Thursday, June 18, 2009

Bountiful Garden


Do you guys remember that I tilled up a new veggie garden spot this year? I was looking at it this afternoon (in the sweltering heat) and I thought you'd like to see what it looks like now so I took a few photos. You know it's hot when just taking photos makes the sweat run down your back!



Actually I really want to show you my oats! I'm so excited!



I've got oats!! I like to experiment with at least one new thing each season and this year I decided to try to grow some grain. I chose hulless oats. Now I've got to find my research and figure out when and how to harvest them!



I thought it would be taller like wheat I guess. That's the oats behind this scarecrow (I got all my scarecrows at Goodwill). Doesn't this one look like he's trying to escape!





That's corn behind this one. I think it's looking pretty good! It loves the heat.



We planted some wildflower, zinnia and pumpkin seeds around the outside. I also planted some nasturtium seeds last week. I thought it would be fun to add some edible flowers to our salad. In the other two spaces in this garden I planted small pie pumpkins and carrots (they're not up yet).




Lots of things are almost ready to eat!



Blackberries. You know I pulled that juicy black one off and stuffed it in my mouth! So yummy!



Blueberries!



This is the way we protect our blueberries from the birds. These are our two largest bushes. This is just PVC piping used as a frame and then we put bird netting around that and hold it down with some wood. If we didn't do this we'd never get any berries! Those birds are clever. Every now and then we find one that's smart enough to get in!



All the tomato plants have tomatoes! I can't wait. If you only grow one thing grow your own tomatoes! There's truly no comparison with store bought ones. They do very well in pots if you don't have space for a veggie garden.




Sadly there aren't too many grapes this year. I don't think they liked our very wet spring.





That's just some of what we have growing this year! I'm off to try to make some freezer jam! I'll let you know how it works out!






P.S. I changed the settings on my camera and now my pictures seem to open larger when you click on them.

47 comments:

Adrienne said...

Love those scarecrows! They have such personality. Your garden is gorgeous. Yours is so far ahead of ours. We had to wait until the last possibility of frost was passed before much of it could be planted. Think I'll have to find some scarecrows for mine. Thanks for sharing your wonderful garden with us. ~Adrienne~

Heather said...

the garden looks awesome. love the scarecrows! and those berries-yum!

Nadine said...

Your garden looks beautiful! I would be out there all day snacking on the goodies!

Ally's Corner said...

Love your garden, mine has not looked so bad in all the years I've planned a garden.

GlorV1 said...

Very nice Manuela. Isn't it wonderful when everything you plant grows so great? I love gardening and we have everything you have except for the oats. We've never tried that. Thanks for sharing your bountiful garden. I'd love to see that freezer jam when it's done. Take care.

Gypsy aka Tam said...

Manuela,
your garden looks fabulous. How fun to grow oats. I never even thought to grow that. Love all of your berries and I will have to add that to my list for next year.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful garden with us,
Tam

Southern Fried Gal said...

Beautiful flowers, cute scarecrows, and man those berries look scrupmtious!!!

Rhonda said...

I am so impressed with your garden - you should really have some nice harvests all summer long.

you are just amazing, you even decorate and pretty up your garden.

I am smiling at your oats. My grandparents were wheat farmers and they moved to town to a new home when they retired - I think Grampa was about 85. The grass seed that the builders put in the backyard did not grow so well - so Grampa planted their entire but tiny backyard in wheat.

Sue said...

Oh Manuela. the garden is coming along so very well. I can't believe your blueberries, blackberries, and the grapes. You should have quite a bounty this summer and fall! The scarecrows are too cute to scare off any pests, you know that! LOL And if you have a bounty of anything, I'll send my address to ya so you can share! hugs, Sue

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

Your garden is looking good. I love the scarecrows.

Lady Katherine said...

I wrote about the blueberry in wrong place. lol Just love it! The scarecrow are so cute, to use in the fall and now in the garden! Your garden is great. All mine are deep in grass, we had so much rain. I not showing my garden! lol Can't wait to see your crop of oats! I been sick for 2 weeks, having to go to 3 different Docs. Infection set in. I want so to get better, but I had two wonderful weeks, and got a lot done. Go see my new make over buffet I did a post on today, and tell me what you think!

Lady Katherine said...

Oh, the blackberries are huge! Your hydrangeas are so beautiful! I got a couple rooted. Not sure they are going to make it in this heat! I love love your potting table turned veggie table! Now I want one of those lovely night lights! I am going to drive to, yes got my license,lol to a small town 35 min away, Just me! Freedom! Here I come, to Walmart,antique shop and thrift stores. lol Soon as I get better. lol

Melanie@TheOldWhiteCottage said...

I'm so jealous! I'd love to have a nice big veggie garden like that but 90% of my yard is full shade. I struggle to grow veggies, but I still try in a small spot! ;-)

Sandra said...

You have a great veggie garden going on there! :) I like the scarecrows! I have a small one but wish I had planted more.
Blessings,
Sandra

Richella Parham said...

I never tire of looking at photos of your garden. I wish I could come over and watch you work. . . and sample some of your goodies while I'm there! These pictures made my mouth water.

BTW, I went back and re-read your post about budget gardening. I had totally missed the part about propagating coleus. I need to read more carefully!

Thank you for sharing your green thumb know-how!

Nancy Rosalina said...

Oh your garden is beautiful!! And, the berries are my favorite! Thanks for sharing all the beauty! Nancy

Vee said...

Everything looks so lush and healthy. Will you be doing some canning this year and jam and jelly making? I did enlarge a couple of the photos...those zinnias are strong and vibrant. Your scarecrows are the cutest!

Debra Howard said...

How adventurous you are! I would have never even thought to try oats. Those raspberries and grapes look so yummy. I just love fruit in the summer time. I have been thinking of trying both of those. Are they hard to grow and take care of?
Debbie

Betsy Brock said...

Wonderful! Our garden produce isn't nearly that far along here in Ohio. But I do have a few peppers and tomatoes just turning from their blooms!

Becky K. said...

Your garden is so cool. I was just thinking tonight that growing wheat or some other thing that could be made into flour could be neat. We don't have much space, though, so it was just a thought.

We made a tiny raised bed in a child's swimming pool, a hole in the bottom slips it over a stump and allows for drainage. I painted it green so it doesn't stand out as much. It was a temporary solution to not getting beds built this year. Chelsea really wanted a small garden.

Manuela said...

Loved every square inch of your garden! You can really have a nice healthy meal for free! Bravo! It looks beautiful too.

Cheryl (Copper's Wife) said...

Your garden looks wonderful!! We have oodles of grapes here this year, but not too many blueberries. It was a weather thing here, too.

You know, we have a big garden way out back on our property, but your scarecrows really got me to thinking. We have some of our best chats with our neighbors over the fence way back there. They (and I) might enjoy some whimsy in the form of some cute scarecrows, too.

You never fail to inspire me!

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

I love your garden photos...yours is so far ahead of ours! And your berries, they look delicious! I've always wanted some blueberry and blackberry bushes....maybe someday! We have raspberry and strawberry right now. I love your scarecrows!
XOXO
Joni

Paula@SweetPea said...

Your pictures all opened for me when I clicked on them. I so much enjoyed each one. You'll be harvesting tomatoes and corn before you know it. Your berries look some kind of good. I couldn't believe how many blackberries you had. I predict some jam and pie making in your future!

Meghan said...

You can have all the room in my backyard that you want.. My black thumb just kills everything!

Sharon said...

You garden looks great Manuela! I love the scare crows :) Those Blackberries sure look delicious, we just had some last night with our homemade yogurt :) Oh, and the Zinnias, I love them! Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden with us :)

Have a blessed day!

~Sharon

Victoria said...

Love the pictures of your garden and the scarecrows.

Thank you for all your kind words of encouragement. I want you to know you are one of the reasons I planted more this year! To see another Ga garden, and one that is so beautiful, has given me inspiration. Next year we will experiment and add a new plant as well.

By the way, I was unloading a couple of bags from one car into another yesterday and sweat poured down my back. Ugh...I'm not loving the Atlanta summertime! :)

Erin said...

such a wonderful assortment of garden shots...the blackberries look yummo. and i so like your whimsical scarecrows.
have a lovely weekend.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Your garden looks great! Everything looks so good and healthy. Cute scarecrows.:) Know what you mean about the heat. I went out after dark last night to help my elderly neighbor water her flowers and I was dripping wet when came in.
Glenda

Scrappy quilter said...

What a wonderful garden. I was showing hubby your netting. We just might try that with our raspberries and strawberries. Beautiful pictures. I too love the scarecrow. Too cute!!

Terri Steffes said...

I loved seeing your garden and your plants! The oats are amazing. I can't wait to see what you do with them!

Susie Q said...

You have a garden that will produce delicious things but you ALSO created a perrty space as well! It all looks fantastic!

Love,
Sue

Beth at Aunties said...

Your black and blue berries are making me drool! Our raspberries are so green! Loved your garden...grain too!
Does your adorable scarecrows keep the birds away from your grapes? They eat all of ours before we get to taste a ripe one!

Yummy garden!

Rosemary said...

Wow!
What an amazing garden.Bravo to you!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great weekend,
Rosemary

Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss said...

I am so impressed by the beautiful garden your green thumb has produced! Those berries look delicious!

Chloe m said...

Very attractive veggie garden! Your scarecrows reminded me of one we made with our kids awhile back. The wind blew him over and when I went to put him upright, a few mice jumped out! Yours are cute!

Jennifer said...

Oh how wonderful, Manuela! You have so much going on in your garden and it is just beautiful! I know that you are thrilled and so excited! I am anxious to see what you do with your oats. How neat that you are growing something so unique.

Have a great weekend,
Jennifer

Jenni said...

Your pictures are BEAUTIFUL! I love your gorgeous garden! And that picture of your blackberries against the white fence is amazing! :)

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

jen said...

Your berries look delicious. We will have to use the netting on our strawberries next year. The birds have not left us much!

Jen

Margaret's Ramblings said...

It's looking great Manuela. You seem to be about eight weeks ahead of us looking at the size of you plants and the fruits. I just love harvest time.

Margaret

Anonymous said...

Thank you for nice regards...

I'm still loooooove your blogg and your lovely pictures.

Agneta from Sweden

Heather Anne said...

Wonderful garden - just beautiful! I am looking forward to my dad coming for a visit again soon - he's the one who makes more garden boxes for me, and I am hoping to talk him into two more big ones and a small square just for pumpkins! For next year - it take me that much time to fill them with compost, peat and soil. Everything we have planted is growing really well too - just not enough of anything! Except lettuce - we've enjoyed a ton of salad but it's getting bitter now. We have 2 boxes that are just strawberries and we have really enjoyed them, but they are slowing down now! You inspired me to plant blueberries and our plants are really doing great, but they are still pretty small. No berries yet, but healthy looking plants!

Gabrielle Mader said...

Manuela...what did you change your setting to? I wish my pictures posted larger. they look so big when i'm composing but when they are up they are puny.

Nicole A. said...

I am so jealous, your garden is just beautiful!!! Seriously you have done a wonderful job on this! I sooo wish I could garden!

Lisa said...

Your garden is beautiful and bountiful! It's great when you can start picking from it isn't it?

I made strawberry freezer jam for the first time today. The instructions said it had to sit for 24 hours, so I have to wait until tomorrow to find out if it's good. I sure hope so! What kind did you make?

Kelly Bergsing said...

Goodness!! Maybe you could give us an idea how you are growing everything so neatly!! My garden seems like it is exploding everywhere. I may have planted them a bit close.... does that green fencing work really well with the tomatoes? Most of the stuff I have found for mine is ridiculously expensive. Love the scarecrows!!!

Suzanne said...

Your garden is looking so good! How fun that you planted wheat! And those berries look so yummy!