I am currently getting squash and peas from the garden and am about to start getting green beans, carrots, and cucumbers. As with every year, there are failures/problems and there are successes. This is how it goes, at least for me–gardening is frustrating, but in the end, always worth it.

Here are a couple of pictures. You might need to click on the photo to see in detail.

Picture 1:

1. Cucumbers. In the back are three cucumber plants, two lemon cucumbers and another small white cucumber. I plant them in tomato cages so that they will climb easily and I don’t have to bother with staking them. Two plants are doing great, one is kind of stunted because the irrigation line was accidentally moved off the plant for a week when I first put it in. It isn’t rebounding well.

2. Brandy Wine Tomato. I took this picture two weeks ago and this plant is twice this size now. We have since built a cage around it. It’s doing great.

3. White Corn. This is my first time growing corn. The plants are fascinating and huge. I can’t wait to see them produce ears.

4. Leeks. I need to weed this row, but they are doing well. I should be able to harvest leeks in late August.

Picture 2:

1. Snap Peas. Every garden has a crop that doesn’t do as well, and this year it’s my peas. I think I used old seeds because only three of the 16 plants grew. However, I have been able to harvest about 10-15 peas so far and more are developing, so it’s not a total loss.

2. Zucchini. I am in a battle with the ants over all my squash plants. They are streaming in to put aphids on the blossoms and I am trying to stop them. It happens every year and it is always a little traumatic for me–however, I am getting a lot of squash so far. I’m averaging about a squash every two day.

3. Round Zucchini. I planted round zucchini not knowing that they are small squash the shape of a pool ball. It’s actually just fine with me since it gives a little variety. The ants are trying to take over this plant too.

4. Potato Experiment. I did not plant that potato–it just popped up. Apparently the potatoes I planted there last year went to seed. I am letting it grow to see what it does. Maybe I will get a bonus crop of potatoes.

5. Butternut Squash. So far I’m happy with this plant. It is spreading out in the place I sectioned off for it and has three little butternuts on it. If all goes well, I should be getting some butternuts this September or so.

6. Peppers. There are about 12 pepper plants in my garden ranging from jalapeños to bells. They are all a little stunted, but I recently hit them with some fertilizer and they are doing better. A lesson for next year: peppers need extra fertilizer in this garden…

Believe it or not, this is only HALF of my garden. Check out Pictures 3 and 4.