spot - maybe where the peas are currently.

The sweet corn (above) is doing pretty well (planted in two square patches).  I'm trying to stay hopeful that racoons don't make a meal of it before we can.

Last week I planted some winter squash seeds amongst the corn, thinking that if corn is harvested (by us or racoons) in late July/early August, the squash will have room to spread out the rest of the summer and fall.  I kind of regret devoting nearly a third of the garden to experimenting with sweet corn, and now winter squash, but it is what it is now.  I don't plan to interfere anymore - unless it's to plant more squash seeds if I think the space can handle more once I see them sprouting.

Moving on (and trying to ignore all the grass I need to take a hoe to)...

On the south side of the corn, where there's plenty of sunshine, I'm experimenting growing sweet potatoes (above).  If I remember correctly, this was a total impulse move when I found the sweet potato starts on clearance a few weeks ago. I thought for sure I came home with five good sweet potato starts left in a 6-pack, but within a week of planting I only had four.  Do critters eat these?  It seems odd that four are there looking perfectly wonderful and one just disappeared.

Behind the corn, on the right side of the hose (above) are three mounds of zucchini and yellow squash.  

Everywhere (above) that there is a wooden stake, there is a tomato plant.  Twelve Romas meander across the garden.  I like to imagine I was being creative with my planting layout, rather than just looking for anywhere to stick them in the ground.

Kentucky Wonder Green Beans (above)

and

Kajari Melons (below)

They don't look like much yet, but I'm excited to see what these Kajari melons look and taste like in person.  But, if you're curious here's a video:

And near the Kajari melons are some Blauhilde beans.  More beans that grow one color and turn green when cooked.  I can't wait 'till those start showing up!  And I have some pepper plants.  I think they're called Big Bertha.  I couldn't resist - again, on clearance at a local greenhouse.

And below is normally my favorite view of the garden where I can sit and put my feet up for a bit.  It's not so pretty at the moment, as the spot (bottom center) where I've reserved for the butternut squash to grow into is in serious need of weeding.

And somewhere in there, near the tomato plants are a couple of okra plants.  I failed to label them, but I think I found them sprouted yesterday. I need to put a tomato cage around them so I don't step on them. Those were a 100% spontaneous decision after watching a video of someone growing okra, and shortly after seeing seeds discounted at Tractor Supply.

Oh!  And I almost forgot!  The garlic is close to picking time!

Once those come out, in another week or so, I'll weed the strawberry patch, fertilize it, mulch it with more straw, and let it grow.

It's hard to believe today is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year!  And it's doubly hard to believe we're now headed toward the days getting shorter, and my countdown to autumn begins.  Okay...  I don't really start counting down to fall the first day of summer, but I do look forward to it.

Happy Summer!