Dana's Garden

The past several rains we’ve gotten here in Charlottesville have been TERRIFIC for the garden. Kurt and I can’t believe how quickly everything is popping up. To see all these plants coming to life and growing every day just gives us such an incredible feeling.
Radishes got picked today! Not a huge bunch, but just right for 1-2 people. Of course, Kurt and I don’t really like radishes…we’re really growing them for his sister-in-law, Michelle. Hope she enjoys.

(Taken with the Nikon)

Everything is looking great, overall, but there have been a few problems as of late. Namely, bugs are eating through our leaves – mostly on zucchini, broccoli, and green beans. Oh and don’t even get me started on eggplant – they’re goners! But I still find myself watering them in the hopes they’ll step away from the light and come back to us.

So we’re trying out a mix of cayenne pepper and water and spraying that on the leaves. So far, it hasn’t killed anything good, so that makes me happy. Anything to discourage those little pests without hurting our plants is fine by me! Holding my breath on pesticides and Round Up. (Monsanto is an evil, EVIL company and can kiss it!)
The other problem, which is sort of mystifying me, is the fungus that’s growing in Raised Bed #2 which is currently housing broccoli, lettuce and tomatoes and probably NOT home to our spinach anymore. Not that it was doing anything anyway. But anyway, this fungus is killing me! First it popped up near the tomatoes, on the soil and on the side of the bed wall. So we took that out. And now, on another side of the bed, on the soil and wall. It’s really strange…I haven’t researched it yet. I would appreciate your comments and suggestions on this!

Icky, isn’t it?

So let’s talk about the good stuff! The peas are amazing me. I’ve never been able to successfully grow peas. At my old house in NC, rabbits ran rampant and would eat the whole plant before it could even get much more than 6″ tall. But NOW – these things are getting TALL – and as I’d hoped, they’re climbing up our twine trellis on their own! I have to help them out now and then and show them how to climb, but most of them are finding their way themselves. I’m so proud of my peas!

Sunflower is getting BIG – Kurt is excited.  I think I’ve figured it out – there’s a pattern here.  He gets excited about:  corn, pumpkins, sunflowers.  In other words, anything that’s going to take up a ton of space.  Bigger is better I guess.

I, on the other hand, am excited about the nasturtiums.  They’re so easy to maintain, you might as well have some.  And you can’t see it yet, but there are some little hot pink blooms growing in there.  Will definitely take pictures again once they bloom – they’ll be beautiful!  (And you can eat them too, how cool is that?)

New green bean rows have come up!  I looove green beans.  Yes.  Now that the first rows are getting taller though, we need to build something (another twine trellis?) for them to grow up.  Too late for bean teepees – maybe we’ll do those next year.

And chamomile!  The surprise herb that we didn’t plant.  Not sure if it was planted before I got the plot, or if it just finds its way over from other plots.  But whatever the case, it’s great, and we’ve been drinking it in our tea a lot.  I just put some chamomile in a tea infuser in the tea pot – and it’s just like Sleepy Time tea!

And carrots are getting bigger too.  It’s exciting to see them get all the new leaves and get taller every day.

Everything else is fine too, those were just the notables.  Tomatoes and peppers are OK but I wish they were growing a little faster.  New corn seeds are coming in and filling in the gaps where they didn’t come up the first time.  New zucchini plants have come up and old ones getting bigger.

Kurt dug up a ton of the weeds that were plaguing about 25% of our plot (way to go hon!), so things look a bit cleaner now.  Patio chairs to be moved over soon!  And it had better be soon too, because I’m moving to my new apartment at Walker Square next weekend and need to chuck whatever I can to fit into that 800 sq ft condo!  Ooo and I love the fact that the garden will now be closer to my abode AND will be on the way home from work now!  YES!

Speaking of moving, the cleaning and chucking garbage and packing is really taking a lot out of me.  On top of everything else I do – work, sports, and now I’m selling Pampered Chef.  It’s a lot to juggle!  I had intended to update this blog and my Facebook page much more often, but unfortunately there just aren’t enough hours in the day.  But I’m trying my hardest!

Hope people are still reading this and enjoying it!  I know my aunt Regina is – THANK YOU

Cheers,

Dana