From the garden

Here is the garden Memorial Day weekend.

About a week later I noticed some of my plants were being eaten by Cucumber Beetles.

I used 3 different methods to get rid of them. Because there were so many of them the first method was to use a homemade organic soap insecticide spray (recipe is at the bottom of the post), the second was to plant onions around the plants affected by the beetles. And third to just pick them off as I found them.

And some pics from over the past few weeks.

Cucumbers & Radishes

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Corn & Broccoli

Peppers

Zucchini


Fresh picked!

We have picked so much so far, seems like everyday we eat something out of the garden!

In this house (and yard) you can NOT eat a carrot (or apple) without sharing with the dog.

The newest addition to the garden (actually just outside of it), an underground bees nest!

Because I am allergic to bees we will be searching for a beekeeper to come collect them. I am hoping to find one at our local farmers' market this weekend. If not, the search will continue. Because of the reduction in bee populations we do not wanna see the bees harmed in any way.

Soap Insecticide

1 Gallon of water

1-2 Tablespoons Liquid Castile Soap

1 Dropper of Garlic Oil

When using the Soap Insecticide use it later in the day, after the 'good bugs' have gone away. Make sure to spry under the leaves as well as the tops. Wait about an hour and rinse off your plants! If left on too long plants may be burnt. Use once a week until there are no more signs if infestation.

Greening my thumb

I have been busy working in they yard! I planted my entire vegetable garden, put up a fence, planted herbs and flowers around the fences, planted 2 trees, 4 lilacs, planted and transplanted flowers (making 2 new beds), built a rain barrel and a compost barrel and still could find 8 hours of work to do while out in the yard (if only I had that kinda time everyday). I did all of this while fighting the itchiness of, duh duh duh, poison ivy! Which I also am trying to get out of the yard.

I sprayed our entire fence line with a double mixture of:

1 gallon white distilled vinegar

1 cup salt

a few drops of detergent (any kind of detergent will work)

Put the salt and vinegar in a pot and bring it to a boil until salt dissolves. Let cool add to spray container and add a few drops of detergent. You must spray as much on to the ivy as possible. This solution will not only kill the poison ivy, but also any other vegetation it gets in, including your grass.

Because of the spraying, I have taken some clippings of raspberry vines and am trying to get some roots started so I can plant them in a poison ivy free line of the fence. I was even able to pull a few young vines, roots and all and move them. Now I just hope they take and we get some raspberries. YUM!

Here are some pics of what I have been working on.

Gladiolas and Irish Moss under the kitchen window.

Garden after planting.

2 days later, with a fence! Some little critter entered and ate my broccoli! I saw yesterday it is not lost, they have new growth on them.

I used mostly reused materials to build my fencing, buying just new fence. I got the wood from my neighbor who's work gave it away 2 years ago and has just been sitting in his garage. The supports and re-bar were sitting in a pile behind our garage used for the past owners garden.

Just what the back yard needed!

We've got a picnic area, play area, compost pit, clothes line, herb and flower gardens and a fire pit and now the beginnings of a vegetable garden.

Yes, I am starting a vegetable garden! We never had the space until we moved here, a little over 5 years ago. Shortly after moving I got pregnant and have had babies to tend to. Tending to babies left me no time for a garden, although I did plant some pumpkins last year. We got one perfect little pumpkin. This summer the girls are 2 1/2 and 4, still pretty young, but old enough to help mom in the yard.

On Sunday I tilled a 25 x 18 foot section of the very back part of our yard. Yesterday the girls and I worked a bit on working the soil and removing some of the bigger chunks of sod. I'll work it a bit more today and hopefully later in the week will begin planting some of my seedlings.

I will be attempting an organic garden. I am still exploring my options on how to go about this. I figure I will most likely use my compost and some manure/compost from the horse stable down the road for fertilizer. For pest control I am thinking of planting a marigold and herb border around the garden, as suggested by my sister, as well as the use of essential oils.

Work in progress.

The back yard from closer to the house.

My thumb is only a pail green, so if anyone has any suggestions for me feel free to offer them in a comment.