Saturday, May 21, 2011

kinderGARDEN Thursday: week 3

Just like the rest of you are talking about across the nation this week, it's rain, rain, ...

...everywhere! At least at the tail end of the week.

The garden is looking soggy, but that's ok. Here in the mid-west, we are in the grip of a drought, so every drop we get is precious to the garden and the crops. Being a farm family, rain is something we treasure and never cuss, because some years we can't get enough. On a side note, before it monsooned, Matthew and I planted some ditch iris and found old plastic edging that had become buried under about 2 to 3" 's of soil. We used it to edge "Matthew's garden."

Because of the rain, we have snails out and about. We found 2 in a mint pot and Matthew had tons of fun letting them crawl on him, but more about that in a different post.

Because we finally got rain, there were lovely puddles to run and jump in.

And I didn't even mind the extra laundry!

But I digress, this is a GARDEN post. Mostly we are waiting for things to sprout and grow. We have lots of radishes, carrots, giant sunflowers, nastrisums, beans, and some marigolds and onions growing. We have not one single squash of any variety up, which is alarming, and only 1 actual green bean plant going. Which I'm sad about because it's such a tasty variety. I have the 3 pepper plants I bought growing, but the pepper seeds aren't sprouting. I've never had luck with them. Bad luck or bad seeds, I don't know. The eggplant isn't growing either and I have gotten it to sprout before. The tomato plant had to have 2 blossoms pinched and has grown bigger. While we are waiting, Matthew and I put dragonflies, bees and a frog stakes out in the garden to add some whimsy.

My mom caught an oh so flattering photo of Matthew and I working out in the garden, pulling weeds between rain storms. *photo by Beth

Last year, one of the assignments of the week was to allow your child to take photos of the garden. Matthew took it to heart and often swipes the camera and brings it back full of garden photos. This is one from this week. *photo by Matthew

And lastly, my helper helped me plant the iris I've found this year so far. This is the most unusual one I've found this year.

Shayne, from Life Under a Blue Roof wanted to know how I got pink blooming strawberries. I'll tell you, I got the only variety at our areas Walmart this year, "Berries Galore." And yes, I know Walmart is bad, but sometimes it's the only place to go. I had 5 varieties of antique alpine strawberries going, but allowed them to burn up right before we left TX, so being desperate, that's what we got and I have to admit, they are stunning. Matthew got the only variety at our garden center and I haven't seen what it's blooms are like yet.

What have you been doing in your garden? To see what Kim, The Inadvertent Farmer, talks about this week, go here.

7 comments:

Cathryn said...

I agree, rain is a blessing, I try not to cuss it until it has been coming at us for 30 days in a row!
Matthew's photo is really a great shot!
The waiting game is hard to play but looks like you are making the most of it!

inadvertent farmer said...

Love that little garden and the bricks lining the path! We've had so much rain too...not sure it is going to be a miserable growing season, I so hope not.

Sweet Girl grabs my camera after last year's assignment too...love to see what she come up with!

Have fun waiting out the rain! Kim

Shayne said...

I'm glad your mom caught a photo of the two of you. I find that I have many pictures of the kids and my husband, but very few people grab the camera and take photos of me with the kids. They're nice to have.

Don't fret too much about the pepper seed. Peppers are notoriously difficult to start from seed. They take a while to germinate, and they like warmer conditions.

Tell Matthew he took a great picture!

faith buss said...

I haven't had much luck with seeds this year either. Wonder if it's our goofy drought/cold/warm/flood weather. And M's newest Thomas rain boots came in this week...I ordered them 3 months ago to replace the ones that he's completely worn out. Time to play in the MUD PUDDLES again!!!

Kirsten said...

i love the snail and the puddle pictures!

yes, every time i start griping about the rain, i remember the dry dry dry summer last year...and that usually shuts me up, at least for a little while. :)

kiddo's had great success with his flower seeds, but i am having a hard time getting my veggie seeds to sprout. join the club!!

The author said...

Cathryn, waiting is hard! I walk the garden and strain to see more sprouts several times a day.

inadvertent farmer, good for Sweet Girl! I hope you dry out over there.

Shayne, I love when people take photos of me with Matthew too, but normally they do it on the sly and I look goofy! Oh well. :) Glad to know it's not just me when it comes to peppers.

Faith, yea for puddles! I bought Matthew a new pair last summer because the old ones had a crack that let water in and realized yesterday when both boots were full of water that really that crack didn't matter!

Kirsten, glad I'm in good company with non sprouting veggies!

Auntie said...

You and Matthew have done so much to make a really great garden, whether it all thrives or no. I am super impressed!