Garden Update

I realize it’s been a while since I’ve posted about the garden. I haven’t spent much time on it as things are pretty busy in the rest of the house. But flowers bloom and died, weeds grow and grow, and nature changes rather we take time to notice or not.

Here are my previous posts on the garden for reference:
End of June: The flowers were blooming
End of May: Fighting with weeds
Mid May: things are shaping up

Now that September is nearly upon us, fall is just around the corner. The roses aren’t blooming quite as profusely and the gladiolus have come and gone.

The hydrangea has a fresh flush of fall blooms.

The zinnias are doing great! That’s just 1 plant! I’ve got a couple more in pots here and there but it’s been a dry summer and I’m not too good about watering them.

My tomatoes are coming in nicely. I’ve got at least 6 this size!

My garden has done great this year. I’ve got probably 60 cherry tomatoes. I let most of them fall and the squirrels chow down. I have gotten probably 20 large, 8+ inch cucumbers and there are many more on their way. The pepper plant did well producing probably 10 or so hot peppers. The big tomatoes haven’t ripened yet but I’ve got probably 15 or so tomatoes coming 6 of which are HUGE. The squash produced reliably for a couple weeks and then got some kind of squash plant disease. I need to pull it up but it’s acting as a cucumber trellis. I have 3 nice, plump, well-shaped bell peppers that I’m waiting to turn red. Long wait. I’m losing patience! The green beans were a dud. They were bitter and sour no matter how big they were when I picked them. Next year: Sugar Snap Peas. Yummy.

The Hosta tubers I got on super sale and planted much later than is ideal seem to be doing just fine. This one is doing better than the others. I think the tasty clover growing in it distracts the bunnies. I elected to leave it for now and let it take the brunt of the bunny damage.

Last week I got all these super sweet succulents on sale for 75% off at Lowes! Can you believe that?! I got 8 or 9 varieties for less than $5. They were in the cents each price range. I threw some gravel in the bottom of this hot-pink bowl, put a 4″ layer of potting soil, and stuck them in. I grouped them with the succulents I already had on the table on the deck. Quick, easy, cheap and super fun project.

I bought 3 purple butterfly bushes for the side of the porch. I kept waiting for them to get the gutters on the porch before I planted them but the butterfly bushes were none too happy in their pots so into the ground they go. The contractors will just have to work around them. I’ve already seen TONS of butterflies hanging around.

I’ll wait for the gutters for the rest of the foundation plants. I already purchased (tax free weekend) 2 nice boxwoods and some Purple Campanula bells.

That ugly tree’s days are numbered and that number is negative 2. Here she is after I took the clippers to her. Stefan then proceeded to cut her down completely without having to get all scratched up by the branches.

I’m quite pleased with my pruning skills. In all seriousness, I’m quite proud of how much I’ve managed to do garden-wise without spending much time on it. I love the gardening and I’m excited to get things in ship-shape so I can focus on keeping things neat and tidy instead of just keeping things alive. The weather is so nice here in the summer and I’m very much looking forward to spending days outside relaxing in my garden.

Another couple weeks and I’ll need to do some fall yard maintenance. I think I’m going to ask for rose gloves for my birthday. It will certainly make pruning much more pleasant.  Rose gloves and a new iPhone.

Only $15.99. My husband is getting off easy!

Sarah