The weather has been so nice here in Western Washington lately and the garden is growing like mad. I thought I’d share some of my backyard photos with you today and share all the goodness that is happening behind our fence. Lucy the puggle princess wanted to make sure she was included in the photos too! 😉
The oregano patch is gaining on Pinky and the Girls. I’m hoping to cut a few bundles of stems next and hang them to dry to use later during this winter. Is anyone interested in how I dry my herbs? If so let me know and I’ll do a tutorial for you.
The first spring we were here we planted 3 espalier trees {2 pear, 1 apple} and for the first time ever we have some baby apples growing!!! I’m not sure if I need to prune the tree or if I should find a way to hook all the ends of the limbs together to create a long wall of branches. Anyone know? I need to do some research on this.
Ahh the raspberries. We are going to have a bumper crop this year.
The HH’s cabbage is coming in nicely.
As is the garlic. No scapes yet… but soon!
Lucy on patrol.
This year we have 9 tomato plants on the back porch. I planted basil seeds in each of the galvanized tubs but so far we only have basil popping up in one of the tubs.
The pole beans are looking good!
And last but not least… The strawberry patch. Or rather Lucy’s strawberry patch. I think she knows berry season is right around the corner because she’s been checking her patch multiple times a day. I’ve pretty much given up all hope of harvesting any strawberries this year. 😉
Gardening… It’s cool. Even when you have to share your harvest with your dog.
~Mavis
P.S. How is YOUR garden coming along? Are you harvesting anything yet?
DD says
We just had some broccoli. The stalk is very tender compared to the store broccoli. It was the star of our dinner, everyone ate it first. Next is our cabbage.
I’m growing 18 Amish paste tomato plants, 59 bush beans, pole beans, 2 cucumber, 3 Halloween pumpkin, 3 sugar pumpkin, 2 watermelon, 3 zucchini, eggplant bell peppers, New Zealand spinach and red malabar spinach.
I’m in the process of saving seeds from kale, and peas. I’ll also need to save bell pepper seeds, tomato seeds, and pole bean.
I was given raspberry and blackberry starts, they are doing well.
I want to add a strawberry patch and blueberry bushes.
Mavis Butterfield says
Oh DD…
We grew Amish paste tomatoes at our old house and they were wonderful for sauce. I can’t wait to have a big garden again so I can grow a whole row of them. And I’m totally jealous of your broccoli harvest.
Mrs. C. says
Yes, Mavis, please post on drying herbs.
Well, I’m a nut. I have 70 tomatoes, 60 peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, about 1,000 onions, tons of melons, winter squashes, lettuce, celery, modest amounts of raspberries and blueberries, strawberries coming out of my ears, broccoli (several kinds), cauliflower, collards, cabbages, eggplant….
Mavis Butterfield says
I’m dreaming of the day when I can plant like that again. 😉
Lace Faerie says
Wow! The space you must have! Share some pictures?
Mavis Butterfield says
I agree! I would love to see some pictures too Mrs. C.
Mrs. C. says
You are in a much warmer zone than I am, Mavis, and I’ve had strawberries for several weeks, and I just started harvesting my garlic. Do you have any idea why that would be?
Mavis Butterfield says
Our strawberry patch is in a heavily shaded area and our garlic {the garden boxes actually} sit under some very tall pine trees. If we were going to stay I’d move them…
Mel says
We have harvested herbs, asparagus, snow peas, and strawberries so far, and we’re about to harvest our first artichokes. Around the rest of the yard, we’re growing ginger, onions, scallions, cranberries, blueberries, dwarf blackberries, mini melons, a dwarf apple tree, garlic, carrots, okra, lemon squash, Seminole pumpkins, upper ground sweet potato squash, cucumbers, potatoes, peppers (jalapeno, red and purple bell, Tobasco, and cayenne), and bush beans. I have some sweet potato slips I started from last year’s harvest that I need to plant, and then I should be done planting…until it comes time to seed kale and chard for fall.
Amy says
I would love to hear your herb drying techniques.
As for the fruit trees, we had espaliered apple trees growing up, and my dad had horizontal wires to hook all the branches to. They are still producing great at 40 years old.
I finally got my garden planted last weekend… better late then never. I only planted 6 tomato plants (3 Amish paste) and I’m worried it won’t be enough for salsa and sauce making. I also put in lots of peppers, cukes, squash, and even a watermelon… all starts from a local greenhouse since I’m getting a late start.
I did get my sugar snap peas in early and they are starting to really produce!
Mrs. C. says
Mavis has a salsa recipe for canning that is FANTASTIC. We love it so much that I am going to can a ton of it this year. I highly recommend that recipe.
I also tried the strawberry pie recipe that you posted via your friend Jane, and the HH and I ate half of it for dinner, it was that good!
I have to get cucumbers, beans, and peanuts in the ground tomorrow….
Peggy Ann in CT says
I am over run with oregano as well. It is starting to pop up in the lawn.
I love the herb patches when you brush against them. So aromatic. A little thing that makes me happy.
I second a post about a tutorial for drying herbs.
Carrie says
My oregano plant has tripled in size over the last month. It’s about to flower. I love to watch the pollinators so I let my plants flower much to my neighbor’s dismay. 😉 I let my kale plants go this spring and the Gold Finches were all over it eating the seeds – such a cool sight!
I’d love to read the herb drying technique as I have plenty of oregano, parsley and basil growing.
Randi says
Oregano and rhubarb are the only harvests so far. I have huge amounts of oregano. I divided a plant years ago and now oregano serves as a border all around the perimeter of my yard. I have harvested and dried via my dehydrator about 3 pint jars of oregano so far. Love to have it in mid winter for recipes.
Ellen in Clackamas says
I also would like a tutorial. I planted a bunch of herbs last year (for the first time) and just let them grow and grow. Most have come back including chives, oregeno lemon thyme and some catmint—even some straggly sage has popped up. I probably would use them more if I had them dried.
Denise says
Has Lucy ever tried your garlic scapes? My little dog goes crazy for them! And I’ll bet the scapes are good for the doggies too.
Mavis Butterfield says
No… I had no idea dogs liked garlic. Ha!
Lace Faerie says
Having a new pair of kittens, I read this recently. From The web: Is Garlic Bad for Dogs and Cats? – Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline › poison › garlic
Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks are in the Allium family, and are poisonous to both dogs and cats if the dose is right. Garlic is considered to be about five times as toxic as onions for cats and dogs. … While minute amounts of these foods in some pets, especially dogs, may be safe, large ingestions can be very toxic.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thank you Lace for letting me know.
Pat Gilmer says
My garden is goingbin late also. My garden area was a muddy mess for so long! I started some veggies in containers on my deck to try and offset the late plantings. I planted 4 tomatoes in containers, some lettuce, basil and other herbs also. Trying to get the rest iny garden now!!!
Mavis, i would also like to read your way of drying herbs. Please post it when you can.
Tracie@SomewhatAwry.com says
I definitely want to hear about drying herbs, I’ve never done it and would love to know how you do it!