Memorial Day and Growth

Happy memorial day to everyone and a big THANK YOU to all of our service members, past and present.

Growth abounds around. My flowers are actually blooming pretty much at the same time now. I actually brought my marigolds inside and they seem to be doing better. My zinnias are finally blooming.

Here are the remaining pictures. 

The top picture are the flowers I planted in the 45 degree box at the garden. Peas are about ready to be picked, squash is overgrowing everything and everything in general seems to be doing good. 

Peas going wild.

Squash really coming in good. 

I am kinda of a rush typing this and will do something better later this week. WOF of the week will follow as well. I do have some new pictures. 

Tomato Stakes and Farmer's Market

Finally got around to getting my tomato stakes in the ground. That and did a lot of pruning on the plants, ripped out some Nasturtium next to several of the plants because they were literally chocking them out.

Some are a little shorter than the others. The big ones are really tall and look kinda ridiculous sticking this far out of the ground BUT the plants I grew last year ended up being about 6 to 6 1/2 foot tall. I believe I really pruned the front middle plant too much as today it was looking kinda puny. I put some transplant fertilizer on it hoping it could be saved. 

I had to add another fencing section to let the peas continue their climb up. Man these things are growing fast! I also put up a couple of boards to get the green beans but don't have any more fencing pieces to install. And I did something that I thought I'd never do.

I got cages for my bucket tomatoes. Also ran some drip emitters to them because the sprayers I had on them can not get through the pea growth now. Took some doing as I let them grow too much before getting the cages on. Pretty much the same way for the ones on the stakes. 

Squash and zucchini plants are also growing like crazy. Squash almost has my corn plants squeezed out. But I did finally get my bigger sprinklers. Restore rocks. Still have some accessories on sale. 

We've been enjoying the lettuce quite a bit but I believe it is about time for it to be done. Good view of the stakes!

Side view of same bed. Can't wait for the potatoes to get done too. Need those out of there. 

I put a couple of pots in the washout areas on my side bed with the carpet of snow. Had to do something. Hope this effort pays off. 

My wife and I went to the Farmer's Market this past Saturday to cruise the sites and pick up a few things. Fresh strawberries, blueberries, got some tomatoes and peaches. This market is big enough to get a good selection of produce and it smells great. There's another building with other items such a canned goods, soap and the like. There's also a good seafood restaurant, another general restaurant, and an overpriced store that carries pots, furniture, and other things along those lines. 

I did order some seeds from Gurney's this past week. Not much but i do want to grow some more paste tomatoes this summer so we can do a lot of canning. Roma Vf's are on their way along with some Blue Lake bush beans and some more bush cukes. Don't use them this year I'll have them ready for next year. Like to their site if you need it. http://gurneys.com/Default.asp?

Almost forgot my WOF of the week..... 

Has her leg kicked up for some reason. You may have realized by now that most if not all of her images are when she is horizontal. Now you see the WOF name. Happy days to you. 

Summer's Coming.

Because it is starting to get real warm outside. Humid more like it. But the rain has been pretty consistent so that's always good as it means less watering. But it is coming so be aware.
Peas are almost over my rudimentary fence so it will have to built up this weekend.

Tomatoes, maters, whatever you want to call them. Stakes are desperately needed so that's a plan for one evening or weekend work as well.

Squash has really taken off and is trying to squeeze out some of the corn. 

I cut out some of the lettuce this past week

This is half of the harvest. 

There's more to cut. I am considering getting the cabbage plants out. I just can't seem to stay on top of the bugs that attack these plants!

The mini sunflowers on the front porch are blooming out nice and my carpet of snow is really starting to bloom out. 

WOF of the Week. My youngest was playing around with his blanket (actually named "Woobie", which has a big hole in it) when he decides to make the dog look like someone out of one of the Star Wars movies. And of course she just sits there and takes it. 

Anyway, hope things are well in your garden. 

How Do You Pronounce Nasturtium?

I must say that I probably butcher the name Nasturtium. Add that with a hillbilly drawl and I'm sure it's not a pleasant sound to say the least. Which brings me to my main topic, one batch of my Nasturtium's have bloomed and look really good. I believe that this is the Alaska Mix.

Some of the bottom leaves are yellowing but I believe this is from over-watering/rain. Mostly rain as I leave them out. I have moved them from the side of the house to out front. And they do smell good too!

I did take a few shots of some other growings in the flower- related arena. Here is a smothering of some kind of perennial wildflower stuff that I threw in this bucket. it now has some nice little purple flowers blooming out on it.

I honestly do not know what this stuff is so it's a guessing game right now.

I also snuck around the corner of the house last evening and saw that my Carpet of Snow is starting to bloom. There are white and pink blooms intermixed together in this area and they get beat by the rain falling off of the roof here. I have one spot that is devoid of flowers.

And I got a shot of the front landscape as of yesterday evening.

As for the veggy beds, everything's doing great at the moment. Peas have started their climb skyward and everything else seams to be right on track.

Still need the green bean trellis built before they get too crazy. Hmmmm, Bob Ross just popped into my head. "Happy Greens." "Let's go crazy." Trying to save a couple of hot pepper plants in the pot on the far left and a cuke in the green pot on the bottom left. German Johnson tomatoes are going strong now. 

Peppers in front and corn/squash in back. Nasturtium running up the right side. Just water and weed.

Tomato bed looking good. I am trying to save  Roma plant I found. It is right behind the front middle plant. I may even go to the length of (gasp) buying a couple more Romas for the other bed as the Cherry tomatoes don't look that good.

Onions, potatoes, everything doing good here except 2 of the 3 cherry mater plants. If the 2 don't start picking it up, they'll be let go in the draft. I am cutting the lettuce tonight and getting it into the crisper so they plants can spread out some before the hot weather hits. 

That's the tour this week. I am considering some SWC to try. I am intrigued by their design. In any case I will be starting some San Marzano seeds about the first week of June to replace the Romas when they're done. And if I'm able to parley some more containers there will be a lot more tomatoes for fall canning! That and beans are my 2 main crops for this year. Also plan on making squash relish. 

WOF of the Week. Comes to us from yesterday's garage purge that I was doing. Of course she had to lay on the piece of carpet I threw in the driveway. And she looks perturbed as if the say, "Really, another picture? Can't you people just leave me alone?" 

I got a few more but they're for later posts.

In any case good gardening to you and think Happy Trees.

Pinehurst #6.... If You Can Find It.

OK, Pinehurst #6 will not be found if you are not looking for it without the help of gps tracking stations. It is not  in the main complex/resort of Pinehurst. Don't go there! But if you have the desire of a guided tour of the village of Pinehurst, I would be glad to accommodate.

After arriving at the course I had to walk backwards from hole #9 just so I could find my son's group in their practice round. Caught up with them playing #6 so it wasn't that bad. Course was in great shape and definitely a step up from Course #1 that they played last year. This course also has the famous underground bathroom. Pictures are here and I really don't know what picture is of what but I will guess.

Green of Par 3 7th looking back down from way to 8th.

No sure which hole this is.

 Hole #16, downhill par 3.

Famous underground bathroom under the 15th tee box.

 Hole #13, downhill par 3.

Hole #11, downhill par 4.

That's it for my pictures! My wife went down today for the Regionals tournament and my son shot a 78, missed out on making state by a shot or two. It was him and another player from his school that went this year. Hope to get more from the team down there next year! Be up to them as he ships out one week after graduation. Proud no matter what.

Now I need to get out myself! Haven't played since October of last year. Hopefully soon.