Are we really approaching the end of July? Seems hard to believe if you live in Western Washington! I feel like we’re just gearing up for summer.
Here’s a look at how my garden is shaping up for July!
Incidentally, I’ve discovered a benefit to having a garden. You eat more vegetables! And you think about eating more vegetables, too. Now this might sound rather obvious, but to me it’s an exciting discovery. So the other day I’m making pizza and I start chopping a tomato to add to it – like it was second nature or something!
And last night I whipped up some Orange Chicken (OK…it’s Trader Joe’s!) and instead of serving it on rice, I served it on fresh organic lettuce from our garden! Then I added fresh chopped green onions on top. Viola!
To learn more, be sure to check out posts in my Gardening Category.
And to see what others are growing in their gardens, do stop by The Garden Party!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Your garden looks fantastic – everything is getting to be so big! I love using our produce in our meals as well. It’s the best part of dinner! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!! Next year I’ll have a better idea on how to plan. We’re actually discussing building more containers for next year to give things room to grow.
I love your video updates–well done! And your lettuce looks so robust and healthy–gorgeous. I really like the flowers on bean plants as well–I actually grow bush beans that have lavender flowers in turquoise window boxes that line the stairs to our front door! There are runner beans that you grow up a trellis that have red flowers and lavender flowers, too–all very pretty, and then you get the beans to eat!
I was reading about the runner beans a couple months ago…I think I might have to try those next year! I had fun going through my updates from June…it’s amazing how quickly things have grown.
Everything looks great! I’m so glad you are able to enjoy the “fruit” of your labor the first year. It was such work to get all your planters together and it is thrilling to see everything bloom.
My tomatoes are the same way: good-looking plants, plenty of flowers, not many tomatoes yet. I am watering them twice a day now. I didn’t think they were getting enough sun and now I’m worried they are getting too much!
I had some really weird bugs on my red cabbage & broccoli. I took out a ton of leaves. Not sure I’m going to get any produce now, but the bugs are gone. Won’t be growing these again! They taste just like grocery-store broccoli (unlike the fantastic flavor of home-grown tomatoes, herbs or lettuce) and take up a lot of room.
My carrots are tiny but doing well. My chocolate mint has taken over its space. Thinking I need to take out some stuff and put in something for fall. Not sure what exactly to do now.
I love your bush beans! Our beans are about done. I am going to save some for seed for next year. If anything that you like goes to seed, be sure to save it & label it for next year.
Laura, I’m going to plant some overwintering plant varieties this fall, such as a variety of carrot I was reading about. We’ll also be planting garlic and I hope to resume planting some leafy greens this fall. We may construct a hoop house over a couple of our containers so we can extend the season. Still have a lot of learning to do over here, but I’m really pleased at the results of our first year!
Wow, your garden is looking great! Those tomato plants are huge! We got a later start on our garden (June) but we’re having pretty nice progress, too. But, as our neighbor tells us – nothing like last yr when they had zucchini & beans growing like crazy at this time of yr. We bought some of the round zucchini plants (not sure of the name) to try out & those are actually doing better than our regular zucchini – they already have about tennis ball sized zucchini growing. So, maybe they do better with the cooler temps we’ve had. Our tomatoes also are quite large, but only a few small little green tomatoes so far. Hopefully everything will really start taking off after this warm spell we’ve had.
Are those the “8 ball” zucchini? I think that’s what they’re called. I remember seeing a variety like that in a seed catalog.
I’m curious…and hoping…that I’ll have some vegetables that will ripen in time.
Ang- your garden looks amazing. Can’t believe how big all your veggies are.
Thanks for sharing. I always look forward to your updates. Our tomatoes are late this year in the midwest, too. I think many of the flowers had dropped off but now we are finally getting lots of tomatoes. Haven’t had a red one yet. My peppers are not doing well. I suspect it is has something to do with not having bees to pollinate the flowers. I have four plants and only one pepper has been produced. The beans are ready to be picked. I also have lettuce, peas, potatoes, onions, and beets. My husband pulled up my oregano, basil and spinach by mistake. He thought they were weeds!
Beautiful, Angela! It’s especially fun seeing the garden through your “first time” eyes.
Thanks for sharing at the TGP!