Despite all the storms and our abandonment of the garden for the week we left town, everything is growing so nicely. It’s amazing how much a garden can change in a week. We came home to sprawling melons, sweet potato vines, and various squashes. We’ve been eating cucumbers, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, and the first of the Amish Paste tomatoes that I grew from seed are starting to turn. All the beans and peas that I planted in the week before we left are doing very well.
Years ago, we planted two apple trees, but only one survived (two are necessary for proper pollination.) The pollinators must have visited our neighbors apple tree because we have a few apples this year. I think our surviving tree is one of these.
This is a mystery squash. I didn’t plant it, and I don’t know what it is. The plant is pretty compact.
Melons: vedrantais and green fleshed pineapple with sweet potatoes in the background
Amish paste
black eyed peas in the foreground
We ended up with four peanut plants. I am curious to see what becomes of them.
Cherokee purple
I thought I was setting out zucchinis in this bed. Turns out, there were some pie pumpkins mixed in as well. We are doing a pretty good job holding the squash bugs at bay by diligently hand picking them off the plants every day.
Intruder evidently had a stroke while we were traveling so he hasn’t been joining me in the garden. He spent a few days recuperating indoors and is now almost back to his old self. He is still a bit wobbly, but I am so grateful that he is all right. He has always driven me crazy with the leg biting, but I realized that I am actually very fond of him the day we arrived home and I noticed that something was wrong. Maybe he won’t return to his bad ways and will be a sweet cat from now on.
Jonny mowed the paths today. Things look a little more tame. I do have several beds to weed and mulch though.
How is your garden growing?
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That squash looks exactly like one in my friend’s garden. We visited yesterday and I took special note of it! I’ll ask her if she knows what it is.
I just love the Cherokee purple tomatoes… they taste like summer…. Peace.
Love those Cherokee Purple….haven’t had as much success with my tomatoes this year, but am loving the zucchini that are coming in. 🙂 Peace.
Love the pictures of your garden and I would love to have one like this too… ours is pretty small and in our dry summer not much is growing. Enjoy all your fresh goods from your garden!
Your garden looks beautiful! We had problems with squash bugs last year and one other thing we did besides hand picking them off was removing the eggs from the leaves with duct tape.
Ginny, your garden is beautiful!!! Have you ever tried using a little bit of dish detergent diluted with water in a spray bottle, and spray your plants? My grandmother used to even add cayenne pepper and/or jalepeno (with the seeds) to the water mix as a “natural” way to get rid of the bugs. You just have to remember to watch out when you are spraying, as to stay out of range on a windy day!
I really enjoyed seeing your Amish paste tomatoes….I had never heard of that variety before. Are they a very sweet blend?
Thank you so much for the wonderful blog you have….I always look forward to your site!
hmm…buttercup squash? The squash bugs have been making their appearance in our garden, evil things. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried neem oil for the squash bugs. It’s seemed to work for our cucumber beetles but now we’ll see if it works for the squash bugs as well… Didn’t get my act together today to link up but hopefully next week!
Yes, as Anja said I would bet that it is a form of summer squash – a patty pan variety. Did you plant any of those last year for this to reseed? We had one package of purchased seeds that turned out wrong this year. I planted three hills of acorn squash and got black zucchini instead. That wouldn’t be so bad but I already have four hills of summer squash. ugh.
Your garden is looking beautiful. I am so jealous of your longer growing season!! Oh, and my folks have that same exact rusty gate on their farm. It is so pretty in your beds.
Your cherokee purples are lovely! Mine tend to stay greenish on top. I’m glad your garden is faring so well after the storm. I was worried for you.
Gorgeous! I’m curious to plant peanuts next year.
I’m over at Natural Kids this week writing about my teeny tiny garden space in NM.
I’m probably totally wrong as this is my first year having a garden, but your mystery squash looks a lot like our pumpkins. But I am still learning!!! I’m so thankful that you are all safe and sound and had an awesome trip. It’s funny- I visit here everyday and although we don’t know one another, I feel like you are a close friend!
Those Cherokee Purples are lovely! I never can stay ahead of the squash bugs, but year after year I keep trying.
Pretty gardens as always Ginny. I am sorry about Intruder, I wish him a speedy recovery and the calmness that you crave.
Hugs, Jules
Your garden looks great. It’s amazing it didn’t shrivel up in the week you left. We have not had a good measure of rain in 8 weeks and are watering just to keep trees and shrubs alive.
The squash flower is beautiful. The shape resembles a patty pan. Or maybe it will darken to an acorn.
Do you think your kitty got injured in the storm?
I have a lot of little green tomatoes on my plants, but no red ones yet! Totally jealous of yours! And the squash bugs are seriously killing me this year….along with the cucumber beetles. I am picking them off every day, trying to find eggs, and drowning them with soapy water…i’m not entirely sure it is helping my plants this year, but hopefully next year it will be better!
Beautiful garden. I love these Cherokee purple! 🙂
I had to Google ‘squash bugs’ too see if they may have been responsible for our failed zucchini last summer. I found this YouTube clip that demonstrates a dilute soap solution spray being very effective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT5exU7yEtU&feature=related
The squash bugs look a lot like what I’d call stink bugs (a kind of shield bug) here in Australia. Do they give off an awful smell when disturbed? I guess not or you probably wouldn’t be squishing them!
zucchini
your garden is looking amazing!
Your garden is wonderful! Great yield! We have enjoyed one small cantalope that was very tastey and also a cucumber. Our plants are flourishing, but without much yield. Hopefully as things cool down and fall comes on we will have more. We are finding that gardening in this Arizona heat is tricky. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend.
Lovely gardens! Your plants are way ahead of ours. I shared our wildflowers today – we didn’t plant them, but we enjoy God’s handiwork every time we walk amongst them. 🙂