Garden Update: The Garden is Thriving
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a garden update, so let me start by saying I’m thrilled beyond words with the raised beds which are allowing me to grow things like the gorgeous romaine lettuce above. Not only that, I’m doing maybe 25% as much weeding as I used to, so things are pretty happy in the garden around here.
Here’s a view from the other end of the bed which has the lettuce and the plants you can see are French Breakfast radishes, rainbow carrots and red kale. I’m about ready to start eating the kale, and wondering if it will grow back like chard does if you trim the leaves.
One of my pepper plants has this big pepper which is kind of a strange shape but almost big enough to pick. I have learned from experience that if you pick peppers too small, the skin is thin and they’re not that great, so I’m waiting a little longer.
I have Black Beauty and white eggplants, and both types have a lot of flowers on them, but no eggplants spotted yet.
My favorite 8-ball Zucchini has already produced several squashes, and as you can see, there are a bunch more coming. I love this shape for grilled Zucchini.
I planted spagetti squash along the side of one of the beds, and there’s a tiny little spagetti squash coming. If you have spagetti squash in your garden, you might want to try young spagetti squash cooked like a summer squash. I really missed this last year.
I like the type of yellow squash called straightneck squash best, and there’s a tiny one just starting to appear.
This is a volunteer tomato, growing in the same spot as I had lemon boy tomatoes last year, so I’m hoping that’s what it is. I decided to put a cage around it and give it some love, since I don’t have any lemon boys this year.
This is my biggest tomato, and the plant cage is about as big around as a lollipop stick to help you put it into perspective. This is a Celebrity tomato, a hybrid that grows consistently well in Utah.
My tomatillo plants have tons of flowers, but no tomatillo spottings yet. The plant has grown way above the top of the cage!
This basil that I planted from seeds is doing really well, and I’ve already been snipping basil leaves from the basil plants I bought.
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26 Comments on “Garden Update: The Garden is Thriving”
Beautiful! But you knew that.
That’s so exciting that the tomatillo has so many flowers. Because the other plants are fruiting so well, that indicates there are plenty of bees to pollinate the blossoms. How great it will be for you to have tomatillos from your own garden! I can only begin to imagine how intensely good your green salsa will be!
-Elizabeth
WOW, that’s an amazing garden you’ve planted Kalyn! I will be checking back later in the summer to see what all those flowers produce.
As previously, I am wildly envious of your beautiful edible garden! I was very late in planting this year, mainly because we had such a late spring – and now we are getting monsoons instead of summer sun 🙁 Have 4 butternut squashes planted out (immorally intertwined with the nasturtiums!!) and 4 tall tomato plants getting planted outside this weekend in their frame custom made by Nick 🙂 Also 2 variegated chillies on the windowsill – their leaves are wonderfully dappled so I can’t wait to see what their fruit look like!
woah your garden looks incredible! It looks so lush!
Wow Kalyn you really have an exceptional garden this year! I’m always excited when we get “volunteers” because they seem to do better than any I plant.
All those blooms . . . the garden is a wonder.
I love it! Your garden is outstanding like always. Thanks for the update! You are going to be eating well this summer! I am glad the boxes are working out for you!! Everything looks great!
Beautiful! I am so jealous, and can only imagine the wonderful meals you will create with such results.
Lovely garden Kalyn.The plants in your garden is really useful.Happy gardening keep it up.
Kalyn your garden looks fantastic. Everything looks so healthy and vigorus. You must be so proud. Happy gardening.
Yaay, I’m so happy to hear that the kale will come back when it’s cut. I’ll be cutting some kale tomorrow.
Oh my gosh…I am bowing to you! This garden is fantabulishous! 🙂
Quite a beautiful spread, Kalyn. I didn’t read the rest of the comments so I don’t know if someone else answered you or not, but kale is definitely a “cut and come again” plant and should last in your garden a good long time. Happy gardening!
It’s so funny how different things grow in different areas! I don’t have anywhere near as much parsley, I wish I did, and your lettuces look beautiful. thanks for sharing!!
Your garden is looking great, and you have so much variety! We’re planning to put in some raised beds next year, just have to figure out the best spot for them.
I haven’t been answering any comments because I’ve been driving across Wyoming/Utah today coming home from the Denny family campout!
Thanks for the nice thoughts about the garden everyone. I’m happy to get home to it!
I love your garden! I can’t wait until I get a house so I can have room for a garden. Right now all I have is a couple of herb containers.
Your garden is beautiful. Your veggies look so healthy and lush.
Nice tomatillo it looks like it is going to be a good producer. I failed at growing tomatillos by seed this year but strangely enough I have two volunteers. Enjoy.
Kalyn, this looks wonderful! I am totally inspired—next year I’m going to take the time to make a proper vegetable garden. The kids threw out a bunch of seeds, but they are all over the place and I have no idea what is what.
very cool.
-steph
gorgeous!
Good for you, Kalyn, your garden is beautiful. Mine is such a weedy mess that I ended up planting in containers on the patio. So I’ve just got tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and some herbs. Hopefully I can get the garden cleaned up in time for fall crops of lettuce etc.
I’m amazed at how much you’re growing in your garden! It all looks so lush and healthy. My poor little basil plants didn’t survive (it appears they’re being eaten by something, with little holes punched all over the leaves. Sniff! Maybe next year. . . ). Love the idea of the raised beds.
I’m very impressed with how well things are growing in your raised beds. I have a sunny area of my garden where the soil is not worth amending, but raised beds might provide some growing power. Next year…
Wow! Kalyn your garden is truly impressive! I wish mine was doing as well – the biggest lemon on my Meyer lemon tree dropped off this morning – I was heartbroken!!
What a gorgeous garden! When we were renting a house I had room for some Italian & Thai Basil, Rosemary, Chives and a couple of different Chilis. It’s so rewarding to prepare a meal with something from one’s garden, even if it’s just herbs.
Lovely garden! Keep watching your tomatillos. The plants in my Oakland garden have already produced those little papery lantern shapes that will, hopefully, turn into usable fruit in the near future. I’ve started picking tomatoes (Early Girl and Sun Gold so far) as well as basil, Italian parsley, and Mexican “white” zucchini. Lots of volunteer squash that may turn into acorn variety or pumpkins. Time will tell!
I am doing the square foot garden this year and I do not have to weed at all. In fact, after I planted it,,all it took was watering with a sprinkler and feeding when I remembered. It is so easy. I use a raised bed, square foot garden and mulch it with hay. You lettuce looks so healthy and crunchy…