Pictures of my vegetable garden for 2016:
This year was a very special year, because my Mom joined the Internet and we gardened together for the first time across the country.
Gardening work experience from someone you love; beats any good gardening book anytime.
Just being able to share pictures either by phone or computer has made the whole gardening experience a lot more fun.
We started 2016 just wanting to repair the fence and next thing we knew we were finishing the raised beds that I started in 2012.
The raised beds came about, because I wanted a place to dump the extra sub-soil from when we had our house built. It was not an inexpensive project, but it is worth the time and monies.
New stuff for this year:
Radishes - I tried Radishes again this year and it was successful. Last year I just had leaves.
Kale - Red and Black Russian Kale.
Peanuts - compliments of the squirrels
Savoy Cabbage - such a pretty curly leave cabbage.
Surprises this year:
Peanuts - I wasn't sure if I was going to get any.
The seeds came from a generous squirrel that sowed them in my flower pots. This year he sowed, I picked. It's usually the other way around.
Grapes - First year that I actually had any grapes to harvest.
Last year the squirrels got to them before I did.
Disappointments this year:
Fruit trees - hardly any fruit compared to last year.
Brussels Sprouts - the were still the size of a small marble - when the first frost came.
I have to try harder in 2017.
All and All - it was a really good year and the gardening company was a bonus.
Usually I garden alone, but this year I had my Mom and my husband gardening with me.
As for the produce; I had so much that I shared with the wildlife and the neighbours.
We ate the vegetables, froze and juiced most of it, but there was still a lot of vegetables that were composted.
Next year I think I will grow more of some vegetables and less of others.
I think next year I'll grow more carrots, beets, peas, potatoes and fewer cucumbers. Although cucumbers juice is very nice!
I was just blessed with a little too many cucumbers, when my neighbour didn't get any.
Garden Picture - 2016
Vegetables, Fruits & Herbs
This was an awesome year!
We did get a lot of work done in the yard and Mother Nature did us proud.
A bountiful year of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers.
I froze, juiced and give away lots of produce and still composted way too much.
Next year I'll plant more of some of vegetables and less of others.
Potatoes grown in straw:
A sheet of newspaper - wet it - drop potatoes - cover in straw.I grew potatoes in straw last year, as a test.
This year I grew them, because I didn't think I would have the time to "hill" potatoes.
It was "ok" but next year I will hill them and see if it makes a difference in the amount of produce I get.
Growing Peanuts
The seeds came from a squirrel harvest.I dried the seed.
Planted the peanut seed this year and this is what I saw.
From that single seed I think I have 4-5 seeds.
Someday I may even make peanut butter from that single seed. :)
Interesting seed to watch grow!
Cabbage
This year I planted green cabbage and Savoy.I found plain green cabbage had more juice content than Savoy Cabbage.
Savoy Cabbage was great for cabbage rolls, but plain green cabbage was better for Sauerkraut.
Next year I will try - Red Cabbage - as well.
Just for colour in the garden.
Kales
This year I bought black Russian Kale seeds and within it came a Red Russian Kale.It was nice surprise.
From the beginning this Kale looked different from the others. I thought maybe it was a weed, but it was pretty weed, so I kept it. :)
It grew into a beautiful Red Russian Kale.
This Kale doesn't do as well as the black Russian Kale in our cold winters and takes more room in the garden.
The Red Kale is covered in snow at the moment, when the Black Kale is tall and still growing.
The Red Kale is sure pretty and the leaves seem to be tenderer than the Black Kale.
Will see if it survives this zone5 winter.
Brussels Sprouts
I am going to give this vegetable one more year.If I get the same results that I got the last couple of years, it's time to quit wasting my time and gardening space and try something else.
This Brussels Sprout survived our winter, went to flower and seed.
Then I waited to see if I was going to get any sprouts - " yes " - I did get some, but they were about the size of a small marble by the time winter set-in.
Next year I will try it again and start feeding it as soon as I can and see if that's the problem with it.
It's its last chance.
Green Onions
This Year I didn't plan to have green onions in the garden.I already had perennial onions and I had a million things to do.
However, one spring day when as I was chopping green onions for a salad, I noticed how healthy the green onion roots were and thought of "free plants".
So, I chopped the green onion roots to about an inch long and used the rest of the green onions on the salad.
Then, I went outside and planted my green onion roots and it produced lots of green onions all season.
I left them in the ground this winter and I'm hoping that they'll survive the winter. If not I will save my green onion roots next year and plant those.
Red Onions
I think I grow red onions just for its colour.When you lift these onions and run your hand over the bulb - red onions sparkle like glass.
The colour is just the prettiest of all burgundies.
As for flavour on salads - I would go for a milder flavour - like sweet onions.
Green Grapes
My Mom sent me the grape plants many years ago, but this is the first time that I actually have a proper place for them to grow.My Mom also sent me red grape plants, but they are still babies.
Of course widlife around here love grapes as well, but I have until next year to come up with a plan.
Apples
Well - my apples didn't do well.They are young trees, but they didn't produce as much as last year.
The thing about gardening - there's always - next year.
However, the fruit that it did produce - was really delicious.
Strawberries
I finally have a designated bed for just strawberries.The blue lid that you see in the middle of the strawberries, is a worm bin.
Remember - I am gardening in sub-soil and amending the soil will be a normal thing for me to do for a while.
I found an old bucket that came with drywall mud. I drilled 1/4" holes everywhere - especially at bottom of bucket. Sunk the bucket in the middle of the strawberry bed. Filled the bucket with kitchen waste, added worms as I found them and Mother Nature did the rest.
Next year I will harvest the worm castings and spread them around the strawberries. I also have a separate bucket with worms where I make worm compost tea. Next year I will do the same to my other vegetable beds.
Fall Garden
Nothing says "Fall" more than Pumpkins and Sunflowers.I have other flowers in the garden like; Lupins, Cosmos, Nasturtiums, California Poppies, Morning Glory, Calendula, but come September - Sunflowers, Pumpkins and Gourds take the centre stage. :)
July 's growth - 2016
July ---- and the garden is at its best.
Compost Bins
For compost bins _ I have wooden palettes tied together.Next year I still want three compost bins, but I want to make a lid for them. At least have two of the bins with lids.
It will give me a surface to use as a table for stuff.
The white pipe in the middle of the bin is a drainage pipe left-over from when we built the house.
I got a little tired of watering the compost pile and watch it run over the surface. Now, I just pour the water down the drain pipe and it goes straight to the bottom of the compost pile.
As for cutting the pipe - I anchored it to a "workmate" bench and used a reciprocating saw to cut it. The worms like it! :)
Time to Enjoy the Garden
I try to see my garden at least once a day.You know what they say about " All work and no play". :)
Thank you Mom for gardening with me this year and for all the plants over the years.
Thank you "brucethebuilder" for helping me with the raised beds.
What a blessing - all of the help that I received this year was!
Cheers Everyone!
See you next year!