Yesterday we harvested our first head of lettuce from the garden. 🙂 This year we’re growing the little gem romaine variety in the kitchen garden area between 2 rows of sweet peppers. This is my small way to start Late June Gardening in Coastal Maine – Planting Zone 6a.
While I really like using romaine lettuce for salads, and on burgers, I think I like the little gem variety a bit better than the regular romaine as it’s compact size seems a little easier {and quicker} to grow.
Our tomatoes and cucumbers are still a few weeks away, so yesterday we used the lettuce to top off our hamburgers, but I’m looking forward to diving into a full on homegrown salad here pretty soon.
Our first yellow zucchini of the season is only a few days away from picking.
And the 9 blueberry bushes are not far behind.
Here’s a look at a few of the other things we have growing in the garden right now.
My sweet potatoes! They’re hanging in there.
I wish I could say the same for my hubbard squash. 🙁
Maybe the squash bugs will give up and go away and not attack the rest of my squash?
Succotash! Have you tried it? I haven’t tried it before but I’m looking forward to it. I think it will be fun to see how much we get from 1 packet of seeds.
The same goes for all the new varieties of beans this year. Green beans, black beans, purple beans, cattle beans, lima beans… I’m trying them all this year. 🙂 My plan is to dry as many as possible for winter soups and stews. Fingers crossed everything goes as planned and the furry creatures stay away.
I LOVE gardening, and I love that every year is a bit different. Are you growing anything new this year? Or are you sticking to the same old same old? Curious minds want to know.
Sunny skies and a high of 77 is in the forecast for today. Yee-Haw!
Peace Out.
~Mavis
Cindy Miller says
Beautiful garden. It looks spectacular! Mine is soooo far behind.
Stephanie Z says
Pick those squash beetles (I use tweezers) and drown them in soapy water. They are mating and slow to fly away. You’ll defeat them in no time.
Angie says
I have planted several varieties of field peas this year instead of just be pink eyed peas we usually plant. I have zipper cream peas, white acre peas, crowder peas, and Lima beans. I also planted Ferrari green beans, pole beans, provided green beans and wax beans to go into three bean salad. My beets did not germinate at all. Two types of radishes are doing well and I have butternut squash that is taking off. All of my tomatoes are doing well except the San marzanos…they look weak and scrawny ☹️
Here’s hoping that all comities to go well and we have a bountiful harvest. I am
Already thinking and planning the fall crops. Gardening is my favorite!
Mavis Butterfield says
I had never heard of zipper cream peas so I looked them up. Those are totally going on my list for next year!
Ashley Bananas says
Those beetles are doing some National Geographic level stuff there….
Random note, I was inspired by your Monday grocery and what you ate post and made grilled cheese served with pickles last night. I looked for a can of tomato soup but had none, so my son and I split a can of Spaghettios. We’re trying to eat at home more, and simple is the way to go.
Margo says
Gone for a week while my granddaughter babysat my garden. When I left I only had a few ripe tomatoes. Probably 8-10lbs of tomatoes on my counter, in my fridge and still on the bushes. Quickly froze some for canning later, going to dry some, stew some (and can), can more and give some cherry tomatoes to my neighbor. Also had 2 bully club size zucchini that escaped her detection. Probably make some relish with those. Much to do this week!
loriann says
Yellow dixie cups stapled to paint stirrer sticks and coated with tree tanglefoot from Amazon attracts thgs. They stick to it don’t eat your plants as much. Use it constantly here in my Arizona garden. Wear disposable glove when handling container and a tongue depression or craft stick to put it onto the cup. Sticky like youve never seen!
Linda Practical Parsimony says
I wonder if it would slow down the little chipmunks and squirrels?
Mary G says
Your garden looks amazing! I am far behind but have harvested some baby greens and arugula. My tomatoes are looking pretty good so far, and some of my herbs will be ready to harvest soon. I should plant some more basil. I love seeing your pictures of your garden, though. You are an amazing gardener!
Linda says
I really like the Little Gem lettuce, but didn’t plant any this year. I’m growing leaf lettuce and some head lettuce plants I purchased from the Amish. I planted two rows of Pinto Beans to give them a try. My beloved Lazy Housewife beans are growing up their trellises. We eat them as green beans and dried beans. We only planted Sweet Greek Red squash this year so we can harvest the seeds from this very rare squash. It’s our all time favorite and cucumber beatles and squash beatles DON’T like it. I’ll purchase other squash varieties from the Amish to store this fall.
Dianna says
Linda, I would like to try Sweet Greek Red squash. Where did you get your seeds? I have never heard of this before!
Linda says
We originally purchased them from Bakers Creek but they’re no longer available. If my harvest is good, I will gladly send you some, but how do I that?
Dianna says
I would love that, thank you! And would be happy to send you some seeds as well.
Please email me if you end up having extra seeds — dgardenhour at k12 k dot com (typed out to avoid spam)
Amber says
I’m growing a few new varieties of peppers for me, and okra!
It’s too late/hot to get my lettuce in this year, so I’ll do it closer to the end of summer, when the plants are bigger and provide more shade. Little Gem is a favorite, though!
Anna says
I actually harvested radishes and kale for the first time. I am trying ginger as well.
Mavis Butterfield says
Wahooo! 🙂 What kind of radishes?
Susan H. says
First time trying kale and french mustard. French mustard has bolted but I just use the blossoms. Bought a pitiful lemongrass plant and had to research how to grow it LOL.
Susan says
We are way behind in the gardening this year! Such a cold, rainy spring!
Finally got some sun this week, so things are starting to take off!
Did a second planting of green beans because the first round just rotted in the ground. Not 1 bean came up!
I picked a bunch of radishes yesterday and the greens were so beautiful I mad some radish top/ walnut pesto and some radish top/ garbanzo bean soup for the freezer
32 tomato plants- 17 Legend and 15 Siberia plus 2 cherry tomato
30 cabbages- we’ll see about those- looking good but I have terrible luck with cabbage
2 rows of kale
1 row of lettuce
2 rows of pak choi- to make kimchi
4 rows of corn- definitely NOT knee high by Fourth of July!
2 rows yellow beans
a couple hills of:
zucchini, yellow squash, delacata, and white bush scallop
sugar pumpkins- when I saw the price of canned pumpkin in the store, I decided to try for a few sugar pumpkins just for holiday pies
A couple plants of jalapeno and regular peppers in the hoophouse
Some pea pods along the back fence
A few sunflowers for the birds and squirrels
I also planted some dill and cilantro seeds . I try every year and zip- nada- nope! I have no clue why they don’t grow!!! Pretty much weeds, right? 🙂
I still have some space for a few things- not sure what. But I better decide soon- time is flying.
Samantha says
You must live in the PNW, because you are describing my garden to a T!! My 1st bean planting rotted as well and I am so excited to see the second planting I did starting to sprout. My broccoli was coming along very nicely until we jumped from 60 degree to ninety degree weather and I now have a lovely bunch of yellow flowers because they bolted. Still holding on to hope for the dill and cilantro. All squash and pumpkin varieties seem to be coming along nicely despite our crazy weather!
Susan says
Yes! I am in SW Washington.
Mavis Butterfield says
Are you trying any new canning recipes this year Susan? You always have such fun ones.
Susan says
Nothing new. I am growing pak choi to make kimchi and the cabbage is for sauerkraut
If I find anything exciting, I’ll let you know. I really do like the odd things.
Angelia JOhnson says
This year we are tryting several new things in the garden. Growing Sunchokes, oca, ground pears aka Yacon Peruvian Ground Apple, and horseraddish…also new this year eqyption walking onions, Japaneese long onions, sweet Ciciely, and 14 lingonberry plants, Rhubarb Canada Red and Victoria.red wine King Stropharia mushrooms,ramps, rampsons, and all of these are perennial isn’t that so cool?
Carla says
I’ve grown oca and Yacon. I’ve eaten oca raw in salads and baked. The baked was so very delicious. Unfortunately, the gophers got all my oca. My Yacon is in a large pot. I’ve only eaten it raw but like it very much. Good luck to you on growing both.
LindaT says
I harvested our first head of broccoli yesterday, with 9 more coming- hopefully not all at once. We picked the last of the peas last week and we pulled them, putting Lima beans in their place.
We have a large rabbit who has nibbled the edges of a lot of things but so far has not done serious damage. Usually tomatoes are over the tops of their cages by now but they got a slow start this year. They have tomatoes, but they’re still golf balls sized.
Tarah says
We are trying out a couple new things this year—cucamelons (adorable bean-sized looking watermelons that are actually cucumbers. I think I’d grow them again just because they’re so freaking cute!) and several types of gourds (luffa sponge and bushel gourds). I always like to try at least one or two new things a year to keep things interesting!
Mavis Butterfield says
Cucamelons are CRAZY cute!!! I need to put those on my list for next year.
GrannyB says
We have had Japanese Beetles terribly thick this year! I read the other day about using Dawn detergent. We filled our 2 gallon sprayer with water, squeezed in about a 1/2 cup or so of Dawn detergent, put the sprayer on, and gently tipped back and forth to mix without making too man bubbles. Stuck the wand in the middle of the plants and sprayed the leaves on bottoms and tops. Saw about 3 or 4 the next day, so lightly sprayed again. None for 3 days now. Supposed to repeat every 10 days. As matter of fact, haven’t seen ANY bugs on our bushes or in the garden. May want to try that with your squash bugs.
Veronica says
Hunting lots of slugs every night north of Seattle; trying to keep my dragon tongue beans and sugar snap peas alive. I’m squishing between 2 and 50 a night! Yuck!!!
Diana says
It all looks wonderful, Mavis.
Question – I thought sucotash was a combination of lima beans, corn and some other veg. You indicated that it was a specific plant? What is that?
I have a terrible time with lettuce and spinach. Georgia is just NOT conducive to growing it. We get hot too fast and it either bolts or dries up. I’m trying growing it indoors with grow lights. We’ll see how it works. If that doesn’t work, I’ll tryin sowing it in Sept. and see if I can get some this fall. Ah well…
Diana says
As for the squash bugs. DO NOT ignore them. Get some of the BT (spinosad) at HD or Lowes. If you have a Tractor Supply, get the Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew. I use it and it works. It’s an organic insecticide and will kill them. If you ignore them, them multiply like crazy and you’ll NEVER get rid of them.
Robyn says
Hi Mavis- Heather at North Ridge farms has had success with yellow plastic bowls in the squash row filled with water and a squirt of liquid soap. She also covers the rows with floating row covers over wire hoops and removes the row cover when she feels the plants are big enough to have a fighting chance. She’s an amazing gardener in northern Vermont with lots of great tips.
I’m in the PNW and this spring has been cold and wet. My greens are doing really well but I’m concerned about my tomatoes. Time will tell and gardening is different every single year. I love it!
Debi says
Beets, red onions and potatoes are new for me this year.
Dianna says
Thanks for sharing your garden….I love looking at pictures of people’s gardens! We’ve been harvesting lettuce, cabbage, mini jalapeno, squash, and garlic. This year I planted Rouge D’Hiver lettuce and it is doing great despite the heat we’ve had (east TN zone 7a, high 80s and 90s for a couple of months now). The squash bugs hit my plants super early this year. I usually have a few good harvests before seeing them, but this year they arrived before I even picked one zucchini. I didn’t get them controlled in time so now they’re all over my plants and squash. 🙁 I am going to pull the plants and start with new ones in July, hoping it will be too hot for the bugs by then.
New to me this year — ground cherries and cucamelon. I planted one ground cherry in a hanging pot, and the rest in containers on the ground. The one in the hanging pot is doing fantastic with no pest issues, I think I’ll do several of those next year!
Teresa Young says
We are in the Finger Lakes region of NY – Zone 6a as well.
I just harvested my first zucchini – new variety for us called Eight Ball. It’s about the size of a softball.
A chipmunk ate all my beets! We are going to try have-a-heart traps because we can’t kill a chipmunk. If it was a mouse or vole, no problem!
New for us this year are potatoes. I recycled several chicken feed bags to use as planters and the potatoes are doing very well. Also growing celery for the first time.
We also have Juliet grape tomatoes, slicing tomato, red onions, and green and Poblano peppers.
Samantha says
Me too!!!