There is so much going on in the garden lately, I don’t even know where to begin.
For the past week or so the weather in the Pacific Northwest has been in the mid 70’s, which is of course the perfect weather for growing vegetables. With exception to the 120 heirloom tomato plants I’m trying to grow, the soon to be pumpkin patch is my favorite spot in the garden right now.
But there is a problem brewing. Because I tend to plant seeds on a whim, sometimes I don’t always see potential problems until they present themselves. The pumpkin patch is a good example. In about another week or so the pumpkin vines will be on the lawn.
And that’s a problem. Here in high maintenance suburbia, a man’s lawn is like the holy grail of manliness.
The hours spent mowing, weeding and nuking the thing with fertilizer is considered time well spent. Having a lush green lawn is pretty much equivalent to having a shiny new boat parked in the driveway.
So I need to figure out {and quick} how to train the pumpkin vines away from the grass before the HH comes out with the weed wacker and destroys them in a fit of rage.
But on a happier note, for the first summer ever, we have big, fat, juicy blueberries!
The the English shelling peas… Check them out!
And the basil? Looking good.
Swiss chard, purple peppers, heirloom carrots and cherry tomatoes…
And get a load of these heirloom tomatoes.
This is shaping up to be a heck of a season to grow vegetables.
2000 pounds… Here I come!
So what’s happening in YOUR neck of the woods?
Are you plants taking off like crazy?
Is your husband as freaky about the lawn as mine?
alliegator says
I just redirect vines so they grow the way I want them to. If they were really being unruly, I suppose you could try using earth staples (or a piece of wire hanger) to hold them in the right direction.
Mavis says
Thank you alliegator! 🙂 I like your thinking!
Nikk says
I do that too; it works great, since those vines are so stubborn. Thanks for posting pics! I was lamenting that my pumpkin vines aren’t big enough to do anything this year, but I live only a few miles from you in Woodinville and my pumpkins are literally that big too.
Mavis says
Nikk, you should be fine. I think most pumpkins take about 90 -110 days so we should be harvesting them towards the end of September. Fingers crossed. 🙂
Holly says
The deer were back last night. Wednesday night they started on the strawberries, which we covered with netting. Last night they were back and ate the tops off the broccoli, some celery and the tops off a few tomatoes. Aghhhhhhh.
Mavis says
Dear are a pain in the arse.
Jenn says
I stupidly thought I could plant my pumpkind pretty close together and right by my raised planter for my garden. Bad idea! I’ve been out there every day moving the vines toward the open area around some tree’s and away from my walkway/raised planters… Hmmm… Next year those things are going VERY far away from everything else… maybe by the wood pile 🙂
Guess what else I did… I planted some seed IN my lawn. Yep, in front of my house because I had some pumpkin seeds left over. I thought it would look cool with pumpkin vines growing on my lawn. Little did I think about having super long grass growing through the pumpkin leaves later on. Oh well… they’re small for now and I’ll figure out what to do when the time comes!
Mavis says
You are a nut! My husband would totally freak out if I planted pumpkin seeds in the lawn! 🙂
Lucky L says
Either you could spring for some decorative foot-high fencing, or you could go Chinese. Nudge a vine back in and leave a chopstick stuck in the ground to keep it there. Also, one year I was gone when my garlic matured and rather than getting tender scapes to stir fry I ended up with woody stems. I cut them to 6″ and used them to corral the squash vines.
Kendra says
I haven’t been able to visit my garden for about 3 weeks and its driving me crazy. I injured myself and have had two surgeries since then which have restricted me to a knee scooter and limited arm movement (my garden stair steps down the side of my house and isn’t very scooter friendly). I’m thinking of sending my husband out to take pictures just so I can see whats growing.
My potato plants are out front of my house and they do look like they are going crazy. I’m hoping for lots and lots of potatoes in there! Depending how they turn out, I think I’m going to try a few different varieties next year. I’d love to grow my own yams (mmmm….sweet potato fries….)
mona says
Beautiful. And I thought the 7.2 lbs of potatoes I harvested this am for potato soup was exciting….Unfortunately, the really high temps here in southern Cali are drying out my peppers. Hopefully we get below the 100s soon. Good luck harvesting and enjoy the weather. Love your blog.
Belinda says
Your garden is beautiful!!!! I am currently up to my ears in tomatoes and busy canning them. 🙂
Helen in Meridian says
Today is the 2nd day this week of 108 and 6th day of over 100. We will send some of this great heat to your Heirloom Patch. Your raspberry Buckle reminded me of the only good tasting baby food jar I bought for my son. Then I made his food myself after tasting that dull stuff.
Laurel says
My garden is giving me smaller yields due to the wicked heat we had for a few weeks and very poor rain amounts. But I do see lots of tomatoes so I am hopeful. I am getting cukes, beets, zuchinni and yellow squash here and there. So sad I can’t water it as much as I want to.
Lauren says
Hi Mavis
I just pick my vines up and move them aswell. I also start pinching out the ends when they are about 2meters long (gee what is that in feet no idea!)
I have seen some really cool A frames type things on pintrest
http://pinterest.com/pin/39476934204432113/
Have fun!
Melissa says
I am sooo impressed with your weekly bartering … I have been bartering myself lately … a little over a week ago we traded 4oz of homemade vanilla extract and 4oz of homemade mint extract for 6 tomato plants and a tomatio plant! And so far this week I bartered a dozen eggs for 2lbs of hazelnuts (I think I got the way better deal there … so I sent her a message that I owe her at least another 2 dozen eggs). In the past month I have also bartered a rooster for a flat of strawberries and another rooster for 3 bottles of homemade wine … I still have a few roosters to get rid of, I wonder what I will get for them??? Love your posts!!!
Christa says
i am thinking about doing the strawberries in the rain gutters next year… where would be a good place to start looking for some? 🙂
Mavis says
I ordered mine through raintree nursery. They are online 🙂
Christa says
Hey thanks! good to know. I actually think I have a catalog from them.
🙂
Raman says
You grow girl! How many sqft are you growing on?
Mavis says
I have no idea. But I have {16} 8×4 foot garden beds and a few odd sized pieces of land to grow things like potatoes, raspberries, and squash. 🙂
Pello says
Awesome update; yours plants look beautiful! 😀
As to the pumpkins, like others posted the vines should be trainable. Speaking of them, what spacing did you use between the [mounded?] plants, and is there one or more plants per seeding [mound?]. Beautiful once again; really inspiring stuff 🙂
Mavis says
I believe there was about 6 feet spacing between the plants, and I planted 2 -3 seeds per mound. Thanks to the advise someone left I now have the vines trained to grow away from the lawn. Even though I’ve been gardening a long time, I sure don’t know everything. LOL 🙂
Pello says
Thanks for the feedback! I like that each mound has multiple vines, and glad to hear you got to train them away before your husband had at them with a weedwhacker. Most of the “experienced” gardeners find they can learn a few new tricks even then, so you’re not alone ;D
Hope your pumpkins do awesome!
Mavis says
Thanks! Me too. Let’s hope they’re heavy.
Kristen DeLap says
Hi Mavis,
First time at your site. Love what I’m seeing. I’d like to do a little comparison planting to yours. Do you know what USDA hardiness zone you are in? I’m in Chicago, so while I’m surrounded by 5a, here in the city we are actually 5b. Just wanted to compare planting times and plant varieties.
Thanks!
Mavis says
Zone 8. We usually don’t see frost until late October. 🙂
Nikki says
I am in love with your site, and thanks to CNN I just found it today. I’ve been looking forever for a local gardener, since i don’t know what works well in my region (Woodinville) and I have no gardeners in the family to teach me. I hope you don’t mind a little spy 🙂
Can I ask what variety of Swiss chard do you grow? My chard gets a few paltry leaves barely the size of a radish leaf then they bolt immediately. I don’t think they like the maritime Northwest.
Thanks for any advice!
Mavis says
I planted Rainbow Swiss Chard from Botanical Interests. I have tried planting it directly in the garden before with minimal success. If I were you I would start it indoors and then move it outside once it gets going {3 weeks later}.
Nikki says
Yeah I ususally start it in the ground. I will try it indoors first. If that doesn’t work, Botanical Interest is going to get a call from me 🙂