June Update - Part 1

Once again a few weeks have gone by and I find myself with lots of garden updates. This is part 1, soon to be followed by part 2. Things have been growing okay this year -- except the weather has now decided to be tough as you will see...

The walking onions have grown are are starting to form little springy tops - new bulblets ready to jump out and walk...perhaps a sunny location will aid the spread of these plants.


I have continued to sample some of the wild edibles in our back-yard. I have sampled wild violets. Below, yellow wood sorrel makes a nice addition to a salad, or an interesting tea....though sources warn to use in moderation due to high amounts of oxalic acid.


Oh yes, the weather...well the past number of days in June have had highs in the 50's F. That's like the average low or something. I don't know the effect this will have on things like broccoli and cauliflower, but it is taxing some plants and looks to have killed others....below is the before and after of a zucchini that was doing well until a night of near frost.


We also lost a pumpkin plant or two, but some did okay. The tomatoes are next to the house and looking fine. Tonight will be cold, so I will cover what has so far survived.


Cool season plants are doing well, the kohlrabi I transplanted looks healthy.


The stems are beginning to swell, so a harvest is soon to come.


Pop-corn looks to be surviving, though I worry what the next nights low temperatures will do.


Cabbages are one of the crops I think is perfectly happy at the moment.


Peas seem to be ahead of last year, even though they got a later start. These early bush shelling and snaps are flowering.


Carrots are in need of thinning...I have a couple varieties here and one that was just sown a few days ago.


Potato plants are getting huge and bush beans are popping up -- I hope the cold doesn't hurt them too much.


Leaf lettuces and radishes are coming up nice. We have harvested some radish, though we tend to just let them flower. The lettuce could probably stand to be thinned. The brick keeps rain gutter water from digging a deep hole in the bed.


Spinach is ready to really produce and the kales are liking this weather I think.


Well that's it for this half. Hopefully I can get the rest up later tonight. [Here is Part 2]

Ten Days

Again I need to find time to make updates on the blog (my written journal is a little more updated). What a difference 10 days can make...here are a few pictures of the garden ten days apart from May 5 and May 16. I know, today is the 21 - so I'm still behind!

[Below] The daffodils have bloomed and now there are seed pods standing in the place of flowers. I never knew how interesting these pods looked.


[Below] You can click to get a little bit larger images...most tulips have been bright and are now fading. Other plants are getting larger to take their place later in the summer.


[Below] On the 5th, peas were just poking up above the soil...not much to see.


[Below] Just over a week later they are very visible. It won't be long before they start putting on a lot more height.


[Below] New raspberry plants are sending up some shoots and starting to fill out some canes from last year...


[Below] A few days of sun and the leaves are really filling out the plants. I am looking forward to harvesting some berries this year.


[Below] Two varieties of rhubarb were just filling out on the 5th...


[Below] Now they are starting to bulk up some stems...won't be long for a harvest.


[Below] Okay this pair is a bit different. These are lettuce seedlings that were direct sown.

[Above: A spinach seedling in the lower left, pea shoots, mixed leaf lettuces, and a few scattered radishes.]

[Below] Here are plants that have been transplanted rather than direct seeded. The lettuce can be harvested now.

[Above: There is butterhead and green ice lettuce, curled kale, kohlrabi, and clover in this picture.]

Ten days can hold quite a bit of growth and activity in a garden!

Strawberry Sunday

As in it's Sunday and we got strawberries! I had to make a special post for them. In the paper it said they were late this year (by my records they are), but that they would be a good harvest of large juicy berries...Yum!

Scouting on Friday revealed the above almost ready berry. There are many just waiting to ripen. So, up comes the bird net. I'm not sacrificing any more than I have to. Besides, they can eat the ones I cull from bug and slug damage.


(Left) That first berry picked and eaten Saturday -- it was great! (Right) The first bunch for Sunday breakfast. Now it's berry picking every morning for a couple of weeks.


Oh, and to compliment the strawberries some shelling peas and sugar snap peas.

Orange Surprise (GBBD June 2008)

Welcome to my garden bloom tour for June 2008. This post is in coordination with Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day at the "May Dreams Gardens" blog where you can find many other gardens in bloom. This orange flower has a presence this month, but I might say some of the buds steal the show as well.
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The Blooms:

I wasn't sure what to expect a few days ago when I noticed this plant tucked in the back of a wildflower bed. It's the first bloom in the bed and really stands out. Update: I think this is Siberian Wallflower ("Cheiranthus allionii").


My seed grown violas 'Johnny Jump Up' are just starting to bloom. Isn't it cute?

Viola cornuta (Violaceae)

Now is finally the time for chives and alliums. The bees should be flying in soon.



Allium (ornamental) & Allium schoenoprasum

How about these small white and pink flowers...they're radishes. The beneficial bugs love them and maybe they can keep the pests busy too.



The alyssium I planted have been blooming for a few weeks.


It's a common weed, but it is blooming.


A I mentioned earlier this month, the peas are in bloom. In fact, some can be harvested from the snap variety right now - I will let them get a bit bigger before picking though.


The nursery violas are continuing to flower.


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The Buds:

Some plants are quite ready to show this month, but they're getting ready.

Some asiatic lilies here and to the south of the house are forming buds.


The wildflower will be the second plant to bloom in that plot. Onions from last year are forming buds.

Spurred Snapdragon (Linaria maroccana) & Onion

A kind of red clover is starting to get a hint of color. This other flower bud has an interesting look.

Red clover & ?Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)?

Not sure what these two are, but they're in the "wildflower" plot too.

?Catchfly (Silene armeria)? Dairy Pink (Vaccaria pyramidata) & Sweet William (Dianthus)

Here you can get an idea of some "Tiger" lilies that have buds - I'm sure they're a few weeks away or more.


Well, you made it to the end of the tour. It has been a cool spring and lately wet. This has left a number of plants behind this year, but has been good for the cool season crops. Some more bloom day information...

Skipped (flowered and done between last bloom day and this):

• Flowering shrubs

Continuing (flowering since at least last bloom day):

• Dandelion
• Viola (purchased)
• Strawberries

Buds (of note and not pictured):

• Shasta Daisy