Thursday, May 19, 2011

Plant Them Well and Let Them Govern Themselves


It's good advice.  Especially if you started with good soil and it rains every three days.  But, even the best advice doesn't come with guarantees.  This is the last cabbage (and Brassica in general) I will plant in the Spring.  In the Spring those little white moths flit around laying eggs in tender leaves which hatch little green worms that feast feast feast on my heads.  

The number of Seven Dust applications needed to keep these cabbage edible is not worth the toxicity.

 Same cabbage, planted late summer/early fall will have no pest damage at all!!  If you live in a climate, where there are 10 growing months in the years you have this luxury.


healthy leeks take a long time to beef up.  i will harvest these for quiche and a potato leek soup this week.


peas are finally flowering



just as with people, some thrive and some seem so stunted for no particular reason.  growing in the exact same soil this little tomato plant is about the height of my hand, while the others from the same seed (see in the rear of the photo) are four hands high.  


Crookneck Zucchini.  I think these blossoms have the prettiest color.  Katy, could you make me a spring dress that flows and glows like a squash blossom?



I love these little bells.  They will get big and be perfect for some gumbo, or stuffed with spicy rice.


This little pod is a baby baby tomatillo.  my first try with these, I'll let you know how they turn out.


Was it the hail or is there a bug in the yard partial to the leaves of my struggling eggplant?  Hmmm.


Tomatoes!  Tomatoes!



If you plant nothing else new in your yard, may I suggest this Verbena Bonariensis?  It adds height and dreaminess to your garden scape.


Hollyhocks, bright and pale pink, another tall bloomer.


we love spiders



I love hydrangeas.  Add lime for pink, aluminum for blue.

4 comments:

Marci said...

i planted tomatillos a few years ago and they grow like crazy! they are so yummy for tomatillo salsa!! your garden is so beautiful and full of growing things...we've been too cold and wet still. makes me jealous!

Unknown said...

LOVE THE HOLLYHOCKS! Have you shown your girls how to make hollyhock dolls yet?

DeeMama said...

I LOVE your Green thumb! I am still trying to discover what color mine is :-) Would you have any advice on your Hollyhocks? I just bought a few packets of seeds for them and have been intimdated on where and how to plant them! Also what state do you live in that your hydrangeas are already in bloom? Mine only has a few leaves out and not much else :( Although this is only its second year since planting....sorry to ramble...just excited by your beautiful garden! lol
Dee
http://awellfedsoul.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

We swear by this for our cabbages...
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=10527&cat=2,51555&ap=3

My Ukrainian grandmother refuses to plant without it.