gardengater's Blog at GardenStew.com

July Update

gardengater — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:22:02 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:22 pm (GMT 0)

Oh, those juicy ripe tomatoes.....

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

I think vegetables make such beautiful still-life photos.

June Update

gardengater — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:35:00 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:35 am (GMT 0)

We're thrilled with the "purple green beans". They have such a hearty flavor.

Blauhilde ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Good eating cukes and some pickles. One's a twin. ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Night photo, Spaghetti Squash ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Down the Garden Path

gardengater — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:27:06 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:27 pm (GMT 0)

Elodie, double Asiatic Lily ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Pink Ladies in the Garden ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Lemon Lily ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Beautiful Bee Balm ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Garden Update

gardengater — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:08:33 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:08 pm (GMT 0)

Leeks ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Beets ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Lovely Radishes ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

We're sure enjoying the harvest so far. The beets went to pickling, the leeks to stews and salad, the radishes to eating.

Box Veggie Garden

gardengater — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:29:55 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sun May 03, 2009 8:29 pm (GMT 0)

Everything's going gangbusters within a month of planting.

Bok Choy ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

New Addition to the Garden

gardengater — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:12:21 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sun May 03, 2009 8:12 pm (GMT 0)

Dream come true, finally.

New addition to the garden ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Seeds taking off ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Orchids in the greenhouse ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

The glorious Knockout ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Getting in shape for summer water fun.

gardengater — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:21:54 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:21 am (GMT 0)

Paddle-boating on the Newport River.

Serenity ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Me enjoying the ride ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Charlie doing most of the paddling ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

First Blooms 2009

gardengater — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:01:22 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:01 pm (GMT 0)

The blossums are beginning to show themselves in my garden. Thank the flower gods.

Azalea ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

First Rose ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Mediterranean Pinks ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Welcome spring!

gardengater — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:18:31 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:18 pm (GMT 0)

Yum, yum. Our box garden is coming along well. More photos to follow.

Box and trellis ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Spinach ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Lettuce ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Peas ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Leeks ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

My garlic jungle ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

New Dicentra ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

Clematis ( photo / image / picture from gardengater's Garden )

I can't stand it anymore!!

gardengater — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:22:29 -0500

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:22 pm (GMT 0)

Well, I gave in today and just had to plant some seeds. I hauled out the seed trays, cleaned up the grow lights and sorted out a few select seeds, making sure I kept some back to plant later. Among the group was Asparagus beans, Cucumber tyee, peas, Perpetual Spinach, Brussel Sprouts, Stawberries, Shallots, White Hollyhocks, Purple and Yellow Datura. They are occupying the top of my refrigerator until my heat mats arrive.
The Lowes is looking promising and have put out some lovely looking climbing roses. Of course I had to bring one home, a pretty coral called Tropicana.
My gardening craze has leveled off some temporarily and Charlie is busy building more boxes for our veggies.
Countdown to outdoor planting:
74 days
9 hrs and
15 min.

vegetables

gardengater — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:02:15 -0500

Author: gardengater
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:02 pm (GMT 0)

My new seed order includes:

Spinach, Strawberry
Spinach, Tyee
Tomato, Stupice
Tomato, Pineapple
Tomato, Black Krim
French Beans, Fortex
Pole Beans
Napa Cabbage
Cauliflower, White Crown
Cuke, Socrates
Cuke, Tyria
Cress
Choy, Mei Quing
Joi Choy
Ice berg Lettuce
Cippolini, Red Marble
Cippolini, Gold Coin
Peas, Caselrode

Broccoli

gardengater — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:24:08 -0500

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:24 pm (GMT 0)

Today on inspection, we noticed the Broccoli is sending out side heads. We were totally amazed. We're still in the 60's, so I don't know if it's the unusual weather or the boxes.

Winter visitors

gardengater — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:41:32 -0500

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:41 pm (GMT 0)

I went to examine the blooms on my Camellia the other day and was amazed to find a bee in every one. Then there was a sulfur butterfly in my Pansies. I'll never get used to the changes in climate here. We'll have 26 degrees tonight and then four days next week expect temps upward of 70. The self-contained boxes are producing. We've had Collards and now the Broccoli is heading. We're like proud parents and plan to expand to many more b oxes next spring. There are also some greens left in the ground. Little by little we're learning what will grow here and it's fun!

Our Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

gardengater — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:23:22 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:23 pm (GMT 0)

We recently spent a few days driving through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in our state. Here are a few of the veiws.

First Results

gardengater — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:50:05 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:50 pm (GMT 0)

Having just returned from a trip to the mountains, we were happy to harvest the first results from the Waterbed Box, Pac Choy, grown in less than 4 weeks.

Our Future Gardens?

gardengater — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:35:09 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:35 pm (GMT 0)

Charlie became interested in a new type of gardening when I asked him to make me some soda bottle pots. He researched for hours as usual and came up with self-contained planting boxes.
We have Pac Choy, Broccoli, Collards, Lettuce planted. This has been a fun experiment.

Summer memories

gardengater — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:01:34 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:01 pm (GMT 0)

Ever wonder where the term "Dog Days" comes from? The ancients believed that when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose at the same time as the sun, they should sacrifice a brown dog to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the very bright star was causing the hot, sultry weather. No offence to those with little brown dogs.
I was perusing some nice old summer photos named "Summer Grannies" and started to remember the things I used to do on my Grannies' farm, long ago.
I loved her spankin white geese that lived in the yard, and helping her feed them.
I loved the thick featherbed we slept under.
I loved the flowers in her yard and making "dancing ladies by turning the Bleeding hearts inside out.
Try it!
I loved the walk up the dirt road, past the scary bull to the neighbors' because at the end of that test were home made cookies and milk.
I loved sleeping out in the tent with my cousins and getting scared at the night sounds.
Oh, the joys of a childhood summer.

Home and Travel

gardengater — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:11:24 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:11 am (GMT 0)

These photos are from my stomping grounds and places nearby. Charlie and I love to visit the rivers and woods that we live by:

This river empties into the ocean and dolphins migrate here to have their calves. It is so cute to watch a pod, parents and calf swim together.

Surviving the Dog Days

gardengater — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:37:36 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:37 pm (GMT 0)

Garden Bounty

gardengater — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:05:55 -0400

Author: gardengater
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:05 pm (GMT 0)