How Does Your Garden Grow?

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I have a small vegetable garden, about 6' x 10' and always have fun planting it full and awaiting its gifts! I look at it each day and it hardly seems like anything is happening in there, other than the lettuce that we've been enjoying the last few weeks. Well, we were away last week and came home to find that the garden has been hard at work! Here's what I picked:

There were a few tomatoes too, but they were eaten before I got the idea to take a picture!

So there's plenty more cucumbers and green beans coming in, lettuce is still there and we will finish it all, and then I'll try planting more when it's cooler out. The zucchini is looking great and should be ready to pick any day:

I just wish the tomatoes were doing a little better. Last year they were huge compared to how they look this year, although they seem to be doing better and I did pick a few red ones already! Here's the garden:

Lettuce is in front, zucchini to the left, then the cucumbers to the right. Far left would be tomatoes and green beans along with basil, parsley and dill. I always planted the dill seeds in careful lines, but then my Mom reminded me how my Grandmother would just toss the seeds where ever in the garden, and so I tossed too. Now when I cut the lettuce, there's always a little dill in there with it and we love it in the salad! When I taste it, I always smile and think of my Grandmother! 

So as I'm picking my goodies from the garden, I'm wondering what are you picking from yours?!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

It always amazes me how fast those weeds grow!

[Camilla and Darwin]

I LOVE garden tomatoes... yum. 

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Camilla, you might still be able to get a patio tomato plant to put in a pot, it would probably come complete with some tomatoes growing by now!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I hear you Andrea! I need to go out a water!!!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

For a few weeks I've been picking here and there, but just like you, I went out this morning and had to go back to get a bowl!  I was really surprised!

Certainly, this year has been hard work.  I feel like I live in a third world country hauling water for a lifestyle.  It is days like this that pay off   :)  Everything ( except that yucky tomato) were very tasty tonight.  I nibbled on sweet peas all day.

It's a great year for peppers.  They love this heat.

Check out that really strange green or purple bean

[F, Calla & Luca]

What a haul. The tomato looks pretty.Was that bean growing on the same vine as green ones?

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

That looks yummy Joanne! It's supposed to hit 96 degrees here tomorrow. Hopefully that will perk up my pepper plant!  Now try saying that 3 times in a row really fast...perk up my pepper plant...perk up my pepper plant...LOL!

Yes, tell us about the mystery bean!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Royal Burgundy Garden Bean

Well it didn't taste sweet. Strong and strange.  I think I have four of these plants out there.

It was a packet of seeds given to me.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Decorative anyway : ) One of my favorite vines, although I haven't grown it for a while, is the hyacinth bean vine. Just decorative.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Their beauty makes up for their taste!  Or not...

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Joanne, you hit the jackpot! Everything looks great! I planted purple colored beans one year along with green beans. I thought it would make for a colorful dish. When I cooked them, the purple ones turned green and you'd never know there were two different types! WTD

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Were they tough and strong?  I ate that one raw and it seemed to... well it was just strange. 

I gave away a packet of seeds that were given to me called Chinese Beans.  The beans grew a foot long a piece. I was just not interested.   Who knew there were so many varieties?

Honestly, last year's crop lasted us until January.  Then on to store-bought vegetables which awful.  Wish we had another freezer.  My favorite are the pickling cucumbers.  The plants do not take up so much room in the garden, the crop is plentiful, and they are juicy.  But I don't pickle them.  They barely make it to the sink  :)  Yum